Backing up to other PCs on the network

I am writing in search of a solution that will help me, automatically, save files on more than one computer every time I save something to my hard drive.

I am employed by a small non-profit organiation. We only have four computers in the office. All are hooked togeher in a peer-to-peer only.

The logic board in the 3yr-old fujitsu laptop that I was using just fried, and I was able to get everything i had on the hard drive, but I'd rather not risk losing everything on the hard drive again. the last time I burned my documents and files to DVD for backup was a long time ago, and I am more faithful than everyone else in my office when it comes to regular backup burning.

I'd like to always have an automatic backup, that occurs automatically, and is always up to date.

Is there any app that will save each item to more than one place automatically (that doesn't slow a machine to a crawl)?

The other PCs on the peer-to-peer are running Windows 2000 and the one I just bought off the shelf has Windows XP Media. I'd like to, for example, always have my entire harddrive, setttings, documents, images, etc, automatically stored on my secretary's PC everytime I store something on mine. What is the closest I can come to that?

I just bought a $600 laptop to replace the one that just fried, and here are the specs:

ProcessorProcessor manufacturer AMD
Processor type Turion 64 mobile technology
Processor number ML-34
Clock speed 1.8 GHz
Processor features AMD64 technology, PowerNow technology, Enhanced Virus Protection, HyperTransport technology, Integrated memory controller
RAMRAM installed size 1 GB
Max supported RAM 2 GB
RAM Technology DDR SDRAM-333 MHz
RAM / Configuration Features 2 x 512 MB
Display (Projector)Display (projector) diagonal size 15.4 in
Display (projector) technology TFT active matrix
Max resolution 1280 x 800
Features BrightView
Video OutputGraphics processor ATI Radeon Xpress 200M
Video MemoryVideo RAM installed 128 MB
Storage Hard DriveHard drive 80 GB
Optical Storage (2nd)2nd optical storage type None
Card ReaderCard reader type 6 in 1 card reader
Interface ProvidedInterface type Display / video, Hi-Speed USB, Modem, Network, Remote control, Microphone, Docking / port replicator, IEEE 1394 (FireWire), Audio
Interface provided VGA, Phone line, Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX, S-video output, Infrared, Input, SPDIF output
Interface qty 1, 3
Connector type 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15), 4 pin USB Type A, RJ-11, RJ-45, Mini-phone 3.5 mm
ModemModem type Fax / modem
Max transfer rate 56 Kbps
Storage Floppy DriveFloppy drive type None
Audio OutputAudio output type Sound card
Audio output compliant standards Sound Blaster Pro
Input DeviceInput device type Keyboard, Touchpad, QuickPlay
OS ProvidedOS provided Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
BatteryBattery technology Lithium ion
Installed battery qty 1
GeneralBuilt-in devices Stereo speakers, Wireless LAN antenna
Localization English:United States
System type Notebook
Cache MemoryCache Memory Type L2 cache
Cache size 1 MB
NetworkingData link protocol Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Fast Ethernet
Networking standards IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
Networking type Network adapter

 

Mannie,
Altho Tim just explained exactly how to setup auto backup your HD from your secretary's pc (which will work for most of time), if you want to have your files and data backed up securely and safely, I suggest you spend some money and go buy a server or seperate pc that could be running as a server.
Tim is an excellent solution provider (as I seen his answers before), but he is simply answering your question (with much respect, Tim) and forgot to mention that backing up your entire "C:" drive will take huge amount of space on your secretary's pc, not to mention the amount of time it will take.
Also, if you do not have your laptop and sercretary's pc "on" at the time of backup, your backup will not run. I'm mentioning this because I'm assuming your laptop and sec-pc are workstations.
If you buy a server, you can save, backup, secure and manage network better - automated. You can find more info about network backup at:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/crawford_02april02.mspx

Good luck!

 

If I read your question correctly, you are looking for an automatic backup for your important data files, is that correct? If so, Second Copy will work very nicely for you. It will only backup files that have changed since the last backup of that file, after your initial backup of course. That alone will save you lots of time. It can run in the background very nicely and can be set up to run every hour, every day, every week etc. etc.

 

Thanks so much for all the help.

You are all correct, we do not currently have a server (both because of our tight nonprofit budget and my absolute lack of knowledge about anything IT, (becuase I am the youngest person on staff, it falls into my job descrition)).

All of the files on my C drive currently take up 23.7GB, but the files in My Documents that I absolutely must save take up about 4.72 GB (uncomressed) and growing. I'd like to find a program that would also save alot of my settings, etc., if possible. How is Second Copy better than Windows backup? Will the included Backup always rewrite files that haven't changed? Is Second Copy better than Ranvik Total Copy?

 

Second Copy will back up all of the 4.72 GB the first time and then only backup the files that changed. Cost $25 per computer.

Windows Backup will backup all 4.72 GB every time.