In any computing environment, a regular backup strategy is of course important. Of equal import is a strategy to minimise infection by viruses, malware, adware, Trojans and so on and more often than not these days, applications to do both come out of the same box.

But as I have found in the last 72 hours, it is best to make sure everything is compatible as if not, the consequences can be somewhat annoying to say the least.

Let me explain; last week, the hard drive in my Acer Ferrari 5000 decided it had had enough and popped its clogs. It was intermittent, but enough to warrant a trip to the computer doctor. I was not overly perturbed as am rigid in my backup strategy on a daily basis. Most of my data is safe and sound in the cloud or tucked up safely on a Netgear ReadyNAS. About the only major thing that is on the laptop is the trusty (massive) Outlook PST file – arguably any person’s single most important data file.

To keep me going, I had an HP Mininote 5110 at my disposal, or a desktop; all I needed to do was restore the PST file to one of these other computers and open it with Outlook.

Well strangely – and somewhat alarmingly – it appears I cannot do this. My antivirus / backup software from a well known vendor does not allow this. I spent three hours trying to find a way around it, and then their support department logged in via Logmein to have a crack. Following 90 minutes of ferreting around my hard disk and they had no luck either and have booked another session today.

But something so blatantly obvious as this should be a doddle. It appears all I can hope for now is that the hard disk from the Ferrari can be resuscitated.

Footnote: I have just been notified the original hard drive is totally kaput.