Updated: Personal Data Backup
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What is your preferred way to back up personal data like photos, videos etc? I am confused between buying a SDD vs using online services like Google Drive/Dropbox. Any suggestions? Edit - I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD and I do have disks which have lasted decade or more so even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds. Edit 2 - I created another google account to store photos and video back ups there. Meanwhile, if I get a good deal, I will might get an HDD for offline backup. Based on price factor, I would choose between multiple smaller disks over one big one.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
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What is your preferred way to back up personal data like photos, videos etc? I am confused between buying a SDD vs using online services like Google Drive/Dropbox. Any suggestions? Edit - I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD and I do have disks which have lasted decade or more so even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds. Edit 2 - I created another google account to store photos and video back ups there. Meanwhile, if I get a good deal, I will might get an HDD for offline backup. Based on price factor, I would choose between multiple smaller disks over one big one.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
For code I use GitHub, for documents (pictures, videos and such) I let Google do the backup...
"The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012
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For code I use GitHub, for documents (pictures, videos and such) I let Google do the backup...
"The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012
Are paid services cheaper for long run compared to buying hardware? I have over 15 GB of media and I see that Google and cheapest and most lenient with free storage. Of course I can have multiple free accounts which would then lead to question - what's a good password manager? :)
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
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What is your preferred way to back up personal data like photos, videos etc? I am confused between buying a SDD vs using online services like Google Drive/Dropbox. Any suggestions? Edit - I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD and I do have disks which have lasted decade or more so even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds. Edit 2 - I created another google account to store photos and video back ups there. Meanwhile, if I get a good deal, I will might get an HDD for offline backup. Based on price factor, I would choose between multiple smaller disks over one big one.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
Depends mostly on how "personal" you want to keep your data. Google photos hasn't been hacked "properly" to the best of my knowledge (though vulnerabilities have been found in the past, and I'm pretty sure more will surface) you have to remember the iCloud hacks and repeat the mantra "nothing online is actually safe" if you have anything you don't want to be public. Me? I use a combination of Google Photo, MS Onedrive, and formal backups to air-gapped media - but then I'm paranoid, probably. :laugh:
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Are paid services cheaper for long run compared to buying hardware? I have over 15 GB of media and I see that Google and cheapest and most lenient with free storage. Of course I can have multiple free accounts which would then lead to question - what's a good password manager? :)
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
When you buy a piece of hardware you loose any warranty the moment you first use it... and even you do have warrant on the hardware there is no guaranty that you will actually able to retrieve your data... As I see cloud backup has more chance to be there for the long run, because the annual fee you pay gives you a bit better guaranty without you spending time (and time is money)
"The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012
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Depends mostly on how "personal" you want to keep your data. Google photos hasn't been hacked "properly" to the best of my knowledge (though vulnerabilities have been found in the past, and I'm pretty sure more will surface) you have to remember the iCloud hacks and repeat the mantra "nothing online is actually safe" if you have anything you don't want to be public. Me? I use a combination of Google Photo, MS Onedrive, and formal backups to air-gapped media - but then I'm paranoid, probably. :laugh:
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
OriginalGriff wrote:
I use a combination of Google Photo, MS Onedrive, and formal backups to air-gapped media - but then I'm paranoid, probably.
That makes it 2. I have photos on Google, google exports on laptop (2 copies on 2 disks), a back up on HDD. I am tending to go towards online myself.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
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Depends mostly on how "personal" you want to keep your data. Google photos hasn't been hacked "properly" to the best of my knowledge (though vulnerabilities have been found in the past, and I'm pretty sure more will surface) you have to remember the iCloud hacks and repeat the mantra "nothing online is actually safe" if you have anything you don't want to be public. Me? I use a combination of Google Photo, MS Onedrive, and formal backups to air-gapped media - but then I'm paranoid, probably. :laugh:
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
I keep as little as possible online. My primary off-computer storage is a NAS containing two mirrored disks, to which all computers are backed up weekly. For longer-term storage (photos etc.), I backup to multiple external HDDs (rotating backups, whenever we come back from holiday or celebrate a birthday etc.). Photos and videos are also copied to good-quality DVDs. These are easier to hand out to elderly relatives than loading everything on Google or some such... The prices of SSDs are dropping, but for large (2+ TB) disks, they are still much more expensive than HDDs. SSDs are not designed for archival (10+ years) storage, and backups do not need the speed of SSDs.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.
