Social Anxiety Support

Futures · 11-03-2009, 09:35 AM

What format do you use to backup important files?

So far I've always used data dvds. But it's time consuming and all the spindles are really starting to pile up in my bedroom. I thought about buying a couple 1.5 terabyte drives and using those. But I know hard drives don't last forever and it would really suck to lose that much data.

I know discs can fail to, although I've never had it happen. But even if it did, it's only losing 4GB rather than 1.5 terabytes. I'm not sure what to do. I'm running out of space to put all these discs.

TorLin · 11-03-2009, 09:42 AM

I use both.
having a backup is very valuable sometimes.

kenny87 · 11-03-2009, 10:13 AM

using hard drives would probably be a better idea, just buy 2 and use one for backup when the other fails. Drives are easier to keep track of than a bunch of disc, you can add and delete whenever you want, keep everything in one location instead of multiple disc. Its also easier and faster to add data. Ultimately using Hard drives with a backup method is the best route.

redtogo72 · 11-03-2009, 03:06 PM

I just use hard drives or flash drives. For me, dvds have too limited of space and are easily damaged. Plus, my DVD drive is broken.

Now, I realize most of the things I'd back up I'd never use or look at again anyway.

Dell has a deal on 1tb external HD for $100: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...0fp25836c0s558

I'd check slickdeals.net for other sales.

Duke of Prunes · 11-03-2009, 04:37 PM

Writeable optical media has a shelf life, mechanical hard drives do not (when they're turned off). Hard drive is probably your best bet, but if you want to be on the safe side, only spin it up when you're making backups if you only make them rarely, or if you make frequent ones, keep your computer on 24/7 and keep the disk spinning all the time. Spinning discs up and down all the time is more risky than keeping them on all the time as far as head crashes go (unless you live next to a fault line and you have earthquakes all the time).

njodis · 11-03-2009, 04:49 PM

A bunch of my earliest burned CD-Rs, probably from around 1998/1999 or so, no longer work at all and are completely unreadable. I know 10 years is a long time, but that all I'm saying is don't rely on burned discs for stuff you don't want to lose.

coldmorning · 11-03-2009, 05:14 PM

Hard drives are more convenient and take up less space. As for reliability... redundancy is your friend. If it's really important, back it up to two independent drives. Doing this is more effective than putting stuff on numerous scattered optical discs.

XxArmyofOnexX · 11-03-2009, 07:09 PM

Buy a blu ray burner

Mr. Frostie · 11-03-2009, 07:56 PM

I read somewhere DVDs have a shelf life of 50+ years. Don't know it that's true. Supposedly, Verbatim and Taiyo Yuden are the most reliable brands.

I personally back up important things to both DVDs and an external HD.

Quote:

Originally Posted by XxArmyofOnexX

Buy a blu ray burner

Blu-ray drives and media are still obscenely expensive. Better off going the external hard drive route.

XxArmyofOnexX · 11-03-2009, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Frostie

Supposedly, Verbatim and Taiyo Yuden are the most reliable brands.

Verbatims are freakin' awesome. Have been using 'em for years, not a single problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Frostie

Blu-ray drives and media are still obscenely expensive. Better off going the external hard drive route.

I was kidding.

Kardax · 11-05-2009, 09:02 AM

I wouldn't rely on any single backup solution. They can all fail in different ways, and not much could survive if your house burned down.

I typically use hard drives or flash for backups (for speed, convenience, and durability), and keep an encrypted backup of my most important things at work.

-Ryan

Meee · 11-05-2009, 11:14 AM

I have three external drives, two where i live (for the worst case scenario of my computer's hdd dying in the middle of making a backup), and one somewhere else in case of a fire or being burgled etc. All encrypted too.

Some people prob think that's too much, but i've already lost everything once in my life and that was enough for me...

And yeah, verbatim is the way to go for cd/dvd media. I use that for unimportant stuff.

David1976 · 11-06-2009, 08:05 AM

I use an external drive and use synctoy on a weekly basis to back up my stuff... I should probably have something "off-site" just in case.. I have read about things like carbonite or mozy.. and it sounds like a good solution...

Meli24R · 11-06-2009, 08:14 AM

I use external hardrives..they take up less space. I got two so if one of them breaks down or something I'll still have my stuff.

11-03-2009, 09:35 AM	#1 (permalink)
Futures Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Midwest Gender: Male Age: 28 Posts: 1,904	Harddrives Vs Data Discs for archiving? What format do you use to backup important files? So far I've always used data dvds. But it's time consuming and all the spindles are really starting to pile up in my bedroom. I thought about buying a couple 1.5 terabyte drives and using those. But I know hard drives don't last forever and it would really suck to lose that much data. I know discs can fail to, although I've never had it happen. But even if it did, it's only losing 4GB rather than 1.5 terabytes. I'm not sure what to do. I'm running out of space to put all these discs.

