Yes, it happens to me too.

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I recommend a minimum of 2 independent backups!
Checking the capability to recover before a failure is very important. I have had issues with
both the built in M$ Vista backup and with True Image using Vista. I suggest using online backup as one of the solutions.

Wow, at least mine was only a system problem which was quite a learning experience, after I discovered my image was no good. Actually Acronis True Image does have a verify option but I had not used it. I learned, the hard way, to use it. It's now set on automatic.

I don't know if this is standard for everyone, but backing up the .PST Outlook file requires the program to be closed. I, too, found this out the hard way. I now have a backup tool (http://www.cobian.se/) than can close programs, do the backup then reopen (if desired). Like Leo said, check to be sure what you want to happen IS happening.

"I know you're a fan of Acronis True Image software (which I have also installed), but I don't think Acronis offers a verify facility - any other views?"

Acronis does have a verify option. I don't know how it works but every time I do an Image backup I do the Verify Backup to make sure what I just did is good.

About a month after I bought Acronis True Image I installed a program that added something to the IE toolbar to allow capturing video from Youtube. It messed up my system and the only way I could find to correct it was to do a restore from the Image I had done a couple days before. Acronis True Image saved me! It is a great program and easy to use.

This is related to the "it happens to me" part of your newsletter dtd 02/12/2008 when you upgraded RAM on a server which would simply not accept & you had to remove the additional RAM.

Well, hardware particularly RAM is probably the hardest part to diagnose next to PowerSupplies & Hard Disks. I faced a similar situation & had to finally remove my upgraded RAM.

Following was the situation-

I had a very quiet & smooth running PC (at home) with 512MB Ram. I own 2 PCs one at work and the other at Home. When I upgraded the Work PC, I had a 128MB module left in spare which I decided to use in the home PC to make it up to a total of 640 MB. All said & done, I fitted the RAM in PC which the Bios detected well & Windows XP too.

Now comes the fun part. My PC started to lockup randomly (within 5 minutes or 2 hours or maybe never until I shut it down) with the screen display becoming distorted. Like you break the whole in small bits of 1x2 cms & all the pieces get scattered overlappling each other. At times, I was presented with a Blue Screen & at other times a continous beep from the PC speaker. I was facing this problem since the last 6 months or so until it finally dawned on me to remove the RAM (yes it was 6 months & I completely forgot the change in Hardware done by me).

Following were the extreme measures taken by me.

1. Removed Nokia PC suite which I thought was causing the issue.
2. Updated the motherboard drivers with the latest ones.
3. Updated the display drivers (from Intel) with the latest ones.
4. Tried with a different monitor (but the problem would not appear on the other monitor). In ambiguity that the monitor also could be having problems.
5. Checked the RAM with MEMtest for more than 3 hours (passed happily without problems).
6. Added a USB PCI hub to the motherboard feeling that something might have gone wrong with USB circuitary on the motherboard.
7. Disconnected the CD Rom from the motherboard.
8. Checked the Hard Disk for errors.
9. Moved the Pagefile to a different partition of the Disk.
10. Fiddled with Bios to change the memory allocated to the Display adapter.
11. Checked the Fans if they were running (well, they were) & downloaded a temperature utility to monitor unnecessary heating.
12. Last but not the least, a complete reinstall of Windows XP.
13. I thought it could be SP3 which was causing the problems but I ruled that out too. (LOL, I too believe in keeping Windows updated),
14. Ofcourse, I searched the Internet for Clues but nothing related caught my eyes.

The problem would simply not go away, Until I felt that it was a dying motherboard. but if it has to die, it has too.

I just could not recall when I upgraded the RAM & that the issue was because of RAM. Since RAM had passed the MEMtest, I thought I could safely rule it out.

But things don't work that way & at times, it is only a hit & trial that works despite all the geeky measures you take.

With that extra 128MB module removed, the PC is working fine as before.

Ravi.

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