topic Re: Why you need multiple backups in Electronics

Why you need multiple backups

glb613 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 09:59:08 GMT

I got my iMac back yesterday and was connecting it to everything. I turned on one of my portable hard drive I use for backups and it wouldn't work. I placed it into a different enclosure to make sure it was the hard drive and not the enclosure that had failed and it still wouldn't stay on or be recognized. I have multiple hard drives for backups and I'm positive I have a second or third copy of what was the drive that failed. There is no way for me to know since I can't see what was on it. Data recovery from a failed hard drive is cost prohibited so I won't be going that route.

I may have to look into cloud backup. I just hate paying for a monthly fee since most of my stuff isn't that important. I have too much for my free iCloud storage from Apple. Dang!

As many of us have posted over the years, having a backup(s) is critical. You never know when a hard drive will fail.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

gardenman — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 11:35:51 GMT

I mostly use the cloud to back up my data these days. Photos are backed up automatically on Google since I use an Android phone and enabled that service. I also have bought unlimited storage on Amazon's cloud ($60 a year at the time) for all of my music, photos, and documents. And I also use Microsoft's free cloud service which gives me 10 GB's of free space I believe. The more backups you have the safer you are. The cloud is great in that if something happens to your house (fire, flood, hurricane, tornado) your data is still safe in the cloud.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

Mz iMac — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 12:44:47 GMT

@glb613

Check out Dropbox. I believe the first 5 GB of storage is FREE!

I've never used iCloud. Never even set it up on my iMac. Dropbox works for me as it does a lot of things iCloud can't do.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

glb613 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 13:55:04 GMT

I'll have to check out Amazon since I'm a Prime member. I have way more than 10 GB to store everything. I have 250 GB of music alone. I have no idea how much photo and video data I have. I just know it's a bunch.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

Buck-i-Nana — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 14:26:42 GMT

@glb613 - it's only .99 a month for 50 gb of cloud storage....

I keep one backup on the cloud and one on a 1 tb western digital hard drive here at home. Lots of reasons to keep at least one backup off-site.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

ChynnaBlue — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 14:38:29 GMT

Sorry that happened to you and glad you had a backup!

I have two friends who are photographers. One went to school for photography within the last 7 years and his teacher stressed multiple backups, including both a hard drive in your home and a cloud backup. You never know what can happen and if you only backup at home and your house burns down or floods, you lose everything.

The other photographer has been in business for many years, but hasn't been to school recently and isn't super tech savvy. His hard drive failed and he hadn't been backing up. He lost pictures of some historic events and the photos from at least one wedding. As you mentioned, paying to data recovery is very expensive and he ended up starting a Go Fund Me account because of the nature of the photos lost. I did donate a few bucks, but I also remembered what the other photographer told me about backing up and heck if that didn't leave a real impression.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

glb613 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 18:44:56 GMT

@Buck-i-Nana wrote:
@glb613 - it's only .99 a month for 50 gb of cloud storage....

I keep one backup on the cloud and one on a 1 tb western digital hard drive here at home. Lots of reasons to keep at least one backup off-site.

Unfortunatley, that isn't enough storage for me.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

Nuttmeg — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 21:07:17 GMT

@glb613 wrote:
I'll have to check out Amazon since I'm a Prime member. I have way more than 10 GB to store everything. I have 250 GB of music alone. I have no idea how much photo and video data I have. I just know it's a bunch.

I use Carbonite, and have about 160 GB of data stored with the company. You may want to look at a BackBlaze, idrive,Mozy and etc. You should be able to find a backup client that will work for you. Software that is automatic.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

glb613 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 21:39:06 GMT

@Nuttmeg wrote:
@glb613 wrote:
I'll have to check out Amazon since I'm a Prime member. I have way more than 10 GB to store everything. I have 250 GB of music alone. I have no idea how much photo and video data I have. I just know it's a bunch.
I use Carbonite, and have about 160 GB of data stored with the company. You may want to look at a BackBlaze, idrive,Mozy and etc. You should be able to find a backup client that will work for you. Software that is automatic.

I checked out Carbonite but, the only version compatible with a Mac doesn't include an external hard drive. Back to square one.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

nomless — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 21:42:47 GMT

I like the concept of cloud storage, but I don't trust any vendor to provide privacy and security. We have a lot of evidence that anything can be hacked.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

Nuttmeg — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 00:05:29 GMT

@nomless wrote:
I like the concept of cloud storage, but I don't trust any vendor to provide privacy and security. We have a lot of evidence that anything can be hacked.

I have used Carbonite for five years without any problems. Sometimes you have to move forward with tech or get lost. You do not have a choice.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

Nuttmeg — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 00:11:12 GMT

@glb613 wrote:
@Nuttmeg wrote:
@glb613 wrote:
I'll have to check out Amazon since I'm a Prime member. I have way more than 10 GB to store everything. I have 250 GB of music alone. I have no idea how much photo and video data I have. I just know it's a bunch.
I use Carbonite, and have about 160 GB of data stored with the company. You may want to look at a BackBlaze, idrive,Mozy and etc. You should be able to find a backup client that will work for you. Software that is automatic.

I checked out Carbonite but, the only version compatible with a Mac doesn't include an external hard drive. Back to square one.

I have a Raid Drive and can not use the external backup either. You may want to try BackBlaze or some of these other companies.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

glb613 — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 09:18:25 GMT

@Nuttmeg wrote:
@glb613 wrote:
@Nuttmeg wrote:
@glb613 wrote:
I'll have to check out Amazon since I'm a Prime member. I have way more than 10 GB to store everything. I have 250 GB of music alone. I have no idea how much photo and video data I have. I just know it's a bunch.
I use Carbonite, and have about 160 GB of data stored with the company. You may want to look at a BackBlaze, idrive,Mozy and etc. You should be able to find a backup client that will work for you. Software that is automatic.

