Using This Blog for Something Useful, part 3

OK, the possibility of my hard drive blowing up, and hence the loss of my computer calendar, never used to terrify me. But now it's getting to the point where it would really be bad, especially since I wouldn't know how bad until I missed an important deadline.

I regularly copy my Documents folder to a flash drive. Does anybody know which file I have to copy so that I could recover my default, no frills calendar? I have Vista. (Condolences may be sent to my gmail account.)

Comments

  1. Are you using Outlook? If so, your calender is probably in C:\Users\{Your Username}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\outlook.pst.

    If it's not there, look in File --> Data File Management in Outlook. It should list the location of your data .

    BTW, I would recommend an automated backup solution to regularly back up your data. I use Windows Live OneCare.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ben,

    No, I'm just using the Windows Calendar that comes with Vista.

    Can you elaborate on Windows Live OneCare? Is it something I have to buy?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah, try this directory:

    C:\Users\{Your username}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Calendar\Calendars

    OneCare is Microsoft's antivirus/anti-spyware program that also has features for automatic backup and other rountine maintenance tasks. A one year subscription for up to 3 PCs is $50, but I've always gotten it free after rebate with deals such as this one:

    http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?t=812688

    You can download a free 90-day trial to see if you like it:

    http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/download.htm

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yep got it, thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous8:19 PM

    Hi Bob,

    Just wondering. Is there any reason you don't use an online calendar like the calendar's provided by Yahoo, Google etc.?

    I pretty much upload everything these days, so I'm free to use a laptop when I travel and a desktop when I'm at home, and I always have all my files and records

    ReplyDelete
  6. Is there any reason you don't use an online calendar like the calendar's provided by Yahoo, Google etc.?

    Mostly lock-in, I guess. I also always have my laptop on business trips, so that wouldn't be an issue.

    And of course, I don't want the government seeing my scheduled meetings with various dissidents.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous8:57 PM

    Mostly lock-in, I guess. I also always have my laptop on business trips, so that wouldn't be an issue.

    The day your lap top freezes you are going to wish you had online access to your empirical formulas.

    And of course, I don't want the government seeing my scheduled meetings with various dissidents.

    You could use code names. Say you are meeting with Gene. You could calendar in: "Appointment with foot doctor."

    ReplyDelete
  8. Also, you should sometimes export the calendar to the generic web-calendar format -- I forget the name of it. Then it can be put on the web, sucked into other programs, mailed to yourself at gmail, etc.

    That, by the way, is my main backup strategy -- I mail myself a copy of every major version of any piece of writing on which I'm working. Not only then does Apple (in my case) have a copy on their computer that they back up for me, I also can access the document from anywhere in the world where there is an Internet hookup.

    ReplyDelete
  9. 'Say you are meeting with Gene. You could calendar in: "Appointment with foot doctor."'

    Bob would use, 'Appointment with fool doctor'.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The day your lap top freezes you are going to wish you had online access to your empirical formulas.

    If only automobiles got the same mileage as you do from that joke, our energy problems would be solved.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That, by the way, is my main backup strategy -- I mail myself a copy of every major version of any piece of writing on which I'm working.

    Yeah, I do that too. But when something is done, I don't want it hanging around in my email account. So every week I take a snapshot of the relevant folders from my hard drive.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous3:34 PM

    If only automobiles got the same mileage as you do from that joke, our energy problems would be solved.

    As Rothbard I'm sure would say, "What energy problems?"

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Libertarians, My Libertarians!

"Machine Learning"

"Pre-Galilean" Foolishness