Re: off-topic: scheduled backup to external hard drive

["Patricia M. Godfrey" PriscaMG@xxxxxxxx]

BrennerNY@xxxxxxxx wrote:
>   Failing that, I could network the two computers, as Patricia suggests. I
> have the space, assuming they don't have to be in the same room. (I'm not so
> sure about the electrical circuits; I live in a pre-War building.)
No, they don't have to be in the same room, but (unless you go with a
Wi-Fi connection, and that's something I haven't even considered yet,
though I may soon), you will need to be able to run some wire (it's
thicker than ordinary electric or phone wire, but thinner than a
parallel port cable) between the two machines. So you'll need a doorway
where the door can stay open most of the time (or else you'll be
connecting and disconnecting wires, and you DON'T want to be doing
that). Or--which may well be the case in a pre-War building--one where
there's enough room between door and jamb for the wire to fit.
You should check which outlets are on which circuits. Do you have the
circuit breaker box in your apartment? (Assuming you live in an
apartment; if it's a house, no problem, unless for some reason the
cellar is inaccessible.) If so, let me know off list, and I'll give you
a procedure for finding out what's where. If you don't have access to
the circuit box, you may have to ask your landlord/building management
for help or pay an electrician.

These are the principles:
1. Two desktops should not be on the same circuit, though a laptop and a
desktop may be.
2. No desktop should be on the same circuit with an air conditioner, a
refrigerator, or any other appliance that cycles on and off or draws a
lot of power (ideally, that includes laser printers, but lots of people
get away with having them on the same circuit as their PCs).
3. Don't use an iron on the same circuit as a PC if the PC is on. And
since late-model PCs often stay on (trickle-charges, like a VCR) all the
time, that means no irons on the PC's circuit.
Oh, and of course, you need a grounded (three-hole) socket for the PC;
and a surge suppressor (not that they do much good, but they do some: a
good surge takes the hit and gets fried in place of the PC, so make sure
it has a light so you can know if it's gone south).

Patricia M. Godfrey
priscamg@xxxxxxxx