Image-based Installations with Windows Imaging Format

Another helpful post from Petri!

Image-based Installations with Windows Imaging Format: "

Image-based deployments of Windows 7 and prior desktop operating systems like XP Profession and Windows Vista are done to streamline the roll out process and to better allow small to large businesses as well as OEM manufactures the ability to quickly build and deploy their systems in an assembly line fashion.

After installing an operating system on reference system and setting it up with specific settings and configuring other applications they would leverage an imaging solution to capture an image based on a sector-by-sector copy of the reference computer.

Petri Recommended: Update to the Latest Vista Drivers

Vista's performance can be improved dramatically by installing the latest Vista-Certified hardware drivers. PC hardware manufacturers release new, improved Vista drivers continually: New versions are probably available for your PC right now.



Petri IT Knowledgebase Team

>> Download Driver Genius Pro: Our recommended Vista driver update scanner (5.1Mb)

Sector-by-sector copying can be effective in only so many scenarios and has a number of limitations.

Imaging systems with tools available in Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7 that leverage image-based installations allow for easier initial setup, overall system deployment, and an improvement to image storage and management.

WIM Overview

Windows Imaging format, referred to as WIM, is a file-based disk image first introduced around the release of Windows Vista. Windows 7 installations use this image file as well.

[NOTES FROM THE FIELD] – Imaging systems has been around a long time and for many iterations of Windows operating systems; Windows Vista was the first desktop operating system to leverage the WIM format.

When installing Windows 7 right off of the DVD you are booting the system from a boot image (boot.wim) which is the bootable version of Windows PE (Windows Preinstallation Environment) and this is the installation environment in which the installation routine runs for the operating system install.

You are no longer doing file based installations as you did with Windows XP and prior operating systems; when you are running the Windows 7 installation you are applying an image to the hard disk from the DVD - install.wim.

One of the benefits of using the WIM image is that it allows for compression and single instancing which is where multiple images share a single copy of files that are common between the instances.

As you can see in the image above - there is one install image file; that is effectively Windows 7 Ultimate. If you have the correct product key that allows for the deployment of everything (which is effectively what Ultimate Edition is) then the entire image is deployed.

All of the other editions of Windows 7 are a subset of that image in that they install parts but not ALL of the parts of Windows Ultimate Edition.

When the installation routine runs it will deploy against the complete image of Windows Ultimate and lay down the selected version of Windows (as an example Windows 7 Home Premium) and only install those supported parts of that edition of Windows from the total image file.

That single image allows for all the installation options on one DVD.

Benefits of Leveraging WIM

There are a number of additional benefits in leveraging the Windows Imaging format over sector-by-sector copying.

Some highlights:

• One WIM file can address different hardware configurations as there is no requirement as in a sector-by-sector copy installs that the destination hardware match the source hardware


• WIM can store multiple images within a single file as described above in the install.wim of the base operating system; the same can be done for custom *.wim files created by system admins.


• When you store multiple images within a single file you can do this as just part of a core build for desktop deployments or with the use of Catalog (CLG) files that allow for the option to set up multiple applications to be deployed as part of the operating system build


• You can service the WIM image offline from its stored location and add or remove certain operating system components, files, updates, and drivers without creating a new image.


• Windows Imaging format has the flexibility to install a disk image on partitions of any size. Sector-by-sector images require deployments of an image to a partition that is the same size or larger than the source disk.


• WIMGAPI is the Windows Imaging API that developers can use to manage WIM image files.


• WIM deployments can be performed nondestructively. Data can be on the existing volume and the image can be deployed without erasing the existing contents of the volume.

WIMGAPI Tool Overview for Windows Image Deployment

The WIMGAPI is the Windows Imaging Application Program Interface that developers can use to manage .wim files.

Developers are able to use WIMGAPI to mount existing WIM files to a folder in order to revise the contents or adding or remove files or settings from the image and then returning the image (unmount) from the folder.

WIMGAPI can also be used to partition a hard drive and format the volumes ahead of dropping the WIM onto the system as part of the installation being executed.

There is an Install-WindowsImage Powershell script that uses the wimgapi.dll in Windows 7 to apply a WIM to a VHD and there is a white paper on the Microsoft website titled Using Install-WindowsImage to apply a Windows Image to a VHD that has a plethora of details on leveraging it.

