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Thread ID: 137193 2014-06-04 03:23:00 Backing up data: how do YOU do it? sooby (15023) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1376448 2014-06-04 03:23:00 Hi guys,

Investigating all options for backing up our PC, and was curious to know what you guys do? I’ve used an external HDD previously, together with taking offsite to protect against total loss, but am now thinking cloud back up seems to offer same advantage. Does anyone use a cloud back up service? What about storage of personal / financially sensitive docs – are there encryption concerns when using cloud based? I’m guessing burning things unlikely to change (like old photos) to DVD is a good start, as long as the DVD is checked/replaced regularly against deterioration, then dropbox/mega/google drive etc for other more frequently used docs? What are the pros & cons?

The Seagate external HDD I use comes with decent software that incrementally saves changes – I’m just not sure how I’d get on if PC does suffer a total loss then uploading data onto a different PC works? Would hate to find out THEN that I’ve lost out…!

Interested to hear how your guys tips & tricks!
sooby (15023)
1376449 2014-06-04 03:42:00 I'm a bad example because I don't really put much effort into it, relying on my ability to reinstall everything if I have to and not storing anything I can't afford to lose on the PC works for me.

That said what I do do is;
Create a disk image of any new system I build once I have all the software installed and updated (but rarely do I actually test the image :))
Store my CD collection in lossless format on 2 PC's and an external drive (Don't want to spend days ripping them all again.
Let my android phone auto backup photo's to the cloud
Store some pictures on skydrive (or whatever it's called) but mainly that was an experiment to see how it worked.
dugimodo (138)
1376450 2014-06-04 03:49:00 I have File History turned on and copying to our NAS on my desktop, as well as a scheduled image of the SSD every weekend to the same NAS (everything on the hard drive is covered by File History or not worth backing up). On my tablet, everything important lives on OneDrive anyway so that's not backed up. pcuser42 (130)
1376451 2014-06-04 05:46:00 Backup to my own server then to a ext hdd kept off site except when using it gary67 (56)
1376452 2014-06-04 06:04:00 All the Computers Automatically back up to WHS every night. Also have several other files backup to online storage automatically as well when ever they are altered. The Server gets backed up fully every week to an external HDD (mainly the PC backups). Not much else changes on that.

The only ones that dont get backed up are workshop PC's, they have images made when originally installed ( and maybe after adding a few programs updates). If they get screwed ( which they do regularly) just drop the image back and away they go again.
wainuitech (129)
1376453 2014-06-04 07:08:00 All computers here have their main data folders, My Documents & the Desktop, redirected to the server, plus Exchange for the emails so they are sync'd to the server as well.
Then the server has ShadowProtect running on it which backups up the images to a separate internal HDD, one full backup then continuous incrementals every hour.
Those images are then backed up online using CrashPlanPro.
CYaBro (73)
1376454 2014-06-04 08:17:00 Acronis B&R dumps copies of my important stuff to my NAS, which is replicated offsite.

As to recommendations, well, for a relatively simple yet effective option, CrashPlan Pro is awesome. I have set it up for a few friends & family, as well as a number of businesses. Be aware Sydney is their closest replication site, so depending on your internet connectivity uploads could be slow. But the service itself is great.
inphinity (7274)
1376455 2014-06-04 08:40:00 Images - External hard drive + 2 Clouds, old clients each have a DVD and/or USB that they can take away any time they want.
Everyday Documents - Dedicated external hard drive
Important Documents that will eventually expire 1 cloud and 2 external hard drives
Vital family documents - 2 External Hard drives and 2 clouds
Entertainment - fully cloud
Game bins - external hard drive and cloud

Sound complex? Its all pretty much scheduled and automatic. I do a full check every two months at GST time.
EFFIGY (12530)
1376456 2014-06-04 08:46:00 Sorry I forgot to add that I use Bitorrent Sync to sync files from our home computer to the server at work and that is then included in the CrashPlanPro online backup. CYaBro (73)
1376457 2014-06-04 08:55:00 Theres certainly a good assortment of backups available. The REAL test is when its actually needed.

Take a bad case scenario -- Your computer fries, destroys everything inside, including the HDD, OR you go to use it and the HDD has totally failed - Everything is gone.

How long would it take to get everything back exactly how it was before the event ?

Had a HDD fail a couple of times -- Everything went :yuck: :horrified-- Swear a bit, as it always happens when you dont need it :xmouth: throw in a new drive,up and going EXACTLY as before, all programs, data etc within an hour :) ( less if theres not a lot of data)
wainuitech (129)
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