I checked out Carbonite but, the only version compatible with a Mac doesn't include an external hard drive. Back to square one.
I have a Raid Drive and can not use the external backup either. You may want to try BackBlaze or some of these other companies.

I've never heard of BackBlaze.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

Nuttmeg — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 09:45:07 GMT

@glb613 wrote:
@Nuttmeg wrote:
@glb613 wrote:
@Nuttmeg wrote:
@glb613 wrote:
I'll have to check out Amazon since I'm a Prime member. I have way more than 10 GB to store everything. I have 250 GB of music alone. I have no idea how much photo and video data I have. I just know it's a bunch.
I use Carbonite, and have about 160 GB of data stored with the company. You may want to look at a BackBlaze, idrive,Mozy and etc. You should be able to find a backup client that will work for you. Software that is automatic.

I checked out Carbonite but, the only version compatible with a Mac doesn't include an external hard drive. Back to square one.
I have a Raid Drive and can not use the external backup either. You may want to try BackBlaze or some of these other companies.
I've never heard of BackBlaze.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/backup/fl/backblaze-review.htm

You will find a review of other backup programs at the top of this page.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

gardenman — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:17:38 GMT

@nomless wrote:
I like the concept of cloud storage, but I don't trust any vendor to provide privacy and security. We have a lot of evidence that anything can be hacked.

Including any backups you have in your home. I suspect we're going to see more and more home burglaries where an intruder breaks in and only steals data from someone's unlocked personal computer. That data can be more valuable than all of the goods one finds in a typical home. Go in with a flashdrive, find and download the pertinent data, then leave. Selling stolen data is safer and likely more lucrative than selling stolen goods.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

Coquille — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 21:52:37 GMT

We had thought about it but didn't do anything. Now we will. Thank you.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

itsmetoo — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 04:30:59 GMT

@gardenman wrote:
@nomless wrote:
I like the concept of cloud storage, but I don't trust any vendor to provide privacy and security. We have a lot of evidence that anything can be hacked.
Including any backups you have in your home. I suspect we're going to see more and more home burglaries where an intruder breaks in and only steals data from someone's unlocked personal computer. That data can be more valuable than all of the goods one finds in a typical home. Go in with a flashdrive, find and download the pertinent data, then leave. Selling stolen data is safer and likely more lucrative than selling stolen goods.

@gardenman

Can you please tell me how to lock my personal computer? I do worry about it when I go on vacation and my house sits empty. Thank you. (It's a PC, Windows 7)

Re: Why you need multiple backups

glb613 — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 09:39:35 GMT

@itsmetoo wrote:
@gardenman wrote:
@nomless wrote:
I like the concept of cloud storage, but I don't trust any vendor to provide privacy and security. We have a lot of evidence that anything can be hacked.
Including any backups you have in your home. I suspect we're going to see more and more home burglaries where an intruder breaks in and only steals data from someone's unlocked personal computer. That data can be more valuable than all of the goods one finds in a typical home. Go in with a flashdrive, find and download the pertinent data, then leave. Selling stolen data is safer and likely more lucrative than selling stolen goods.

@gardenman

Can you please tell me how to lock my personal computer? I do worry about it when I go on vacation and my house sits empty. Thank you. (It's a PC, Windows 7)

You need a strong password to log onto the computer. You also need the same setup on your phone and tablet. I know people who whine they don't want to log on every time they use a device but, if it's lost or stolen, you'll be glad you did.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

Nuttmeg — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 10:03:48 GMT

@itsmetoo wrote:
@gardenman wrote:
@nomless wrote:
I like the concept of cloud storage, but I don't trust any vendor to provide privacy and security. We have a lot of evidence that anything can be hacked.
Including any backups you have in your home. I suspect we're going to see more and more home burglaries where an intruder breaks in and only steals data from someone's unlocked personal computer. That data can be more valuable than all of the goods one finds in a typical home. Go in with a flashdrive, find and download the pertinent data, then leave. Selling stolen data is safer and likely more lucrative than selling stolen goods.

@gardenman

Can you please tell me how to lock my personal computer? I do worry about it when I go on vacation and my house sits empty. Thank you. (It's a PC, Windows 7)

Info to set a strong password https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32040?hl=en

You need to write the password down and keep it save.

Re: Why you need multiple backups

gardenman — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 13:52:03 GMT

@Nuttmeg wrote:
@itsmetoo wrote:
@gardenman wrote:
@nomless wrote:
I like the concept of cloud storage, but I don't trust any vendor to provide privacy and security. We have a lot of evidence that anything can be hacked.
Including any backups you have in your home. I suspect we're going to see more and more home burglaries where an intruder breaks in and only steals data from someone's unlocked personal computer. That data can be more valuable than all of the goods one finds in a typical home. Go in with a flashdrive, find and download the pertinent data, then leave. Selling stolen data is safer and likely more lucrative than selling stolen goods.

@gardenman

Can you please tell me how to lock my personal computer? I do worry about it when I go on vacation and my house sits empty. Thank you. (It's a PC, Windows 7)
Info to set a strong password https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32040?hl=en
You need to write the password down and keep it save.

And don't keep the password in an obvious location like the drawer right under the computer, on a Post-It note on the monitor, under the keyboard, etc.. A surprisingly large number of business people do just that and it's an insane way to keep your computer system secure. In many offices if you go through and open drawers you'll find their passwords written down for anyone to see.