Dell Precision WorkStation 210, User Manual

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Maintaining the System D-1
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Proper use of preventive maintenance procedures can keep the system in top
operating condition and minimize the need for costly, time-consuming service
procedures. This appendix contains maintenance procedures that you should
perform regularly.
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Everyone inadvertently deletes files at one time or another. Also, hard-disk drives can
fail after extended use, so it is not a question of
whether
you will eventually lose data,
but
when
. To avoid such loss of data, you should regularly make backup copies of all
hard-disk drive files. Frequent, regular backups are a must for anyone using a
hard-disk drive.
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The frequency with which backups should be made depends on the amount of
storage space on a hard-disk drive and the volatility of the data contained on the drive.
Heavily used systems require more frequent backups than systems in which files are
seldom changed.
Dell recommends that you back up the hard-disk drive at least once a week, with a
daily backup of those files known to have been changed. Following these guidelines
ensures the loss of no more than a day’s work in the event of a hard-disk drive failure
or if you inadvertently delete one or more important files.
As further insurance against data losses, you should keep duplicate copies of the
weekly and monthly backups at an off-site location. Doing this ensures that you lose
no more than a week’s work, even if one of the on-site backups becomes corrupted.
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Iomega Zip drives are fast, convenient, and reliable devices that can back up data at
rates of up to 11.2 megabytes per second (MB/sec) (sustained, without data
compression) and can often run unattended. Dell offers Zip drives with storage
capacities of 100 MB per Zip disk and recommends these drives and their associated
backup software for use as system backup devices.