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from the ground up, I use imaging software such as Acronis' True Image. With this product you make a copy of the computer's hard disk (when it is working OK) to external media such as USB drives or DVD writers. Whenever the computer is to be revived, the important documents are backed up, the image is restored, the documents are placed back in the proper folder and any Windows and product updates (that have taken place since when the image was taken) are replied. A brand new computer in under an hour!

Today the need to use imaging technology for the purpose I have described above can be sidelined if one uses virtualisation technologies. Products such as VMWare (www.vmware.com) allow you to have a software-based computer running within your computer. These are known as virtual machines. Since the virtual machine is entirely software based you can make a copy of the machine after it is set up. With this technology I have encouraged many users to install e-gunk on their virtual machine, leaving the base (referred to as host) machine intact. Whenever the virtual machine shows any sign of slowness, it is restored to its original glory from the backup. Using the technology of snapshots backing and restoring a machine to different states is a process that takes a matter of seconds. Some clients have taken on the habit of reverting to a new virtual machine daily.

Learn more about this author, Alan Bonnici.
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