ImageX is a command-line tool that mirrors much of the WIMGAPI functionality and I will review some of the additional features of ImageX in a future article in a little additional detail.

In this tutorial we reviewed the highlights and information of the WIM file format and some of the benefits leveraging WIM. We finished up with an overview review of the WIMGAPI Tool that developers use to mange existing WIM files.

Thanks for investing your time in my Windows 7 Image Based Installation - Introduction to Windows Imaging Format article.

I am always looking forward to any feedback you have on this or any of the articles I have written so feel free to offer your feedback.

Additionally, I would welcome any suggestions topics of interest that you would like to see and based on demand and column space I’ll do what I can to deliver them to you.

"

(Via Petri IT Knowledgebase.)

Guide: How to recover your Windows Administrator password

Guide: How to recover your Windows Administrator password: "

Most operating systems have restricted user accounts for everyday use and one administrator account that has full functionality, which is only used for system maintenance and software installation.

This makes for a more secure system, because malware on a restricted account can't cause nearly as much trouble.

Windows is usually run in admin mode, but if you're a security conscious person and you usually run a restricted account, there's a chance you could forget your admin password because it's so rarely used.

Ophcrack can help in this situation. All Windows passwords are encrypted for security purposes, so getting into an account where you've forgotten the password is nigh-on impossible without outside help. In order to recover your password, Ophcrack cracks your Windows passwords using a huge table of data (over 600MB).

However, it's OS specific, so if you want to recover Vista passwords, you'll need to download the table for that version of Windows.

A password saviour

Ophcrack comes in two handy flavours: a Windows version and a Live Disc variant that runs in the place of Windows. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

The Windows version enables you to store as many tables as you want and use them to recover passwords from almost any version of the OS.

The Ophcrack Live Disc is useful if you're completely locked out of your machine because it enables you to boot straight into the application and find that forgotten password without needing access to Windows itself. Burn just one disc and you'll always be able to get into Windows.

1. Get the password data

Ophcrack needs the encrypted password – its hash data – to decode it into the actual passphrase, so click Load > Local SAM.

2. Activate the table

Now you need to select a rainbow table. Click Install and navigate to the right one. Ensure the table you need is activated with the green button.

3. Crack the password

Click Crack to start the process, but be prepared to wait a bit. Eventually, the lost password should be displayed in the NT Pwd column.

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"

(Via TechRadar: All latest feeds.)

In Depth: How to make your old PC perform like new again

In Depth: How to make your old PC perform like new again: "

Not everyone wants to buy a new PC every couple of years. Just because your PC no longer sits at the cutting edge of the technological spectrum doesn't mean you need to replace it to get great performance.

Your PC is just as useful now as it was when you first purchased it and with a few handy tips and tricks, you can keep it that way for a long time – saving yourself some money in the process.

There are three broad techniques you can use to extend the life of your PC: maintenance, repairs and upgrades. The only one that doesn't cost any money is maintenance and if you follow our advice you can not only make your PC as speedy as it was when you bought it, you can even improve its performance, making a new purchase unnecessary.

• 35 tips and tricks to speed up your Vista PC

Look after your PC

Maintenance is the key area to consider when it comes to giving your PC a long life. If your computer suddenly feels sluggish, that's because Windows needs reviving with a good spring clean. You could perform a full reinstall but before going down that time-consuming route, try to see if your current installation can be improved with a little care and attention.

Start by running a full security scan to remove malicious software (malware) that affects performance, threatens your privacy and can mess up your PC. Also run scans using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and SUPERAntiSpyware, which can find and remove threats that other tools miss.

Once your computer is free from malware, it's time to give it a thorough health check. Windows Vista (and Windows 7) has numerous tools that can help you assess the health of your PC.

All of the following utilities can be found by typing their names into the Search box on the Start menu, so you could begin by typing problem to access the Problem Reports and Solutions control panel, for example.

Every time a program crashes or Vista encounters a problem, it offers to send information to Microsoft, in case there's a solution. If there is, you're given the opportunity to fix your problem there and then. If not, a record is kept and stored here, and if a solution is found at a later date, you can access it from here. Check back regularly for new solutions to both current and old problems.

Streamline your PC

Over time, your PC starts to struggle with the load placed on it when you install new programs, but there are ways to reclaim hard drive space and system resources.

