OK to back up on separate internal hard drive?

[wjgollatz]

I will be building a new system with a larger hard drive. I have an external hard drive I use currently for backing up. But to save costs, is it Ok to purchase another internal hard drive to exclusively use as back-up?

I don't imagine fires occurring in the desktop, but could an electrical spike fry two hard drives?

 

[techmanc]

I use both take a look at my rig. I do image backups of my 160gb Dual Boot drive to my internal and have the 2 external MX-1 drives for more data and finally I have 2 other bare backup drives for backup of my Antec drives using my Thermaltake BlacX ST0005U External Hard Drive SATA which has a SATA hard drive slot for hot swapping. It can be a pain sometimes syncing and backup my 3 computers and laptop but it pretty hady when I have a hard drive fail.

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

An internal backup is better than nothing. Yes, theoretically, an electrical problem could feasibly damage anything connected to the PSU. That's why you should have a surge protector in the first place. And any localized damage done to the computer could affect anything inside, obviously. So an external/offsite solution is safer, but it's up to you if the cost offsets the risk. I don't bother with anything other than internal storage, but I don't have anything I can't afford to lose should a freak boulder accident crush my living room.

 

[dunkster]

I recently installed a StarTech HSD100SATBK Trayless SATA Drive Bay as an element of my backup strategy. The device is simply installed in a 5" bay, essentially making a physical SATA drive a plug-in removable device. The drive SATA signal and power connections plug into a pass-through receptacle in the drive bay. All operations are performed at true SATA throughput speed, as opposed to slower eSATA or USB speeds.

The 'trayless' feature means the drive is simply inserted in the bay, no drive carrier/tray required.

Simply plug in the drive, perform your backup task, extract the drive. You needn't worry about 'spikes' damaging the resident backup drive, since it will not be resident.

I use it to periodically clone my main drive, for drive-swapping in event of main drive failure.

Hope this helps!

 

[techmanc]

Just a FYI ESATA is external SATA should be no slowdown using it with the right components.

 

[dunkster]

Just a FYI ESATA is external SATA should be no slowdown using it with the right components.


I must not have the 'right components'. I used a Thermaltake blacX in eSATA interface to raw sector-by-sector clone a 250GB Seagate to a 250GB WD drive. I've lost the HDTach and HDTune numbers for SATA vs eSATA, but my results for eSATA vs SATA throughput for the cloning operation:
- 2.5 hours @ eSATA with the blacX docking station.
- 2 hours @ SATA with the drive bay docking device.

AHCI mode vs IDE mode may have some benefit besides hot-swap, but my OS was installed in IDE mode and I didn't want the hassle of OS reinstall in AHCI mode.

Do you think AHCI mode @ eSATA would make up the 20% effective throughput loss I experienced with eSATA @ IDE mode?

 

[taltamir]

internal backup:
- faster
- less power consumption
- better cooling

external backup
- you CAN physically disconnect it from the WALL OUTLET (power cable) AND from the PC (USB cable) to protect against power surges.
- it is easier to shut down power to it if you wish to prevent dataloss due to a virus.
- much slower
- runs hotter
- takes more electricity
- does not go to sleep with your PC, or ever.

Note that that the only two benefits of external drives require you to manually do something, which most people do not do.

Just a FYI ESATA is external SATA should be no slowdown using it with the right components.

true... ideally you should BYPASS the controller entirely and plug the SATA plug on the HDD directly to the eSATA slot, skipping the controller in the external drive. (you can mod most external drives to do so)

 

[techmanc]

Originally posted by: dunkster
<Just a FYI ESATA is external SATA should be no slowdown using it with the right components.


I must not have the 'right components'. I used a Thermaltake blacX in eSATA interface to raw sector-by-sector clone a 250GB Seagate to a 250GB WD drive. I've lost the HDTach and HDTune numbers for SATA vs eSATA, but my results for eSATA vs SATA throughput for the cloning operation:
- 2.5 hours @ eSATA with the blacX docking station.
- 2 hours @ SATA with the drive bay docking device.

AHCI mode vs IDE mode may have some benefit besides hot-swap, but my OS was installed in IDE mode and I didn't want the hassle of OS reinstall in AHCI mode.

Do you think AHCI mode @ eSATA would make up the 20% effective throughput loss I experienced with eSATA @ IDE mode?

Ok I wanted to test my comment about ESATA should be as fast a SATA so I ran tests with my system and using my blackX and 2 Antec MX-1 units so heres the results..................

Drives tested internal

HD Tune: WDC WD5000AAKS-00TMA Benchmark

Transfer Rate Minimum : 22.9 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 83.7 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 68.7 MB/sec
Access Time : 13.4 ms
Burst Rate : 98.5 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 8.6%

HD Tune: WDC WD7500AAKS-00RBA Benchmark

Transfer Rate Minimum : 46.4 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 94.5 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 75.1 MB/sec
Access Time : 13.8 ms
Burst Rate : 106.3 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 6.0%

Drives tested external on Thermaltake BlacX
Label Software
HD Tune: SATA ST315003 Benchmark

Transfer Rate Minimum : 62.2 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 106.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 95.5 MB/sec
Access Time : 14.2 ms
Burst Rate : 69.9 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 5.1%

Label Learning
HD Tune: SATA ST315003 Benchmark

Transfer Rate Minimum : 58.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 106.7 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 96.7 MB/sec
Access Time : 14.2 ms
Burst Rate : 69.2 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 5.5%

Drives tested external on Antec-MX1
Label Software
HD Tune: SATA ST315003 Benchmark

Transfer Rate Minimum : 59.9 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 106.7 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 95.3 MB/sec
Access Time : 13.5 ms
Burst Rate : 65.5 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 5.0%

Label Learning
HD Tune: SATA ST315003 Benchmark

Transfer Rate Minimum : 58.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 105.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 93.7 MB/sec
Access Time : 13.6 ms
Burst Rate : 87.6 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 5.7%

Seems like HD Tune so no major slowdows with internal and extrenal drives although I didnt test the 1.5tb drive internally the test seem good performance wise on ESATA devices.......
Check my rig for system information