My particular unit uses some form of Linux and provides software for formatting and scandisk.It's attached to the router and has a network address. It's not vulnerable to Windows Malware, and no computer needs to be turned on except the one using it. There's a Wik entry here with more detail: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network-attached_storage -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] Network Backup Drive From: Dean Kukral <[log in to unmask]> Date: Fri, October 08, 2010 7:50 am To: [log in to unmask] How does this work? Is there some kind of an operating system on the NAS? Is it connected to one computer and back-ups are made through the one computer? What do you do to prevent malware? I have a Windows Home Server, which I turn off except when I am actually backing up my computers, because I have no anti-virus on it. It actually runs a Windows-like operating system and is more sophisticated than just a hard drive, so I suppose that it is more vulnerable to malware. But, to leave a drive on 24/7 that is somehow connected to all the computers at the same time suggests that there is some kind of operating system that might be vulnerable. Dean Kukral On 10/7/2010 9:59 PM, David Farrington wrote: > I have a 2TB World Book Network Attached Storage (NAS) connected to > my D-Link 655 router. All my computers (Win7's and XP's) use the NAS > for backing up to. My networked Seagate Media player uses the NAS for > movie files to show on an HDTV recorded form Windows Media Center. The > system has work great. I've had the NAS about a year and a half now. I > keep it dust free and powered from my UPS. The NAS just sits there and > looks like a white book on the desk. I also purchased a 2TB USB > external drive and it works fine too. The NAS drive is available to > all computer on the network all the time, where as unless I share and > have the USB drive plugged in to one of the computers it is not > available to all computer. I use the USB drive for more long term > storage or short term storage on computers I am working on. I like the > NAS for ease of system backups. HTH > > <snip> The NOSPIN Group is now offering Free PC Tech support at our website: http://freepctech.com The NOSPIN Group is now offering Free PC Tech support at our website: http://freepctech.com