Start by going through the Programs and Features Control Panel, uninstalling programs you no longer need (or use Revo Uninstaller if you want to really cut back the flab).

Next, install CCleaner and use it to clear your hard drive of redundant files, and finally defragment your hard drive. Smart Defrag, stops your hard drive becoming fragmented in the first place.

Check reliability

Do you want a quick view of your PC's health and stability? Type reliability into the Search box to access the Reliability and Performance Monitor. Select Reliability Monitor and you can see how your PC rates over a period of time for dependability, with a score from one to 10. Any problems will be flagged.

You can also generate a report of your PC's health by typing performance into the Search box to access Performance Information and Tools. Once it's open, click Advanced Tools > Generate a system health report to flag up any problems.

Get more details about potential problems by reviewing your event logs. These can flag up issues and may be able to offer advice on fixing them. These logs are stored in the Event Viewer – type event into the Search box to access it.

Once it has launched, select a log from the Windows Log menu – start with System – and wait for a list of events to appear. Every major event is recorded in its default view, so click Filter current log and select Critical, Error and Warning before clicking OK to leave only potential problems flagged.

• 15 Task Manager tips for a faster PC

Click or double-click on an event to learn more about it – you'll get more information and possibly a link to more help and a solution. Make a note of error numbers and filenames if you need to research them further.

Stay up to date

Another way to keep Windows Vista and other programs ticking over correctly is to ensure they're up to date.

Automatic Updates should be switched on – click Start > All Programs > Windows Update to verify this and to see what optional updates are available, including hardware patches that can improve your PC's performance and fix bugs.

• How to fix Windows Update

If you have other Microsoft software and hardware installed – including Microsoft Office – Windows Update and Automatic Updates can provide updates for these, too. Other programs can check for updates as well; some do this automatically, whereas others need to be prompted (look in the Help or About menu).

One of the best free programs for alerting you to updates is Update Notifier, which is small, fast and can be run from a USB flash drive.

It's always a good idea to check your hardware components now and again to make sure they're all working as they should. The Windows Vista installation disc features a memory-checking tool, which is accessible when you select the Repair option. If you don't have this, you can download the same tool from here.

Extend the life of your laptop battery

If you usually run your laptop from the mains, train yourself to run it on its battery for two to three hours every week – this helps it last longer.

You can also extend the life of your battery by being more conservative with your power requirements when it's in use; start by opening the Windows Mobility Center from Start > All Programs > Accessories and reduce power consumption through the various options on offer.

Disable wireless when it's not needed, avoid using the DVD drive when your laptop is running on batteries and disconnect all non-essential USB devices to further eke out the time between battery charges.

• How to get Windows 7 features in XP and Vista

Get smart with your drive

Hard drives have a collection of built-in features, known collectively as SMART tools, which are designed to provide an early warning when your drive is approaching the end of its life. You can install a free tool such as HD Tune to find out about these problems even earlier, enabling you to back up your data or source a replacement hard drive well ahead of time.

If you want to keep an eye on the health of any external hard drives as well as your internal ones, try downloading HD Sentinel. A limited version of the software is available free of charge, but it gives you regular prompts about purchasing a full version.

These two programs alert you to possible physical problems with your PC, but there can be less critical issues in the form of corrupt files (caused by crashes), which hamper performance as well as stability. Get into the habit of checking your hard drive for these problems once a month.

Click Start > Computer, right-click on your hard drive and choose the Properties > Tools tab. Click the Check now button, tick both boxes and then select Start. If prompted, click Yes.

Windows Vista will then check the drive and attempt to fix any errors it finds the next time you restart your PC.

You can check other components with a series of stress tests, which highlight weak points. Passmark provides a fully functional 30-day trial of its BurnInTest tool. The full version costs US$34 if you want to keep testing your PC once the trial period has ended.

Start your PC quicker

Ever noticed how sluggish your PC's performance is when it first starts, even after the desktop has appeared? That's because too many programs are competing for system resources as they attempt to load along with Windows Vista.

You can use the free Startup Delayer program from here to help stop any unwanted programs from the startup.

First, disable any programs you don't need by unticking them, so they don't waste time and resources by starting with Windows – once you've ascertained they're not needed, select the program and click Delete to remove its start-up entry permanently.

