Best backup/storage medium for the technologically challenged
 

Right now I'm schlepping my laptop back and forth across the pond, but in thinking about recent (and future) changes in security regs/procedures for carry-ons, I'm wondering if it might be better to buy a PC in Europe and just carry some small storage device with me.

Ideally, I'd like to keep both the US and European computers in sync- programs, files, settings, etc.

Unfortunately, I'm the dummy for whom the "....for Dummies" series are written, so whatever I get needs to be very, very simple to use. Or, at least, I need to be able to find clear, step-by-step instructions for using it.

Any suggestions? I'm using WinXP Pro SP2, if that matters.

How many Gigabytes do you think you will need?

Good question to which, naturally, I don't really know the answer. Right now, I'm using about 25 of the 80 Gigabytes on my laptop.

Of course, I will probably have the laptop with me when I buy the new PC, so what I'll actually need to be storing will be new files and software for updating and synching the computers after the initial setup.

I have a Maxtor OneTouch drive and it is basically foolproof. USB interface. It just works.

good day,

why not get 2 laptops with a removable drive? store one at your office in the usa; and one in europe. then, all you have to do is take the drive with you when you travel.

if you do this, i think you would be wise to store a copy of your critical files at a secure web site in order to prevent any loss; e.g., you work in your usa office and ftp the critical files to your web storage account. then, you travel to your other office with only the removable drive. this way, even if the drive goes into the drink, you will not suffer because you put a copy of the files on a web-based storage server [once in europe, you simply go on the internet and access the copies].

hope this helps.

Take a look at FolderShare (www.foldershare.com). It was purchased by Microsoft and is currently free. It will sync machines over the Internet as well as provide remote access to your shared files over the Internet as long as the remote machine is accessible.

If you want an actual online Backup servce (where they store your files on their server inc ase you need a restore), take a look at Carbonite (www.carbonite.com). You can't beat the price and so far the service has been great too!

Do what I've started to do, keep a laptop in Europe, and a desktop in the USA. Use a remote desktop service such as logmein.com or gotomypc.com to access the other computer. Or you could use a VPN and Remote Desktop to your other computer.

As for frequently used files, store them in a flash card, USB drive, or portable hard drive. Alternatively, you could use xdrive.com to keep them online so you can access them anywhere.

Regardless of what solution you go with, consider the confidentiality of the files you are carrying. To keep prying eyes away from the confidential files, I use TrueCrypt. It's free and available on many computing platforms.

Maybe not for non-techies, but my webhost provides subversion. I keep everything in subversion, and update my local machine when I log on and commit changes when I log off.

I'm currently working on three different computers and this method keeps everything nicely synced and available.