Looking for backup software that isn't a pain in the brain

Q: I have very little experience with computers other than surfing the Net to find things and installing programs that do not ask a lot of questions (basically, put the disk in and click "Next" and "Finish"). I would like to get a backup program that is easy to install that would mirror my hard drive and that doesn't ask a lot of questions that I have no idea what it is asking. Are there any backup programs that fit my needs?

Gary P. North, Seattle

A: If you want to be able to remotely access your files from the Web and you need quite a bit of disk space, I'd suggest you take a look at the Mirra Personal Server from Seagate (www.mirra.com). It's very easy to set up and, once you do, you can forget about it. It's not exactly mirroring your hard drive, though.

Mirroring means that changes are recorded in the backup just as you make them, and that's a bit more expensive solution. Instead, the Mirra makes backups at user-set intervals. You can get up to 500 gigabytes of storage space for under $500. The Mirra, by the way, connects through an Ethernet connection, so you'd need a network card in your computer and a router.

If you're not networked or are looking for a less-expensive solution, you might consider a USB drive. You can then use either the backup software that may come with the drive or Windows' own backup software, assuming you're using Windows XP or a later version. Once you've configured the software, you don't have to do a thing.

With either solution, you can either specify that everything on your drive should be backed up or that only selected files and folders be backed up. The former option is easier to configure, but takes a lot more disk space.

Q: I'm having quite a bit of trouble with my computer running Windows XP. I tried to do a system recovery, and after erasing everything, or whatever the first stage of recovery is, I was told to use the recovery disk. I don't have one, however, and Hewlett-Packard says that part is not available any more. What can be done? If I take it to a repair shop, will they be able to get this thing in working order again, and would the cost be prohibitive to pursue?

Carlton Anderson, Seattle

A: Not to worry. The only thing is, you're going to have to start from scratch, but because you've already erased your data, that shouldn't be a big deal. (Most system-recovery programs don't require users to erase their drive, so I'm a little confused about that.)

What you'll need is a bootable copy of Windows to boot your system. You may have to reconfigure the computer's BIOS to boot from the CD drive, though most systems offer this option when they detect a bootable CD in the drive. If yours does not, follow the on-screen prompts to access your BIOS options when the computer is going through its posting routine.

When the computer boots to the Windows installation program, you'll need to follow the directions to install Windows and format the drive as you do so.

Q: I have several data disks with photos and documents that were created with Windows 98, Second Edition. In the meantime, I have switched to a new computer running Windows XP. Now I am no longer able to read those disks on the new computer. Why not? And what can I do to able to excess the information from the storage disks again?

Renate Hamaker

A: What kinds of disks are you referring to? CDs? Floppy disks?

If it's CDs, be aware that when you burn a CD, it may not be readable on all other drives. I'd suggest trying the discs on a few different computers before giving up.

If it's floppy discs you're dealing with, it's possible that the discs have been corrupted by a magnetic source. If that's the case, the data may be lost, though it's possible a data recovery service may be able to retrieve some of it. That would involve service fees that generally start at around $60.

Questions for Patrick Marshall may be sent by e-mail to pmarshall@seattletimes.com or pgmarshall@pgmarshall.net, or by mail at Q&A/Technology, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. More columns at www.seattletimes.com/columnists.