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What is your preferred way to back up personal data like photos, videos etc? I am confused between buying a SDD vs using online services like Google Drive/Dropbox. Any suggestions? Edit - I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD and I do have disks which have lasted decade or more so even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds. Edit 2 - I created another google account to store photos and video back ups there. Meanwhile, if I get a good deal, I will might get an HDD for offline backup. Based on price factor, I would choose between multiple smaller disks over one big one.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
personal files, photos, etc.: google drive code, similar: github I don't backup anything to local storage or external local storage, everything is cloud based.
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What is your preferred way to back up personal data like photos, videos etc? I am confused between buying a SDD vs using online services like Google Drive/Dropbox. Any suggestions? Edit - I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD and I do have disks which have lasted decade or more so even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds. Edit 2 - I created another google account to store photos and video back ups there. Meanwhile, if I get a good deal, I will might get an HDD for offline backup. Based on price factor, I would choose between multiple smaller disks over one big one.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
I have a couple of NAS drives and Cloud.
CI/CD = Continuous Impediment/Continuous Despair
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I keep as little as possible online. My primary off-computer storage is a NAS containing two mirrored disks, to which all computers are backed up weekly. For longer-term storage (photos etc.), I backup to multiple external HDDs (rotating backups, whenever we come back from holiday or celebrate a birthday etc.). Photos and videos are also copied to good-quality DVDs. These are easier to hand out to elderly relatives than loading everything on Google or some such... The prices of SSDs are dropping, but for large (2+ TB) disks, they are still much more expensive than HDDs. SSDs are not designed for archival (10+ years) storage, and backups do not need the speed of SSDs.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.
out of curiosity, do you keep those physical media off-site? (e.g. at a relative's home or your office). Multiple backups at home are no good if the home is burgled / flooded / inaccessible. That's why I now primarily use cloud storage for stuff I don't want to lose. (Photos are on a paid sub to Flickr, partly for security and partly to make accessible to others) whilst code is all on Helix version control (subversion simply 'cos that's what I'm used to). Everything else important but not confidential is held on my shared web hosting account, which has "unlimited" storage. The hosting co back it up daily (incl. off-site backups) so hardware failure shouldn't be an issue. My only problem is that with different things in different places, and a lack of self-discipline, stuff sometimes doesn't get backed up as promptly as it should...
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What is your preferred way to back up personal data like photos, videos etc? I am confused between buying a SDD vs using online services like Google Drive/Dropbox. Any suggestions? Edit - I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD and I do have disks which have lasted decade or more so even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds. Edit 2 - I created another google account to store photos and video back ups there. Meanwhile, if I get a good deal, I will might get an HDD for offline backup. Based on price factor, I would choose between multiple smaller disks over one big one.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
Repurposed hardware running TrueNAS. Mirrored drives. If system fails, install OS in new hardware, connect the mirrored drives and import the pool. I also have a hardware RAID mirror in my system for shorter term and handy storage. I can mount either in a Linux system if necessary. The TrueNAS system is not on line except for backup. Burglars? My place is such a mess, they would look around and say "we're too late, already been hit".
>64 If you can keep your head while those about you are losing theirs, perhaps you don't understand the situation.
