Best simple backup method

[duragezic]

It was hard to decide to place it here or Software, but since I'm leaning RAID-1 I thought here would be best.

I've went way too long without a backup solution. I've lost data several times, though in several instances got it back. Since I'm looking to get a new hard drive, I figure now is a good time to do some proper backups.

I'm looking to backup all types of media, documents, and other files. It doesn't have to be a sync thing (can be outdated by a couple of months). I can use discs or flash drives to hold documents, but everything else is too large for these mediums.

I'm not sure if an imaging tool is useful because I'm concerned with my data, not my O/S installation.

Options:
RAID-1
Images
Manual updates between two drives
?

I'm thinking of getting a ~1.5 TB hard drive, partitioned for O/S and data, then another 1 to 1.5 TB drive for backups. Of course for RAID-0 I'd go with identical drives and one partition each. I'm worried if I do a manual backup, that my backup drive will end up for storage, or vice versa.

How do you guys do this?

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

I use Sync Toy 2.0 for windows (oh sweet they just released 2.1 on 11/24, thanks for this thread I wouldn't have checked! )

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...36-98e0-4ee9-a7c5-98d0592d8c52&displaylang=en

I use it for IE favorites, documents, my entire music collection, and backing up some important files on my flash drive. I run it about once a month manually.

You were right in thinking that you don't want an imaging tool, but making an image of your OS is a good idea. I use Win7 and DriveImage XML for that. DriveImage is only good if you are going to restore the image onto the same exact hard drive. I haven't had to try restoring the Win7 image yet..........

 

[RebateMonger]

What OS are you using? All versions of Windows have built-in backup software that can be done manually or scheduled.

Right now, all my PC backups are done automatically by a Windows Home server. Those are all full image backups, which can restore both files and entire systems. Before WHS, I'd make periodic full system backuips using NTBackup to a USB or SATA external hard disk, or to a network share on my maiin server. Plus all of my important data files are duplicated on my server, which, in turn, is backed up automatically by SATA external hard drives.

Redundant RAID is not a good way to make "backups". If it goes down, you can lose everything. If you accidentally erase stuff, it's gone. So it's not really a backup.

If you don't have more than 50 GB or so of "important" data, you could consider an online backup like Carbonite ($55 per year). As noted, you can also set up automated backups to an external disk or to a network drive. If you can have multiple external disks and swap them out periodically, it's even better.

I'm a big fan of AUTOMATED backups. Most people, including myself, won't do manual backups often enough. That's why it's best if you can have more than one backup disk, so you can leave on always attached while having another copy of your files not attached to your PC or your network.

 

[elconejito]

I think the "easiest" is just attach a drive by USB and use SyncToy (or similar) to backup daily/weekly/monthly.

Or use an online backup which comes with it's own software like Carbonite, Mozy, JungleDisk, etc

 

[JackMDS]

Get yourself Acronis True Image, and you would get all the flexibility that you need for the next few years.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-012-_-Product

If you have a countable Network it would work through the network.

Otherwise use an external drive dedicated for backups.

Using Windows home server (as mentioned above by Rebate Monger is the best), but it is more expensive and complicated to step it up).

As far as backup goes on peer-to-peer End-Users systems, RAID is the "Snake oil" of the Enthusiasts.

 

[Spicedaddy]

I use Windows 7's Backup and Restore to backup all my files daily. It does incremental backups, and about once a month it'll do a full backup. Free and automated, simpler than RAID-1, keeps daily versions of files, etc...

 

[imported_NoGodForMe]

There's a thread in the Security forum, but basically, the correct solution is to have MULTIPLE backups. Me?

All pictures and music is on 2 sets of DVDs. Dual layer and regular DVDs. Buy the spindles at Sams or Costcos. They sell a 50 pack Dual Layer spindle for about $60. Use Nero and back up your pictures and music one folder at a time.

Get a cheap Dreamhost web account for $5 a month. They give you 400 gigs of space. Upload your files using FPT. This is similar to Carbonite, just that you're doing it manually. I've been uploading files for 6 months, uploaded 200 gigs one folder at a time. I fire up Nero, put as many folders that will fit on a DVD, and let it go. Then I repeat with newer folders. I have spindles of my pictures and music.

Buy and use Novaback. It saves the registry (system state) and supports Win7.
http://www.novastor.com/novabackup11/
Software can write to tapes, DVDs, or to files on your hard drive using compression. It makes 1 gig data files in order similar to RAR, but it backs up the registry.

Once you have your pictures and music backed up, then you can use Novaback to save the C drive. That way, the shell of your system can be restored quickly if the hard drive fails.

 

[duragezic]

Thanks for all the replies.

I think I'm going to get a 1.5-2 TB drive and another one a little smaller. I think just internal because I see no reason for external.

I'm imagining that the sync or backup tools mentioned can give me something like two windows of directories (like FTP), and I can choose directories or an entire drive to sync between the two, such as copy anything from left to right, copy left to right and right to left, etc. Maybe I'll put True Image on the HDD order.

The web idea is decent but I'm currently unemployed so don't want more monthly bills, and my upload is awful slow to be doing backups with such large files.

For my important documents and small things, I have them on a flash drive as well as online. Pictures I could burn to a DVD but once you get into media it gets pretty large even for DL DVDs.

 

[elconejito]

I always say keep one internal, one external. Pretty much for these two reasons...

a) In case of fire it's really easy to snatch the external usb drive and run.
b) If something happens to the computer (like PSU failure, dog thinks it's a fire hydrant) that could affect all the whole system then you'd lose the original and backup.

