I'm not very computer savvy, but there seems to be lots of people in here who are. I'm wanting their input as to whether or not the way I have things set up is good, or could be improved without making a lot of changes or learning new programs or software.

I have two computers connected to a KVM switch that allows me to operate them both from a single keyboard and mouse.

One computer is used entirely for my business and the other is used mostly for surfing the internet, including posting and reading posts on this site. If I get a virus on my surfing computer, I simply format the hard disk and reload Windows XP, IE6 and my bookmarks. Takes about a half of a Saturday. I rarely go online with my business computer, and I never use it to surf sites that have a high likelihood of putting malware on my computer, like porn sites. It's important to me to minimize the possibility of getting any kind of virus or malware on my business computer that may destroy my files or screw up my business until I reformat the hard drive on my business computer and reload all of the software and files I use.

I've downloaded "Dropbox", which is a freeware program that allows users 2 GB of data storage in the "clowd". With Dropbox, I can go to their web site, sign in with my e-mail address and password and I have access to everything I put into storage on their web site.

So, what I intend to do is this:
1. At the end of every month or so, copy all the files on my business computer (which is only about 300 MB in all) onto a USB drive.
2. Plug that USB drive into my surfing computer and upload all those files onto my 2 GB of space on www.dropbox.com's web site storage.

That way, if anything happens to the hard drive on my business computer, I have all my files both on the USB drive and on Dropbox's web site.

And, there's still no chance of getting a virus on my business computer unless and until I have to download a file from Dropbox's web site, and I can download those files onto my surfing computer instead of my business computer to check that they work properly and don't make my surfing computer do anything funny. I use MS Works v.4.0 to do all my business because it has a word processor, spread sheet and data base, and I'm pretty familiar with using all of these, and that's pretty much all a small business like mine needs.

I think that's a pretty good way to back up my business files because the Dropbox program checks all the new files being uploaded, and if they haven't changed, it doesn't upload them. It only updates files that are new or have changed since the last time they were uploaded. Also, the data flow is always from the business computer to the surfing computer to the clowd, never the other way (except if my business computer crashes) so there's still no chance of getting a virus on my business computer.

What do the computer gurus in here think of that gameplan?

Also, is anyone in here familiar with the Dropbox program?

Hello,

We use Acronis to back up and change systems at work. A DVD/CD and an
external drive are all you need. Why use the cloud when it can be local
and as simple as plugging in your archive to the usual or replacement
computer. I also use a external drive at home to archive the important
personal photos and business files.

I'm sure your familiar with backing up to external drives. Acronis can
image your entire system. You mentioned taking a half day to get back to
normal after a disaster. Acronis can cut that to about 20 minutes.

David

On Tue, 3 Jun 2014 01:59:30 +0000 (UTC), David LaRue
wrote:

Hello,

We use Acronis to back up and change systems at work. A DVD/CD and an
external drive are all you need. Why use the cloud when it can be local
and as simple as plugging in your archive to the usual or replacement
computer. I also use a external drive at home to archive the important
personal photos and business files.

I'm sure your familiar with backing up to external drives. Acronis can
image your entire system. You mentioned taking a half day to get back to
normal after a disaster. Acronis can cut that to about 20 minutes.

David

People seem to "enjoy" the reinstall process, Not me. Anymore.
Or maybe they don't want to figure out how to image.
I can restore my Win 7 machine in about 5 minutes, and did the same
with XP.
Acronis works, and so does free Macrium.
I use Ghost 15. For XP I used Ghost 3, which fits on floppy.
The OP can go here.
http://www.sevenforums.com/backup-re...e-macrium.html
Just ask.
Far as I know it works for XP too, but I left that behind.

Per nestork:
I have two computers connected to a KVM switch that allows me to operate
them both from a single keyboard and mouse.

Try TeamViewer. It presents the other PC in a window that can be
maximized. Once it's maximized, I am hard pressed to tell the diff
between the TeamViewer presentation and the real thing. Very
convenient for hopping back-and-forth. Also it would make your PCs
available remotely if you want - as in vacation or business trips.

If I get a virus on my surfing computer, I simply format the
hard disk and reload Windows XP, IE6 and my bookmarks. Takes about a
half of a Saturday.

Separate your data from you system by partitioning the drive into "C"
and "D"... and spend the time learning to save stuff only to "D".

Then get an imaging utility and make an image of C when you are pretty
sure it's good - and keep a little log of programs you have
added/changes you have made since taking the image.

Now you're down to about 20 minutes to recover the system.
--
Pete Cresswell

| I have two computers connected to a KVM switch that allows me to operate
| them both from a single keyboard and mouse.
|
| Try TeamViewer. It presents the other PC in a window that can be
| maximized. Once it's maximized, I am hard pressed to tell the diff
| between the TeamViewer presentation and the real thing. Very
| convenient for hopping back-and-forth. Also it would make your PCs
| available remotely if you want - as in vacation or business trips.

A core part of his strategy is to keep his work PC
entirely offline. TeamViewer would be adding both
the risk of connecting online as well as the risk of
enabling remote access. Personally I don't know a lot
about the technical details of that kind of software,
but I would never allow such a thing on my machine.
It can only work by enabling software online to control
your OS.

On Tuesday, June 3, 2014 9:30:08 AM UTC-4, Mayayana wrote:
| I have two computers connected to a KVM switch that allows me to operate

| them both from a single keyboard and mouse.

|

| Try TeamViewer. It presents the other PC in a window that can be

| maximized. Once it's maximized, I am hard pressed to tell the diff

| between the TeamViewer presentation and the real thing. Very

| convenient for hopping back-and-forth. Also it would make your PCs

| available remotely if you want - as in vacation or business trips.