You can also stagger the loading of other start-up programs so they don't all make a grab for system resources the moment you log on. Just right-click each program you identify in turn, then choose Edit and set a delay in minutes and seconds.

Start with a one-minute delay, then, if performance is still hampered, try delaying it further.

Trimming your list of start up programs frees up memory and reduces the time it takes Windows Vista to deliver you a usable computer, while giving your PC a good clearout and defragmenting the hard drive can also deliver more speed.

By the time you've followed all of our advice, you should have a faster, more responsive PC. What was that about having to buy a new machine again?

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(Via TechRadar: All latest feeds.)

Sonoma County Movies

Just came across this list of movies filmed in Sonoma County.

Store photos outside of iPhoto's library

Handy tip if you don't want iPhoto to do all the file management of your photos.

Store photos outside of iPhoto's library: "Despite its powerful cataloging tools and easy-to-use editing features, many users are still nervous about committing their photo library to iPhoto. The program's approach to storing images feels a little like the photography version of Hotel California: your pictures check-in, but they can never leave. That may be fine if you don't often venture beyond iPhoto's borders; but what if you want to take advantage of the advanced image-adjustment tools in programs such as Aperture or Lightrooom?"

(Via Computerworld Breaking News.)

10 things you can do to keep Exchange running smoothly

10 things you can do to keep Exchange running smoothly: "

Microsoft Exchange is a complex and powerful platform - and a highly critical system for many organizations. These tips will help you stay ahead of problems and optimize performance.

---

Microsoft Exchange servers are among the most critical systems IT professionals administer. While many organizations can make do by implementing temporary workarounds for different failed processes, email and calendaring aren’t among them. If you support Exchange servers, review these 10 steps to keep Exchange running smoothly.

Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.

1: Create proper backups

Ensure good backups are in place. Exchange, due to its continuous transaction logging and multiple storage group nature, is among the more difficult platforms to properly back up.

Be sure to deploy an Exchange-aware backup mechanism. Exchange-aware backups know how to work with Exchange’s transaction logs to properly back up store databases and transaction log files. In addition, Exchange-aware backup operations delete log files after backing up appropriate data, which prevent slog files from filling hard disks.

Once an Exchange-aware backup is deployed, and you’re confident System State backup operations are completing properly, disable Exchange’s circular logging feature. Circular logging is enabled by default on Small Business Server 2008 servers. However, configuring the SBS Backup Wizard disables circular logging, as the SBS Backup Wizard is Exchange-aware and backs up Exchange stores and processes log files as required.

Organizations leveraging Local Continuous Replication (LCR), which enables copying the Exchange database automatically to another volume to aid in disaster recovery, must be particularly careful backing up Exchange data. Windows’ native backup utility does not support backing up Exchange stores when LCR is in use. Instead, a third-party Exchange-aware backup application must be used. Microsoft notes the limitations of Windows Backup when backing up Exchange 2007 data.

2: Run Microsoft’s Exchange Best Practices Analyzer

The Microsoft Exchange Best Practices Analyzer utility, also known as ExBPA, assists administrators in gauging the overall health and configuration of Exchange servers. The utility collects information from Active Directory, the registry, performance monitor, and other locations before presenting recommendations for repair and improvement.

Administrators should run the tool immediately upon deploying a new Exchange server. It’s also a good idea to periodically run the ExBPA when performing routine Exchange maintenance, as the utility helps spot non-default operating parameters and identifies configuration issues that could adversely affect the email server’s performance.

3: Review defragmentation operations

Exchange servers include default online maintenance operations, which are typically scheduled during off hours. Among the tasks the automated maintenance operations perform are transaction log management and database integrity checks and defragmentation.

When database checks begin, Exchange notes the event using ID 700 within application log files. When full online defragmentation passes complete within allotted time, Event ID 701 is recorded. If a full online defragmentation is interrupted, such as by a backup operation, Event ID 704 is recorded. When interrupted maintenance operations ultimately complete, Event ID 703 is written within the server’s application log.

Administrators should regularly review the server’s event logs to confirm that these operations are completing without error. While failures typically appear within daily performance reports, manually reviewing these records helps ensure failures are not overlooked.

4: Confirm storage requirements

A common error I’ve frequently inherited as an IT consultant is a failure to properly size disk partitions housing Exchange stores. When volumes exhaust available disk space, Exchange cannot store additional mail. This often turns into a critical issue for small and medium businesses.