Reasons you might not want to have it external...

a) easy for a thief (disgruntled ex, roomie with crack habit) to run off with it
b) USB speed is slower
c) desktop clutter

just food for thought

 

[Colt45]

RAID isn't backup, for what it's worth... (no level of RAID is going to stop rm -rf /, theft, fire, a hammer, an app that goes insane and overwrites your drive, etc, etc)

I guess have a box in the closet, preferably with raid, maybe redundant PS and a UPS, +rsync. Would be nice to have another box off-site in case your house burns down.

Depends what your data is worth to you, I guess.


If you're gonna have loose drives, might not be a bad idea to have full disk encryption on 'em, just in case one decides to go for a walk.

 

[CurseTheSky]

My goal is to have two external drives, and some kind of automatic backup or sync tool.

One 3.5", 1TB+ drive will remain attached to my desktop most of the time. It'll hold my music, pictures, and other large / important files.

One 2.5" 500GB+ drive will stay in my laptop bag, which I take everywhere. It'll hold music, pictures, and anything absolutely essential.

Of course, that doesn't protect against catastrophes (fire in the middle of the night, no time to grab laptop bag, theft of all my computer stuff, etc.) If that's the case, though, what happens to my music and pictures is the least of my concerns.

 

[dmw16]

What about a service like Carbonite or Mozy? They are online backups and are the most secure approach in terms of protecting against everything. However, it depends on how much data you need to back up because it can get expensive.

If you need to backup more data than is cost effective via something like that I'd get an external drive cage that has usb and eSATA and supports RAID internally. Then depending on your needs use either RAID1 or RAID5. If you are only using 2 disks then they are the same, but RAID5 is more efficient beyond 2 disks.

Others are correct that RAID isn't truly backup, but it is better than nothing and is also better than just having all your data on one external hard drive. I think what needs to be done when assessing the best backup option for you is to consider how critical the data is, decide how much it's worth to you to protect, and then go from there.

 

[Tsavo]

Get Syncback. I was using Synctoy until I got this. I use it to keep and update copies of my data on 5 drives.

http://www.2brightsparks.com/downloads.html

 

[pukemon]

RAID-1 isn't backup - it provides redundancy.

Easiest file-level backup is to use the built-in Windows Backup and Restore in Windows 7 (or Vista if you're still using that) to an external USB/Firewire/eSATA drive. Easier image-based backup is probably Acronis True Image.

 

[JimKiler]

I agree with others about using Synctoy with an external drive.

I bought a WD My Book World Edition, and if you get this drive make sure you get the newest version with a white light, it was rated very good and has a nice suite of features like DLNA for streaming to consoles and also an iTunes server as well as FTP. It is only missing the ability to be a print server.

 

[velillen]

just tossing out my thoughts. I dont have any software recommendations as im still trying to find one i like. have used powertoys and corbin backup before and both did great.

Anyways heres my "setup"

1 internal ~100gb ide drive that i use solely for backups of music and everything. Documents, ect. Run a weekly backup (every tuesday at 2 am lol). Works great as a backup but like others said anything happens to the pc and its just as gone as your other drives.

1- external- got a nice small wd passport drive. i can back up everything to it and then what i like is it is small enough that i can toss it in our safe. That offers theft protection and a bit of fire as well. If you have a safe this is small enough to fit.

2-thumbdrives. my dad actually does this but he will toss his most important pictues/music and documents on these and then take them to our safety deposit box. Obviously these dont get updated that often but as a final security its not a bad idea since t drives are cheap now a days too.

anyways just tossing that out there

 

[VinylxScratches]

RAID 1 is not a backup method.

You should buy an external hard drive and use Synctoy.

 

[piasabird]

It could be considered kind of wasteful to back up the entire operating system and the data. I suppose you could just make one giant image of your system. If you keep a lot of music file or media files you might want to consider just backing up your large files on a separate but cheap computer. i.e. no fancy soundcard or video card. If you plan on keeping a large amount of data in files it might be a good idea to store it separately from your operating system and maybe even separate from your computer. Imagine you have it on your computer and lightning strikes you spill a drink on the lap top or some other emergency like your power supply destroys your computer. Whatever can go wrong will. If your motherboard goes out you cant read files from an alternate harddrive if that is also in your computer.

 

[corkyg]

Online backups via Carbonite or Mozy sound very good. But - small companies of this ilk have a bad habit of coming and going. What happens when your online host goes belly up?

 

[Fayd]

Online backups via Carbonite or Mozy sound very good. But - small companies of this ilk have a bad habit of coming and going. What happens when your online host goes belly up?

iron mountain online backup?

 

[BTA]

Synctoy works very well

 

[imported_NoGodForMe]

Novaback has a few online back up providers they recommend in their software. Novaback will also do online backups provided you pay a monthly fee.

What happens when my host goes belly up? I'll start over with a new one. In my case, I'm doing it manually using FTP to my Dreamhost account. Currently, I'm using 247 of 473 gigs. All my pictures, music, documents, anything important is in my web space. Took me 6 months to upload all the data, but now it's safe and I can download it at full speed.

When I back up my computer, I only have to do the "shell" for each drive. For the C drive, I back up the OS, registry, Program Files directory, and leave out the scans, and music. Same for the other drives. Each drive fits on a couple dual layer DVDs using Novaback.

Get a cheap Dreamhost account, you get a web site to go with it. Then start uploading your files using FPT to the root of your web space. Only you will be able to see them, unless you move them into the main web folder. Pay about $60 a year to have 400 gigs of remote storage, plus you get a web site out of the deal.

 

[Hunker]

It took a complete loss of all my content to wise up, this is my solution:
I bought another identical internal HD, put it in a external usb\firewire enclosure, and use Acronis to "clone" the hard drive about every 2 weeks or so.
If, I mean when I have another HD crash I just install the cloned drive and away we go.
The enclosure sits on a book shelf and can be grabbed in case of fire, or it could be keep off site.