A core part of his strategy is to keep his work PC

entirely offline. TeamViewer would be adding both

the risk of connecting online as well as the risk of

enabling remote access. Personally I don't know a lot

about the technical details of that kind of software,

but I would never allow such a thing on my machine.

It can only work by enabling software online to control

your OS.

It does seem to have features that are opposite to what the
OP is looking for. He apparently doesn't want any internet
connectivity on the business PC at all.

Per trader_4:
It does seem to have features that are opposite to what the
OP is looking for. He apparently doesn't want any internet
connectivity on the business PC at all.

Mea Culpa.... I missed that.

But, FWIW, TeamViewer can be used directly PC-to-PC over a LAN.

OTOH, how to have a meaningfully-useful LAN without internet
connectivity is above my pay grade.
--
Pete Cresswell

On Tuesday, June 3, 2014 11:05:08 AM UTC-4, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per trader_4:

It does seem to have features that are opposite to what the

OP is looking for. He apparently doesn't want any internet

connectivity on the business PC at all.



Mea Culpa.... I missed that.



But, FWIW, TeamViewer can be used directly PC-to-PC over a LAN.



OTOH, how to have a meaningfully-useful LAN without internet

connectivity is above my pay grade.

--

Pete Cresswell

How to have no internet connectivity and have a useful business PC
period is questionable. The OS, apps, etc depend on the internet
for updates. And usually with a business PC you need internet for
sending/receiving emails, bills to customers, etc. And then you
typically need an antivirus program
which again depends on regular internet updates. I guess if you have
no internet connectivity at all and never receive documents, files
from anyone that you're going to put on the PC, then you could skip
the antivirus. But it's not the typical case.

Per trader_4:
The OS, apps, etc depend on the internet
for updates.

That brings one reason for not having internet connectivity to mind:
apps that phone home to verify versions/registrations.

I've got an IP cam server app that I run two instances of - at about
fifty bucks per license. If I were to install it on a third PC and
apply one of the two existing license codes, it would phone home,
determine that I only have 2 licenses, and revert itself or one of other
instances to "Demo" version.

OTOH, if I wanted to get around that, I'd install it on a third PC with
no internet connectivity...
--
Pete Cresswell

On Tuesday, June 3, 2014 2:42:34 PM UTC-4, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per trader_4:

The OS, apps, etc depend on the internet

for updates.



That brings one reason for not having internet connectivity to mind:

apps that phone home to verify versions/registrations.



I've got an IP cam server app that I run two instances of - at about

fifty bucks per license. If I were to install it on a third PC and

apply one of the two existing license codes, it would phone home,

determine that I only have 2 licenses, and revert itself or one of other

instances to "Demo" version.



OTOH, if I wanted to get around that, I'd install it on a third PC with

no internet connectivity...

--

Pete Cresswell

Are they that dumb that it will work for ever without verification?
Similar things I've seen, if it can't verify that you've paid, licensed,
etc after some period it stops working. But you bring up another example
of why you need to be connected, which is to install a lot of the stuff
you typically need on any PC today. It's not just the updates, a lot of
the application software itself gets installed via the internet.

If it were me, I wouldn't have a problem having a business PC on
the internet. I'd just make sure I had a good proactive antivirus program
and limited what I did on the web with that PC. Use it for business
essentials, going to sites for software, whatever that you know are
safe. And use the other PC for general internet browsing where
you have a greater chance of encountering viruses, malware, etc.

Per trader_4:
Are they that dumb that it will work for ever without verification?

Dunno - never pushed the limits, but they do watermark the rendered
images in a way that nobody would want to use them for long.
--
Pete Cresswell

| OTOH, if I wanted to get around that, I'd install it on a third PC with
| no internet connectivity...

Or with a firewall. I've used a firewall for many years
and don't let anything go out unbidden. I generally
won't even leave anything installed if it tries to go
online without asking. That kind of behavior has
become an epidemic.

Software authors have a right
to be paid for their work, and they have a reasonable
right to try to enforce that, but that doesn't give them
a right to sell spyware. That kind of thing has become
much worse with phones, with people unaware of
what's going online and many phone apps demanding
all sorts of private information for no good reason.

Thanks for everyone's input.

I'm convinced that the system I've hobbled together here will both protect my business computer from viruses and keep my surfing computer clean as a whistle.

And, what I like about the Dropbox freeware program is that it only uploads the files that are new or have changed since the last upload. I'm on dial-up, and that means the speed limit between my computer and the clowd is only about 2 to 4 kilobytes per second. That's way too slow to start backing up videos, but it's plenty fast enough for word processing, spread sheet and data base files, each of which is typically only 2 to 4 kilobytes. And, that's typically the kind of business files I'm backing up to the clowd.

Thanks for everyone's input.

On Tue, 03 Jun 2014 09:01:00 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote:

Per nestork:
I have two computers connected to a KVM switch that allows me to operate
them both from a single keyboard and mouse.

Try TeamViewer. It presents the other PC in a window that can be
maximized. Once it's maximized, I am hard pressed to tell the diff
between the TeamViewer presentation and the real thing. Very
convenient for hopping back-and-forth. Also it would make your PCs
available remotely if you want - as in vacation or business trips.

If I get a virus on my surfing computer, I simply format the
hard disk and reload Windows XP, IE6 and my bookmarks. Takes about a
half of a Saturday.

Separate your data from you system by partitioning the drive into "C"
and "D"... and spend the time learning to save stuff only to "D".

Then get an imaging utility and make an image of C when you are pretty
sure it's good - and keep a little log of programs you have
added/changes you have made since taking the image.

Now you're down to about 20 minutes to recover the system.
That's fine until you get the new uefi win7 and win8 machines. -