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out of curiosity, do you keep those physical media off-site? (e.g. at a relative's home or your office). Multiple backups at home are no good if the home is burgled / flooded / inaccessible. That's why I now primarily use cloud storage for stuff I don't want to lose. (Photos are on a paid sub to Flickr, partly for security and partly to make accessible to others) whilst code is all on Helix version control (subversion simply 'cos that's what I'm used to). Everything else important but not confidential is held on my shared web hosting account, which has "unlimited" storage. The hosting co back it up daily (incl. off-site backups) so hardware failure shouldn't be an issue. My only problem is that with different things in different places, and a lack of self-discipline, stuff sometimes doesn't get backed up as promptly as it should...
I keep a backup set at the office, and rotate them.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.
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What is your preferred way to back up personal data like photos, videos etc? I am confused between buying a SDD vs using online services like Google Drive/Dropbox. Any suggestions? Edit - I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD and I do have disks which have lasted decade or more so even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds. Edit 2 - I created another google account to store photos and video back ups there. Meanwhile, if I get a good deal, I will might get an HDD for offline backup. Based on price factor, I would choose between multiple smaller disks over one big one.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
lw@zi wrote:
I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD
I've never bought into that. A hard drive's platters rotates at thousands of RPMs with the heads flying less than a hair's thickness above them. Smack it hard enough and you're looking at a disaster. Whereas there's nothing mechanical inside an SSD; I've dropped some on a hardwood floor and haven't had them show any sign of any problem.
lw@zi wrote:
even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds.
Then there's your answer. For a backup drive, if I/O speed isn't an issue, then IMO a spinner will always win out - until SSDs catch up in terms of price/capacity. Heck, with the money you'll save with a spinner you can buy a spare one, or future-proof and buy extra capacity.
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What is your preferred way to back up personal data like photos, videos etc? I am confused between buying a SDD vs using online services like Google Drive/Dropbox. Any suggestions? Edit - I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD and I do have disks which have lasted decade or more so even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds. Edit 2 - I created another google account to store photos and video back ups there. Meanwhile, if I get a good deal, I will might get an HDD for offline backup. Based on price factor, I would choose between multiple smaller disks over one big one.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
If you are really concerned, get a DVD read write drive and put them on there.
Moist Von Lipwig
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lw@zi wrote:
I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD
I've never bought into that. A hard drive's platters rotates at thousands of RPMs with the heads flying less than a hair's thickness above them. Smack it hard enough and you're looking at a disaster. Whereas there's nothing mechanical inside an SSD; I've dropped some on a hardwood floor and haven't had them show any sign of any problem.
lw@zi wrote:
even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds.
Then there's your answer. For a backup drive, if I/O speed isn't an issue, then IMO a spinner will always win out - until SSDs catch up in terms of price/capacity. Heck, with the money you'll save with a spinner you can buy a spare one, or future-proof and buy extra capacity.
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OriginalGriff wrote:
I use a combination of Google Photo, MS Onedrive, and formal backups to air-gapped media - but then I'm paranoid, probably.
That makes it 2. I have photos on Google, google exports on laptop (2 copies on 2 disks), a back up on HDD. I am tending to go towards online myself.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
A good Pendrive up to 3.0 (SanDisk/Samsung-like) with 64/128gb works fine on backup purposes!
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What is your preferred way to back up personal data like photos, videos etc? I am confused between buying a SDD vs using online services like Google Drive/Dropbox. Any suggestions? Edit - I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD and I do have disks which have lasted decade or more so even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds. Edit 2 - I created another google account to store photos and video back ups there. Meanwhile, if I get a good deal, I will might get an HDD for offline backup. Based on price factor, I would choose between multiple smaller disks over one big one.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
An external drive you can grab on the way out; an SSD not so much. If you bugger up your account, you may lose your online backups.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
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When you buy a piece of hardware you loose any warranty the moment you first use it... and even you do have warrant on the hardware there is no guaranty that you will actually able to retrieve your data... As I see cloud backup has more chance to be there for the long run, because the annual fee you pay gives you a bit better guaranty without you spending time (and time is money)
"The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012
Except that there is no guarantee that the cloud service will be accessible when you want it (see GOV.UK/Amazon/Google outages passim) or that the service won't be shut down in a weeks time and all your data lost. Even IBM (the largest company in the world at the time) nearly went bust a few years ago. If the data is important to you, then multiple copies on local storage is the only way to be reasonably sure that when you need that info it will be available. And testing/refreshing the backups too! Cloud storage is fine as an extra backup, but relying on it totally is just asking for trouble. BTDTGTTS! It's been a good few years since SSDs were less reliable than hard-storage. The main difference being that data can sometimes be recovered from failed HDs, less so from failed SSDs as they have different failure mechanisms. The only known media to last for millenia are some forms of paper, parchment and vellum, and inscribed clay or stone!
