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ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR FILES!!!

by abbot Banned
11 replies
I have always been good about backing up my files on a regular basis. However tonight I was using one of my "alternative" reseller accounts that I have registered with Hostgator.

When I first started I had a lot of "low paying" clients. So I put them all on this hosting account. Over time the numbers added up and I have about 50 websites being hosted on that account now.

My "high end" clients I host on a VPS (don't ask me why I do this..I just do).

Anyway, tonight I was redoing a website for a client. I thought I was in his website dir. I deleted all the files to start fresh with a whole new website (the business was turned over to a new owner and they wanted to change everything)

Well..turns out I was in the /public dir. and I deleted every single website and all files within. I about SH** myself...Frantically, I went to see IF I had created a backup recently...nope...I didn't.

I contacted host gator support and turns out they run weekly backups. They charge $15 to use their backups. I went ahead and filled out the request form and they sent me everything back..

Moral of the story, ALWAYS backup your files on a weekly basis AT LEAST. Don't be an idiot like me.

I figured I would post this to remind everyone to back their files up and also so if this happens to anyone down the road and they have not created a backup recently they might remember this thread about the idiot that never backed his files up.

So...GO BACK YOUR FILES UP RIGHT NOW.
#back #files
  • Profile picture of the author Jon Martin
    My laptop died last week, had most of my files backed up but lost a ton of important documents with Clientele information. I wanted to cry.. LOL.

    Thanks for the heads up!
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    "Be the hero of your own movie."
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    • Profile picture of the author Bokva
      Anyway, it's good you got your files back. And $15 for that is nothing, so you are good. I backup everything between my two desktop computers, my laptop and DVDs.

      I used to copy all of my work on CDs and DVDs only, but I'm SO DISAPPOINTED in quality of that media. I checked my precious and good cared archive year or two ago, and good portion of my backup (hundreds of disks) from last 10-15 years is of no use because of low quality, and I always used the best and most expensive media I could buy - I was paying $5 per blank CD at that time.

      Oh, I almost forgot: ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR FILES!!!
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      Take ACTION!

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  • Profile picture of the author Fadiz
    ouch that was a painful moment
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  • Profile picture of the author Baadier Sydow
    You can thank your lucky stars for that jeez i would have crapped myself if that happened
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    Baadier Sydow
    Budget Furniture

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  • Profile picture of the author rising_sun
    Banned
    Always I do so ,after achieving a bad experience .
    I am using drop box 200 GB,
    and also media fire for online sharing.
    And always keep a portable HDD backup.
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  • Profile picture of the author affilorama-portal
    Very true. A good backup plan would always be storing files in a hard drive. It is necessary to also get 2nd backup plan and 3rd backup plan when you are running an online business.
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    • Profile picture of the author abbot
      Banned
      Yes, I figured a company as reputable as host gator would be my only hope in restoring these files. If it wouldn't have been for them I don't know what I would have done..So today I went and bought an external hard drive with a secure password and setup daily backups. I recommend you all do the same If your running a business.
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      • Profile picture of the author Vikuna2009+
        You are a lucky man! $15 to get out of that mess is a true bargain. I had a laptop that died a couple of years ago and I had NOTHING backed up. Now I got an external hard drive and need to back up more frequently.

        My question though is this: What about all your programs? Some I have the disks for and then a lot is downloaded from the internet. What do you do with that? I am totally at loss how to handle this part.

        Eva
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        • Profile picture of the author abbot
          Banned
          Originally Posted by Vikuna2009+ View Post

          You are a lucky man! $15 to get out of that mess is a true bargain. I had a laptop that died a couple of years ago and I had NOTHING backed up. Now I got an external hard drive and need to back up more frequently.

          My question though is this: What about all your programs? Some I have the disks for and then a lot is downloaded from the internet. What do you do with that? I am totally at loss how to handle this part.

          Eva
          For free programs, I just save the DL webpage in a folder and name it the name of the software. store on your external HD.

          For paid programs you can create a duplicate of the folder then create a ZIP file containing all of the program files, installation scripts and so on. then put them on your external HD. Most paid programs will be retrievable if they are ever lost. Just keep your order information and if anything ever happens contact that provider.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sander Zaydman
    2 External HDs are necessary. 1 next to your main computer. 1 Stored away in a safe place where even an earthquake or tsunami couldn't get it.
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  • Profile picture of the author DonnyBoy
    It may really sometime seem like a heavy chore, but this step is definitely needed in our line of work. $15 - it's way too inexpensive of a lifesaver. Glad to know Hostgator has back-ups like this!
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