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Thread ID: 126323	2012-08-20 23:14:00	Recommendations for a USB 2.0 Portable DVD R-W	Billy T (70)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1295875	2012-08-20 23:14:00	Hi Team Daughter in Oz needs an external USB 2.0 DVD burner to make back-ups of her data because the DVD R/W in the laptop is getting too flaky to be considered reliable. She already backs up to a USB hard disk, but I susbscribe to the view that one copy does not constitute a reliable backup, and as she approaches Graduation for her Masters degree, loss of data would be a total disaster. "Cloud" services are not an option due to data cap and speed issues, so burning to DVD is next best, but I have no idea as to which manufacturer currently enjoys the confidence of the market so I am looking for advice please. The only 'musts' are that it be USB 2.0, powered off the USB port, and reliable. Price is not a major issue as I will probably be paying for it, but I'd rather not go to the top of the market! Comments on the reliability of making incremental backups to to DVD Rewritable disks (as opposed to making a new disk each time) would be helpful as well. Cheers Billy 8-{) :)	Billy T (70)
1295876	2012-08-20 23:39:00	These days I think CD\DVD drives are all pretty much the same for the most part. As long as it's from a brand you've actually heard of then it should be OK. Can't comment on backups to DVD as I don't use them, too slow.	Agent_24 (57)
1295877	2012-08-20 23:43:00	I have a Samsung External DVD writer – model SE-S084 – USB 2.0. It is about 3 years old and has not given any problems. However I don’t use it much – creating recovery disks for a Netbook and newer desktop, plus the odd software installation. Instead of using an external DVD, may I suggest you use a second USB Hard disk as I find the hard disks are simpler to use and have better performance.	pogo (16708)
1295878	2012-08-21 01:26:00	Do as above....but I'd also look at really important stuff on dropbox. It's a third location, it's free, what's the harm. If you had a bit more to back up, and you wanted to host her backup I'd recommend crashplan. For free you would be your daughters "cloud" - and since data caps are an issue - the first DVD she burns - she sends it to you, you load it to your hard drive (turning off the readonly flag first), and attach crashplan to it...from then on only the changes are sent to your machine over the internet... worth thinking about.	psycik (12851)
1295879	2012-08-21 06:27:00	Do as above....but I'd also look at really important stuff on dropbox. It's a third location, it's free, what's the harm. If you had a bit more to back up, and you wanted to host her backup I'd recommend crashplan. For free you would be your daughters "cloud" - and since data caps are an issue - the first DVD she burns - she sends it to you, you load it to your hard drive (turning off the readonly flag first), and attach crashplan to it...from then on only the changes are sent to your machine over the internet... worth thinking about. Indeed, I did think about backing up via Teamviewer because I set her computer up for that before she left. However, that would have to be a scheduled exercise and because she is on-line at random times during the day or week, and my computer is off overnight and is switched on each day only when I need it (but stays on after that until the evening), I'm not sure that scheduling backups would be very easy to achieve. I'll take a look at Crashplan though, she could bring over her portable hard drive with all her current data on it next time we fly her home. Cheers Billy 8-{)	Billy T (70)
1295880	2012-08-21 06:35:00	How much data are we talking here? If another portable HDD is going to be a bit much and you are considering DVDs then I would rather look at a few USB pen drives. Much faster to backup to than a DVD and will probably last longer too.	CYaBro (73)
1295881	2012-08-21 06:37:00	Ooh, speaking of your daughter... (Shut up!) How is the laptop bag holding up?	bob_doe_nz (92)
1295882	2012-08-21 08:18:00	Indeed, I did think about backing up via Teamviewer because I set her computer up for that before she left. However, that would have to be a scheduled exercise and because she is on-line at random times during the day or week, and my computer is off overnight and is switched on each day only when I need it (but stays on after that until the evening), I'm not sure that scheduling backups would be very easy to achieve. I'll take a look at Crashplan though, she could bring over her portable hard drive with all her current data on it next time we fly her home. Cheers Billy 8-{) I doubt the change would be that much, so it would be able to back up pretty easily during the day. remember it's the 3rd location...and the best thing is it's all automated. Not fussing around with drives, dvds or anything. It just happens.	psycik (12851)
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