11-03-2009, 09:42 AM	#2 (permalink)
TorLin Status: MayTheForceBeWithYou Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: California Gender: Male Posts: 17,056	I use both. having a backup is very valuable sometimes. __________________ MTFBWU (May The Force Be With You) - TORLIN AIM, MSN, YIM: T0RL1N Skype: Tor_Lin Visit me at; ToryLing.com \| LivingAnxious \| Facebook \| Myspace \| Last.fm

11-03-2009, 07:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
XxArmyofOnexX Status: Permanently Canned Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NYC Gender: Male Age: 19 Posts: 540	Buy a blu ray burner __________________ [13:34] nameless0n: i feel like im becoming more retarded everyone day

11-05-2009, 11:14 AM	#12 (permalink)
Meee Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: England Gender: Male Age: 24 Posts: 1,422	I have three external drives, two where i live (for the worst case scenario of my computer's hdd dying in the middle of making a backup), and one somewhere else in case of a fire or being burgled etc. All encrypted too. Some people prob think that's too much, but i've already lost everything once in my life and that was enough for me... And yeah, verbatim is the way to go for cd/dvd media. I use that for unimportant stuff. __________________ [Last.FM] [AnimeList]

11-06-2009, 08:05 AM	#13 (permalink)
David1976 Status: Secret Santa Claus! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Worcester, MA Age: 33 Posts: 3,634	I use an external drive and use synctoy on a weekly basis to back up my stuff... I should probably have something "off-site" just in case.. I have read about things like carbonite or mozy.. and it sounds like a good solution... __________________ Facebook My Myspace "It's not the giving, it's not the getting. It's the loving. There, I said it. Now get outta here." - Garfield

11-03-2009, 10:13 AM	#3 (permalink)
kenny87 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Louisville, Kentucky Gender: Male Age: 20 Posts: 625	using hard drives would probably be a better idea, just buy 2 and use one for backup when the other fails. Drives are easier to keep track of than a bunch of disc, you can add and delete whenever you want, keep everything in one location instead of multiple disc. Its also easier and faster to add data. Ultimately using Hard drives with a backup method is the best route.

11-03-2009, 03:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
redtogo72 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 78	I just use hard drives or flash drives. For me, dvds have too limited of space and are easily damaged. Plus, my DVD drive is broken. Now, I realize most of the things I'd back up I'd never use or look at again anyway. Dell has a deal on 1tb external HD for $100: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...0fp25836c0s558 I'd check slickdeals.net for other sales.

11-03-2009, 04:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
Duke of Prunes Status: A prune isn't a vegetable Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: England Gender: Male Age: 18 Posts: 208	Writeable optical media has a shelf life, mechanical hard drives do not (when they're turned off). Hard drive is probably your best bet, but if you want to be on the safe side, only spin it up when you're making backups if you only make them rarely, or if you make frequent ones, keep your computer on 24/7 and keep the disk spinning all the time. Spinning discs up and down all the time is more risky than keeping them on all the time as far as head crashes go (unless you live next to a fault line and you have earthquakes all the time).

11-03-2009, 04:49 PM	#6 (permalink)
njodis Status: kermit in shock Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ontario Gender: Male Posts: 7,713	A bunch of my earliest burned CD-Rs, probably from around 1998/1999 or so, no longer work at all and are completely unreadable. I know 10 years is a long time, but that all I'm saying is don't rely on burned discs for stuff you don't want to lose.

11-03-2009, 05:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
coldmorning Status: Add water and shake Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Northern California Gender: Male Posts: 2,122	Hard drives are more convenient and take up less space. As for reliability... redundancy is your friend. If it's really important, back it up to two independent drives. Doing this is more effective than putting stuff on numerous scattered optical discs.

11-05-2009, 09:02 AM	#11 (permalink)
Kardax Status: SAS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Minnesota Gender: Male Age: 28 Posts: 1,646	I wouldn't rely on any single backup solution. They can all fail in different ways, and not much could survive if your house burned down. I typically use hard drives or flash for backups (for speed, convenience, and durability), and keep an encrypted backup of my most important things at work. -Ryan

11-06-2009, 08:14 AM	#14 (permalink)
Meli24R Status: SAS Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Gender: Female Age: 23 Posts: 198	I use external hardrives..they take up less space. I got two so if one of them breaks down or something I'll still have my stuff.