The best defense is proper planning. The Microsoft Exchange Team Blog maintains a complex (six-part) worksheet you can use to calculate proper storage requirements. You can download the actual calculator spreadsheet from the Microsoft Exchange Team Blog, aka ‘you had me at EHLO.’

How do you know if you are headed for trouble? Other than trends indicating that available free space is decreasing unacceptably due to mail storage, Microsoft warns against average read and write latencies exceeding 20 milliseconds and sustained latency spikes that exceed 50 milliseconds for even a few seconds. Multiple high-performance disk spindles, and aligned disk partitions, are recommended best practices.

5: Review mailbox quotas

It’s an easy trap to fall into. You’re busy recovering a failed Web server when a director calls. Having bumped up against his Exchange mailbox quota, the user can no longer send/receive email, and he’s on deadline for an important project. So you log on to the server and temporarily remove the director’s mailbox size restrictions.

Ever have that happen? Maybe a couple of times a year? Then what happens when you finally get a chance, 10 months later, to review those users’ mailboxes? If you’re like me, you’ve seen a few of their accounts grow to 6 gigabytes or more.

Police user mailbox sizes. Just because mailbox quotas are in place doesn’t mean you or another administrator didn’t make changes to buy time — and then forgot. Make sure all user mailboxes are sized within reason (typically 2GB or less). While newer Exchange releases perform much better when supporting larger mailboxes, huge accounts are still recipes for disaster.

6: Implement mailbox quotas

Maybe mailbox quotas were disabled or never configured. That’s easy to fix; enable mailbox restrictions.

Default limits are easily set. Just open the Exchange Management Console, expand Server, choose the Mailbox container, select the Mailbox Database within the First Storage Group, and open its Properties. Click the Limits tab and configure the storage limits (in KB) you want to use as universal defaults.

What restrictions should you set? Windows Small Business Server 2008, which includes Microsoft Exchange 2007, sets default mailbox sizes of 2.3GB for each user. Warnings are set to trigger whenever a user’s mailbox reaches 1.9GB. Sending is prohibited when the mailbox reaches 2GB. Larger organizations may want to configure maximum mailbox sizes of just a few hundred megabytes for their users.

7: Tune virtual memory configurations

Few services are as memory hungry as Exchange. This is true whether running Exchange 2003 or Exchange 2007.

When configuring page file settings for Exchange 2007, Microsoft’s rule of thumb is to use the amount of RAM times 1.5, if the server has less than 8GB of memory. But if an Exchange 2008 server has more than 8GM of RAM, the rule changes to the amount of memory plus 10MB.

On older 32-bit Exchange 2003 servers, all administrators can do is employ the /3GB switch, when appropriate. First, the server must have more than 1GB of RAM. But the switch should not be employed on certain server configurations, including front-ends, dedicated bridgeheads, and domain controllers that also host Exchange services. Microsoft provides a number of other rules and recommendations dictating the /3GB switch on its Web site.

8: Review SMTP logs and queues

Often, SMTP logs and queues hold the key to solving messaging failures. But monitoring and reviewing SMTP logs and queues can also help administrators keep tabs on an Exchange server’s performance.

All mail, ultimately, is transported through Exchange’s SMTP queues. If problems occur, the messages become stuck in the queue. Microsoft lists queue names, descriptions, and error causes on its Web site. It also provides simple steps for enabling and understanding SMTP.log files. Regularly reviewing SMTP logs can help administrators better understand their Exchange server and isolate trouble when issues do arise.

9: Defragment database stores using Eseutil

Not necessarily for the faint of heart, Eseutil is Microsoft’s utility for manually defragmenting Exchange information stores and directories offline, going all the way back to Exchange version 5.5. The utility should not be used before first creating and verifying an Exchange backup.

Defragmenting an Exchange store typically improves performance by contiguously locating storage data, eliminating unused storage, and compacting the Exchange database. I’ve even seen Eseutil recover failed or corrupted Exchange stores on Small Business Servers.

Running the Eseutil command with the /c switch performs a restore operation, while running the command with the /d switch instructs the system to defragment the .edb database and leave the new defragmented database in a temporary location without overwriting the original database. Using the /d switch with the /p switch adds repair operation. Running the command with the /g switch simply verifies the logical integrity of the Exchange database. Numerous other switches are available, and you can research them online.