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What is your preferred way to back up personal data like photos, videos etc? I am confused between buying a SDD vs using online services like Google Drive/Dropbox. Any suggestions? Edit - I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD and I do have disks which have lasted decade or more so even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds. Edit 2 - I created another google account to store photos and video back ups there. Meanwhile, if I get a good deal, I will might get an HDD for offline backup. Based on price factor, I would choose between multiple smaller disks over one big one.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
Multi-pronged approach 1. All "data" is on a RAID 1 array. (Save my butt twice in 10 years when one of the drives went out) 2. That is imaged (Macrium Reflect) to a large external USB drive (cheap and efficient) 3. That is backed up to BackBlaze along with almost the entire system (warranty against ransomware because I have a 1 year retention) Just added the Backblaze component this year. Best decision I've made all year.
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What is your preferred way to back up personal data like photos, videos etc? I am confused between buying a SDD vs using online services like Google Drive/Dropbox. Any suggestions? Edit - I read SDD are more fragile compared to HDD and I do have disks which have lasted decade or more so even HDD is fine as I do not really care about read write speeds. Edit 2 - I created another google account to store photos and video back ups there. Meanwhile, if I get a good deal, I will might get an HDD for offline backup. Based on price factor, I would choose between multiple smaller disks over one big one.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]
The rule hoary old IT professionals use (born of long and sometimes painful experience) is: You need at least three copies of anything you don't want to lose. That is, your working copy plus at least two backups sets. A set will usually have at least the last three backups on it, in case the most recent, or its preceding one, turn out to be faulty. Sometimes errors occur right in the middle of a backup, rendering it useless. Of the two backups, one should be local (SSD, HDD, NAS, whatever) and one off-site in case of disasters like fire or a very thorough burglar. You can achieve off-site by having two (preferably three) hard drives, keeping one at, say, the office or nearby relatives', and rotating them using the grandfather-father-son principle. Why three? Well, say you only have two and you bring the HDD from the office home on an evening to do the next backup, intending to take the other drive to the office in the morning. For a night, both drives are in the same place and the worst happens... Or your off-site backup could use a cloud backup service. Note that OneDrive, Google Drive etc are not backup services: they are synchronisation services. If you accidentally delete a file or it gets corrupted and you subsequently need to restore it, you will find that it has already gone from your cloud drive, and worse, the change has been replicated to all the other computers you had linked to the same account. OneDrive does give you a 30 day window when you can reclaim files from the online recycle bin, but that is all. It is not an archive. Microsoft's terminology gets confusing here, describing the service correctly as a synchronisation service most of the time, then having a tab named Backup. Bad! That said, it is good for wholesale restoration of files to their last known state after a disaster and has saved many a person's bacon. So the short answer to your either/or question is 'both'! The choice between HDD and SSD is less important than having multiple tested backups in place and keeping them up to date. You choice will hinge on cost, capacity and longevity: nothing lasts for ever, you can drop an external drive at any time, so I rely on two local and one cloud solution for my personal files. DVDs deteriorate over time as well: I have many over 10 years old that cannot be read any more, so check and copy them every few years. Don't forget that you also need system backups on a less frequent cadence, which can be local (on the grounds that they are rather large for uploading to the clo
