Creating Multiple Automatic Backups

[Andrew H]

I just experienced the annoyance of discovering that some extremely carefully crafted text - hours of brow-furrowing effort - is absent from a document. This has happened in the past - through accidental keystrokes most likely, I have deleted entire chunks of text and then unwittingly saved the document. The problem may have to do with the effects of a rogue trackpad that I have vainly attempted to disable (my employer would probably not approve if I disabled the trackpad as I want to - with an icepick). Aside: My company's IT department cannot figure out how to disable the trackpad.

Anyway, I would like to configure Word to preserve the version that I saved before my most recent save. However, that might not be enough since I click "save" often and may not realize that I have deleted text until I have clicked "save" many times. So, in reality, I would like to save, say, the 10 most recent versions. I have found where Word is supposed to save its backup; however, it is a folder that does not actually exist on my computer.

More generally, however, I wish there were a way to prevent accidental keystrokes from deleting text. This happens to me in gmail as well - I am zipping along writing words and then, bam, for no apparent reason, the last few sentences disappear. It seems hard to believe that, whether in Word or gmail, I can accidentally select and delete text. But, alas, such is indeed the case.

[Charles Kenyon]

See Save numbered versions. Your IT department may not be happy about this, or they may end up distributing it to all users.

[Charles Kenyon]

Originally Posted by Andrew H

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More generally, however, I wish there were a way to prevent accidental keystrokes from deleting text. This happens to me in gmail as well - I am zipping along writing words and then, bam, for no apparent reason, the last few sentences disappear. It seems hard to believe that, whether in Word or gmail, I can accidentally select and delete text. But, alas, such is indeed the case.

There is no way. However, you can prevent many such errors by using a mouse rather than a trackpad. Consider adding a mouse to your computer. Windows can be configured to turn off the trackpad when there is a mouse connected. That is how my computer is configured.

[Andrew H]

Originally Posted by Charles Kenyon

There is no way. However, you can prevent many such errors by using a mouse rather than a trackpad. Consider adding a mouse to your computer. Windows can be configured to turn off the trackpad when there is a mouse connected. That is how my computer is configured.

I do use a mouse. However, none of the techies here at my company can figure out how to disable the mousepad. If you can tell me, I will be exceedingly grateful as the effect of the trackpad is driving me nuts. I am using Windows (a very recent version, probably). I suspect the problem lies in the specific model of laptop I am using.