what is the best way to backup HD file?

[lookout]

My 500gb Hard drive getting full these day....
what the best way to backup file (Movie, MP3, Photo, Roms, Porn, etc.) for long term and less risk of getting damage ...



Burn them all on DVD 4.7gb or 8.5gb.
buy a blu-ray bunner.
Buy another HD or external HD.
clone 2 Harddrive same.
Get a tape drive. ( those go up to 35gb to 1tb )
backup using flash cards.



what do you use to make a good backup?

 

[Kiljaeden]

I'd use an external hard drive for backup. With DVD's, over time, they'll become unreadable due to degradation.

 

[Urza]

I'd use an external hard drive for backup. With DVD's, over time, they'll become unreadable due to degradation.

It'll also take ages to backup everything on DVDs.

 

[Salamantis]

I'd use an external hard drive for backup. With DVD's, over time, they'll become unreadable due to degradation.

It'll also take ages to backup everything on DVDs.

Agreed.

Get another external hard drive with like 1TB or something.

 

[Issac]

I might've make a norton ghost backup (but that's more helpfull if it is installed printers and drivers and windows and shit youre going to backup)..

Buy an external HDD, and fill it with the stuff you want to keep, now DON'T use it (since HDDs do have a limited length of life).
Keep adding stuff regularly but don't use it too much!

pro tip of the day (from me)

 

[Twiffles]

I completely agree with Issac, since I have one too. (for the same reasons)
But I use mine everyday, will it affect how long it will live?

 

[raulpica]

Just get two identical HDDs and a motherboard supporting RAID and use RAID1.

Every thing you'll write on the first HDD will be automatically mirrored to the second HD, thus having a byte-perfect backup.

More secure than that, there's nothing

 

[Urza]

now DON'T use it (since HDDs do have a limited length of life).
Wear and tear really isn't an issue as long as you aren't moving it around often.

QUOTEI might've make a norton ghost backup

DriveImage XML is a much better application for what he aims to do (and free).

http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm

 

[Issac]

I completely agree with Issac, since I have one too. (for the same reasons)
But I use mine everyday, will it affect how long it will live?

well, I don't know HOW much it'll affect it all, but yes it WILL affect it.
I mean, If you have a hard drive put some files on it, and then you put it on a shelf for a few years, nothing should've happened to it, while if you use it every day for the same amount of time; writing files to the disks, erasing, new ones, moving around... It's like a CDRW or something, the more you use it, the more worn it'll get... and eventually break..

now... If you use an "extra" external hdd to backup files, and use it everyday, it's no backup... I'd just call it reorganizing.
however, I think burning some DVD's are a good way to go if it's not a lot, and especially if it's for putting on a shelf until it MIGHT be needed again...

but to be sure, after about five years, I'd get a new drive, start backing up the things, and use both since the old soon enough will die, and then the other one is good to have

 

[Urza]

well, I don't know HOW much it'll affect it all, but yes it WILL affect it.

Doesn't affect it enough for anyone to care.

 

[lookout]

Thank all you....


I has thought about backing up using external hard drive however there a risk of losing everything if something terrible happen specially 500gb or 1TB, burning them on DVDs with good band dye probably the best and painful then losing few over year.
HD do have lifespans up to 35 year or more and DVD could be even longer ~ depend on dye and where you put it... However I told using 'tape drive' are the best back up file storage since NASA used 'tape drive' to back file huge data and server network over the past year and today...

'tape drive' can hold up to 1TB' and copy/read very very quick fast.. the only problem is the price tag under £1000 (about $1700 USD) and the disk are about £45-above each..

probably best get a blu-ray bunner.. then 'tape drive' -

 

[Lukeage]

Just get two identical HDDs and a motherboard supporting RAID and use RAID1.

Every thing you'll write on the first HDD will be automatically mirrored to the second HD, thus having a byte-perfect backup.

More secure than that, there's nothing

RAID1 protects against drive failure, but not against anything malicious. If a rogue program/virus/own stupidity come into play, all that damage is duplicated onto the other drive too. Even having two independent drives (ie, manual backups) permanently in the PC isn't foolproof for the exact same reasons.

Proper backups are on separate drives/tapes, which are disconnected from the PC when not required. And for those who are really backup conscientious, you also store these offsite.

I has thought about backing up using external hard drive however there a risk of losing everything if something terrible happen specially 500gb or 1TB

To me backup means 'additional copy'. In this case, if you hdd fails (either original or backup) you immediately copy the data to a new drive, creating another backup.

From the sound of your comment, you are actually after long term storage (ie, only 1 copy). Even in this case, if the data is that important, two copies are the only way to go no matter what your adopted solution.

 

[Bitbyte]

You do NOT want tape drives for this kind of backup. I mean, come on, it's just your mp3s, movies etc. My film collection means a lot to me and it has a lot of very rare stuff I've collected over the years, but even I don't backup it to tape drives, and I'm pretty obsessive

. Tape drives are just waaaaay too costy and are really only for companies or for extremely important data..

The best thing you can do, is go with Issac's suggestion, back up all your files on another external HDD and then keep it disconnected to ensure a lengthy and healthy lifespan. If you have new stuff, just wait until you have like at least 5-10 GB (depending on the filesize, for ROMs or so, you already have a lot of them at 5 GB, so make a backup at 5 GB; for movies, at 10 GB) and then update the external HDD in batches all the time.

 

[raulpica]

Just get two identical HDDs and a motherboard supporting RAID and use RAID1.

Every thing you'll write on the first HDD will be automatically mirrored to the second HD, thus having a byte-perfect backup.

More secure than that, there's nothing

RAID1 protects against drive failure, but not against anything malicious. If a rogue program/virus/own stupidity come into play, all that damage is duplicated onto the other drive too. Even having two independent drives (ie, manual backups) permanently in the PC isn't foolproof for the exact same reasons.

Proper backups are on separate drives/tapes, which are disconnected from the PC when not required. And for those who are really backup conscientious, you also store these offsite.

Oh, I was just talking about drive failures

Personally never damaged a drive by myself, so I didn't thought of that