How do you backup your hard drives?

Kurt · March 9th, 2008, 09:12 AM

I'm looking for something that is very easy to use - I would like to run a weekly backup (rather than continuous) and just need a safe and reliable backup drive. My guess is that I've got <100GB of stuff that I really need to back up. I tried the Seagate drive and their software but so far it's been a bit buggy and thus I don't have any real confidence that it work when I really need it to.

jmintzer · March 9th, 2008, 09:13 AM

The new Macs have 'Time Machine'. Just hook up an external drive, click a few buttons to do the initial set-up and it automatic...

Jamie

Kurt · March 9th, 2008, 09:17 AM

Whoops, sorry...should've mentioned that the systems is Windows XP. I have the flu so I'm a bit dense today.

imwjl · March 9th, 2008, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt

Whoops, sorry...should've mentioned that the systems is Windows XP. I have the flu so I'm a bit dense today.

Acronis True Image.

This is the favored imaging product among all of my associates who have been supporting computers for as much as decades. It is easy to use and most importantly we've used it and SpinRite to fix disasters others have given up on.

My professional strategy doesn't count here because I babysit a few dozen servers and a few thousand users but for home use I always have an old PC running as a server and I copy all important data to it. I have important photos, music and video copied to DVD and to multiple external hard drives.

A free used PC, free easy to use Linux distro and a loss leader hard drive for less than $100 will give you a home server.

SabuJSE · March 9th, 2008, 09:42 AM

USB External Hard Drive by Seagate. 250 gigs, whisper quiet, and fast as all get out since it's USB 2.0. It was under 100 bucks.

What's not to like?

beep.click · March 9th, 2008, 12:12 PM

USB hard drive and/or DVD.

I don't use anyone's "backup software," because I don't see the point. Just copy the data from Point A to Point B. Also, I dread the idea of trying to restore a five-year old backup, saved in some fancy backup format, only to find that I can't (e.g., the old backup/restore software won't run on a new machine; etc etc etc).

Cheesehead · March 9th, 2008, 12:20 PM

Like Sabu, I have a 250GB Seagate USB hard drive and like beep.click, I avoid backup software. I don't think imaging the drive is necessary. I just backup music, photos, and important docs. If a drive goes down, I just reload the software from the CDs and the files from the Seagate.

Mark Davis · March 9th, 2008, 01:34 PM

I just use the windows file transfer and settings wizard to backup all my windows settings and zip up the my documents folder. Takes about 10 mins to dfo all that and transfer it to a CD.

Once thats done if I need to I can format reinstall windows and be back up in about 1 1/2 hours. I dont make an image cause when you restore the image its usually alot older than what you had on your system unless you make an image every week which is a hassle.

Joe M · March 9th, 2008, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beep.click

USB hard drive and/or DVD.

I don't use anyone's "backup software," because I don't see the point. Just copy the data from Point A to Point B. Also, I dread the idea of trying to restore a five-year old backup, saved in some fancy backup format, only to find that I can't (e.g., the old backup/restore software won't run on a new machine; etc etc etc).

+1 Why mess with backup software when it's easy to just copy the data? I use a 160 gig external drive with a USB connection and does just what you want every week or so.

March 9th, 2008, 09:12 AM	#1 (permalink)
Kurt Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: MA Posts: 359	How do you backup your hard drives? I'm looking for something that is very easy to use - I would like to run a weekly backup (rather than continuous) and just need a safe and reliable backup drive. My guess is that I've got <100GB of stuff that I really need to back up. I tried the Seagate drive and their software but so far it's been a bit buggy and thus I don't have any real confidence that it work when I really need it to.

March 9th, 2008, 09:42 AM	#5 (permalink)
SabuJSE Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Massachusetts Age: 42 Posts: 309	USB External Hard Drive by Seagate. 250 gigs, whisper quiet, and fast as all get out since it's USB 2.0. It was under 100 bucks. What's not to like? __________________ Fender 2007 Custom Shop Custom Classic Telecaster \| Gibson 2004 Les Paul Standard Gibson 2005 SG Std / Fender 2004 AmDlx Ash Strat \| Mesa '05 Lonestar Special Gibson 2006 CJ-165 Maple \| Martin 2004 DC Aura "Playing is not practice. Practice is taking something you can't do, and trying it until you can." - Ben Harper

March 9th, 2008, 12:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
beep.click Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California Age: 49 Posts: 1,772	USB hard drive and/or DVD. I don't use anyone's "backup software," because I don't see the point. Just copy the data from Point A to Point B. Also, I dread the idea of trying to restore a five-year old backup, saved in some fancy backup format, only to find that I can't (e.g., the old backup/restore software won't run on a new machine; etc etc etc). __________________ "It looked like a giant green gum drop to me."

March 9th, 2008, 12:20 PM	#7 (permalink)
Cheesehead Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Age: 44 Posts: 1,036 6 Photos	Like Sabu, I have a 250GB Seagate USB hard drive and like beep.click, I avoid backup software. I don't think imaging the drive is necessary. I just backup music, photos, and important docs. If a drive goes down, I just reload the software from the CDs and the files from the Seagate. __________________ "This is blues power!" Albert King

March 9th, 2008, 01:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,467	I just use the windows file transfer and settings wizard to backup all my windows settings and zip up the my documents folder. Takes about 10 mins to dfo all that and transfer it to a CD. Once thats done if I need to I can format reinstall windows and be back up in about 1 1/2 hours. I dont make an image cause when you restore the image its usually alot older than what you had on your system unless you make an image every week which is a hassle. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

March 9th, 2008, 09:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
jmintzer Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Potomac, MD Posts: 305	The new Macs have 'Time Machine'. Just hook up an external drive, click a few buttons to do the initial set-up and it automatic... Jamie

March 9th, 2008, 09:17 AM	#3 (permalink)
Kurt Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: MA Posts: 359	Whoops, sorry...should've mentioned that the systems is Windows XP. I have the flu so I'm a bit dense today.