Computer Crashed ( Ideas needed)

[Muleman]

After adding to my collection today I went to save my work and my computer went to a fatal blue screen . Upon restarting the computer I lost my file ( all my notes in the collection ). Before I sit here and enter all 1600 notes again. What is the best way to keep track. Is it wise for me to go and re enter everything again in Microsoft word. or is there another good way to keep track of what I have. Any programs you suggest. or is Word the way to go. If so Im gonna get a 2nd computer just for my data entry . What do you think the best way to keep track of my collection?

 

How do you keep track of all your notes. ( especially dealers) when they are raw ungraded.

[alfalfa-migration]

I scan all of my notes (front and back) and list them in both Word and Excel documents. All of those files are saved on both my hard drive and a separate USB drive. My scans are also stored on the server of an online photo host.

 

I hope it doesn't take you too long to get everything re-entered!

 

RJ

[thirdgreenham]

I could see Microsoft Excel being one of the better and easiest programs to use.

 

My

 

Andy

[Muleman]

I was thinking excel also but im just worried what happens after 28,655 lines are all full?

 

Word was what i had before. and thats not to bad just long to do everything at once.

 

Scans would take forever. I should try to reinstall the printer now.

 

 

So no other programs good for entering info of this nature?

 

 

 

[MTHead-migration]

In- *spoon*-ing -credible!

 

You spent all that time creating a file and didn't take a backup?

How long does it take to burn a copy to a DVR/W or JumpDrive?

 

Have fun typing!

 

How many of the rest of you don't keep backups of your collections?

[Paratrooper]

I have my collection cateloged in excel, but then again my collection is not that large. To prevent a loss such as yours, I email myself the file once a week. So if one computer crashes, I have the file floating around in the ether that I can DL again anywhere.

[Scott B]

Before giving up on the lost file, you may want to pick up a copy of SpinRite. SpinRite is a hard drive repair program that will find any problems that could have blue screened your system and possibly recover the file, if it still exists somewhere on the drive. It is worth the $89 to run it on any system.

 

For keeping the coin inventory, I use Excel. I have a mock-up database using FileMaker Pro, but it is not ready for prime time and I don't have the developer's kit so I can produce a Mac and PC version from the same design.

 

Scott

[Muleman]

In- *spoon*-ing -credible!

 

You spent all that time creating a file and didn't take a backup?

How long does it take to burn a copy to a DVR/W or JumpDrive?

 

Have fun typing!

 

How many of the rest of you don't keep backups of your collections?

 

the only back up file i got was back at 12,000$ ( including my 10k note)( which i sent my dad so he can see what i had ) when everything hit the fan it was up at 17k so thats 5k in notes lost. I should have backed it up later on but slipped my mind. I guess 12k is better than no K but just wonderin if theres a better way to keep track. You see on ebay all these programs to store and keep track of your notes. do they work, are they better? anyone buy any of those programs

[jtryka]

If you are worried about the limits on excel, why not try a database in MS Access? I am no IT guy, but this is the sort of thing database programs were designed for. As for how I track my notes, my PMG notes are in the registry, the rest are all in piles in my safe deposit box. If I notice less piles, I'll know there's a problem.

[ThatPovGuy]

hmmm - Excel has 65536 lines. But you can have multiple worksheets in excel (thos tabs on the bottom. To add more just use Insert Worksheet.

 

You can have different worksheets within the same master file for however you would want to break out your collection. That may be a solution.

[gpnyc]

I had a hard drive crash on me. After I installed and configured the new drive, I used a USB adapter to connect the old one to my PC. I was able to get all of my files off of the old drive that way. Just because a drive will not boot does not mean all your data is lost.