Backup Drives???

[Harry_Wild]

I was looking at these 2.5" backup drives and was wonder if you can manually backup files to them in uncompress format?

Also, how hard is it to just go and restore specific files from the backup?

 

[Cerb]

Drives are drives. A Backup is a thing you make with the space, and/or what you do to protect your data, making copies of it.

Your questions can't be answered without knowing what specific software you're talking about.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I was looking at these 2.5" backup drives and was wonder if you can manually backup files to them in uncompress format?

Sure. Just mount the drives like you would any other drive, and manually copy/paste the files you want to backup.

The only thing that distinguishes a "normal" hard drive from one labelled as a "backup" hard drive is that the backup drive will (usually) come with a software tool to automate this. But you don't have to use it.

Also, how hard is it to just go and restore specific files from the backup?

If you do it manually, it's as easy as finding the file in Explorer. If you use the software that's included with the drive, it varies depending on the software, but it's usually doable.

 

[jefferysummers]

Having duplicate copies of your most important information saved in a remote location keeps it safe in case anything goes badly wrong with your computer.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Thanks for the replies. That helps me out! I will be keep an eye out for sales of external hard drives or external SSD drives.

 

[PliotronX]

Ideally, the best to shoot for would be 3.5" enclosures or NAS (RAID-1). Those little USB drives don't have any ventilation and are more prone to fail than full sized disks and there is zero chance of software based recovery if there is a mechanical problem (automatic $500 lab trip). I would also avoid SSD for long term backups for the same reasons.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Having duplicate copies of your most important information saved in a remote location keeps it safe in case anything goes badly wrong with your computer.

For myself, I don't keep a safety-deposit box at the bank, but another family member does.

It makes you think, though. I remember a particular episode of "Weeds" in which Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker -- Oh God!) has to flee her So-Cal neighborhood due to one of our too-frequent wild-fire episodes.

On this hillside where I live, I can't imagine so much of a risk with that, but you never know. Remember the fire-drills when you were in kindergarten or grade-school? I think I need to do some drills grabbing the handles of hot-swap caddies with everything else I'd need to . . . "evacuate."