10: Check Exchange-compatible antivirus and anti-spam tools for errors

Administrators often make the mistake of installing Exchange-aware antivirus and anti-spyware tools on an Exchange server and then leaving them be. Frequently, I see third-party antivirus and anti-spyware applications in need of updates or even upgrades that require first uninstalling the existing version.

Unless you regularly review Exchange server antivirus and anti-spyware application logs to ensure that the security software isn’t having trouble (failing to update, unable to perform scans, real-time engine disabled, stalled trying to remove an infection, or otherwise corrupted), the Exchange server’s performance could be at risk.

Summary

Microsoft Exchange is a critical, complex, and powerful platform. While its complexity makes it intimidating to some, smart and diligent maintenance helps forward-thinking administrators prevent anxiety-provoking outages.

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Guide: How to fix Windows Update

Haven't tried it yet, but thanks again to TechRadar!

Guide: How to fix Windows Update: "

What can I say about Windows Update? It makes me feel warm and fuzzy to knowing that Bill Gates has personally been plucking away on his computer just for me.

Actually I'm thinking what hole in the dam of security flaws are they trying to plug this time around?

Anyway, it's a process we all need to endure and it's a fairly painless weekly interruption in the grand scheme of things.

That said it is possible for Windows Update to break, which prevents a single update from completing. This can then stop new updates being downloaded, leaving your system vulnerable to exploits.

Often such errors are a result of a breakdown in communication between your PC and the Windows Update service. Thankfully there's a simple trick to get things rolling again.

Hold down the Windows key and hit 'r' to bring up the Run command box. Type 'regsvr32 jscript', then 'regsvr32 vbscript', and finally 'regsvr32 /i mshtml', making sure to select 'OK' each time.

Restart your PC and it should now update.

Another common problem is due to updates not installing properly. There's no definitive answer here, although the most likely reason is that existing files or settings are blocking updates.

If updates are showing up as 'failed' in Windows Update, use CCleaner to clean your Temp folder and Registry files, and then try again. If you still can't install updates then you can try tricking Vista's management system. We've detailed how to do this a little further down the page.

The most infuriating part of using Windows Update is trying to troubleshoot poblems, as all errors are obscure codes. There's no 'Time and date settings are incorrect' error (a common problem if your clock isn't set), instead you get an unfathomable series of numbers that you'll have to figure everything out for yourself.

However, there's help to be had - check out the comprehensive list here along with some common solutions available here.

How to trick Vista

If your Windows Update woes still haven't been fixed by following the instructions to the left, then it's time to seek out the big guns to solve your problems.

Fortunately, it's a pretty straight forward procedure and only takes a few simple steps. First things first, to complete this hack you temporally need to disable a running service.

1. Right-click 'Computer' in the Start menu and select 'Manage', then in the Services screen find Cryptographic Service and click 'Stop'. This service will restart as normal after a reboot.

2. Next, we need to dig around the System folder, which is generally an area you want to leave alone as that's where the Windows operating system lives. It's easy to kill the operating system if you start rummaging around carelessly, moving and deleting items within, so show care here please.

However for this purpose it's required to make a small change. Go to C:\Windows\System32\ and rename the 'Catroot2' folder to something like 'Catroot2old'. The Catroot2 folder is used as part of the Windows update process and can sometimes become corrupt. Once you've done reboot your PC.

3. Now, hold your breath and attempt to perform a Windows update and the interrupting update failure you've been experiencing should now be solved and updates should resume as normal.

Since the Catroot folder no longer exists, Vista will just go ahead and make a new one – thereby tricking the updates into installing. You may also at this point locate the renamed Catroot2 folder and delete it to recover the valuable hard drive space.

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(Via TechRadar: All latest feeds.)

Office for Mac Videos

I just noticed that Microsoft now offers many of the lynda.com videos for free on their Mac site. Lynda.com makes some outstanding video series for learning software, be it Windows or Mac, and dozens of applications. Great free resource.

Some Handy free Windows Utilities

Seems like there are lots of these lately, but much of that is due to a new OS coming out. Good summary by Computerworld.

Online Backups for Home Users

Lifehacker posted a nice summary of several online data storage/backup services. For home users, this is highly advisable, particularly for those who have digitized their documents, photos, or any other irreplaceable data.