Backup/External HD Failure!

[bondi688]

The disk spaces available nowadays on some hard drives are unbelievably large at 3 or 4 TB. I wonder who has that many files to back up, and what a disaster it will be to have a hard drive with that much data failed.

 

[audreyh1]

Drives are cheap. Use multiple.

 

[Lsbcal]

I apologize if this was too cryptic, it was intended as a lighthearted seque into 'how will you destroy the old hard drive'

We knew you were kidding. My technique would be the old sledge hammer. Lets the aggressive streak out a bit.

 

[NW-Bound]

Regarding cross-pollination with respect to viruses such as Cryptolocker, that potential risk exists with any file or media server arrangement that can be accessed by multiple clients. Cryptolocker scrambles a shared network drive that is accessible to an infected PC, just like any file on that PC.

The way to reduce that risk is to limit access rights to "read only" by the client PCs, and to allow only one PC to update the media files. That way, your children's or wife's PCs cannot zap the music files or photos that you have carefully archived.

Of course, the directory where you store finance records should not even be permitted access by just any client on the network.

About WHS using "Single Instance Storage" to backup common Windows system files from client PCs, it does not cross-link files just because they have the same name. The files must compare bit-by-bit before they are stored as a single file. So, WHS will not spread a virus-infected file from one PC to another. And these backup files are only accessible to WHS and not any client PC. And WHS itself needs anti-virus protection.

On top of that, I still maintain duplicate backups on a stand-alone 1TB media server, and yet my main desktop PC with 2TB storage. The WHS PC, the stand-alone media server, and the big PC are linked with wired 1Gb Ethernet for transfer speed. And I still have another older 1TB Buffalo server with built-in RAID capability.

But I still have to remember to put a backup on my 1TB USB drive and take it out of the house for fire protection. Put it in the motorhome, perhaps?

 

[Ronstar]

My Mac backs up automatically to a 2tb Wd external drive through time machine. Just had to move my photos off the Mac to the external because of memory issues. I'm racking up about 500 mb a day in new raw photo files. I need to develop a backup for these in case the external goes down. I plan on copying them to my old external drive until I run out of space on the old drive. And then maybe store it in the bank safety deposit box.

 

[W2R]

We knew you were kidding. My technique would be the old sledge hammer. Lets the aggressive streak out a bit.

It's fun. If you are destroying the hard drive of a laptop with a glass platter, that is even more fun. Wear goggles to protect your eyes. I prefer to do it outside, so that I don't spread glass slivers all over my living room.

How to destroy a hard drive (quick and dirty way) - YouTube

 

[photoguy]

The disk spaces available nowadays on some hard drives are unbelievably large at 3 or 4 TB. I wonder who has that many files to back up, and what a disaster it will be to have a hard drive with that much data failed.

It's pretty easy to get to a few TB if you have media files (music, songs, photos, videos). I've got 2TB but it's backed up several times.

 

[rbmrtn]

You can get fire/water proof enclosures for drives, ioSafe is the award winning manufacturer of hard drives, NAS network attached storage and Rugged Hard Disk Drives | Portable & Mobile Storage | Fireproof & Waterproof Desktop Backup | SSD | Network Attached Storage | Internal Disk Drives | USB 3.0, F

RAID enclosures are a good option for backup/storage, with hot swap drives.

 

[Lsbcal]

It's fun. If you are destroying the hard drive of a laptop with a glass platter, that is even more fun. Wear goggles to protect your eyes. I prefer to do it outside, so that I don't spread glass slivers all over my living room.

LOL! Good technique on that video but I think the guy used a wimp hammer. I haven't tried it yet but a .38 from maybe 20 yards out would be fun target practice.

 

[W2R]

LOL! Good technique on that video but I think the guy used a wimp hammer. I haven't tried it yet but a .38 from maybe 20 yards out would be fun target practice.

I asked Frank if he wanted some target practice with the hard drive from my fried computer a couple of months ago, but he declined since the local authorities might be inconvenienced if the gunshots were reported.

So, I got out my handy dandy hammer (somewhat like the one in the video, but larger!), put on my safety glasses, and easily destroyed my hard drive out on the driveway by the side door.

Very therapeutic. The experience was exactly as you might expect after watching that video.

 

[photoguy]

You can get fire/water proof enclosures for drives, ioSafe is the award winning manufacturer of hard drives, NAS network attached storage and Rugged Hard Disk Drives | Portable & Mobile Storage | Fireproof & Waterproof Desktop Backup | SSD | Network Attached Storage | Internal Disk Drives | USB 3.0, F

If I wasn't a cheapo I'd put that "fire proof" claim to the test.

 

[MRG]

LOL! Good technique on that video but I think the guy used a wimp hammer. I haven't tried it yet but a .38 from maybe 20 yards out would be fun target practice.

It's a well know fact that JMB designed the 1911, for the purpose of destroying hard drives. Oh wait, there were no hard drives then.
MRG

 

[NW-Bound]

Oh man! Just think how many of these "bitty" 100 to 200 GB hard drives pulled from dead PCs or laptops that may still have a lot of life left in them.

Surely, there can be a way to wipe them clean of old data, then to use them in PCs for kids in Africa.

 

[rbmrtn]

Oh man! Just think how many of these "bitty" 100 to 200 GB hard drives pulled from dead PCs or laptops that may still have a lot of life left in them.

Surely, there can be a way to wipe them clean of old data, then to use them in PCs for kids in Africa.

GBs ? Try MBs . I got a box full of old "working" drives less than 250MBs , just never chunked them.

 

[rbmrtn]

If I wasn't a cheapo I'd put that "fire proof" claim to the test.

OK, others have done it. There's a video here Keeping warm in winter the el Reg way: Setting a NAS box ON FIRE

 

[davismills]

I like the portable drives, but I take it a step further. I have two 500 GB small portable drives. Every month I back up everything I consider important to the drive I keep at my home. Shortly thereafter I proceed to my bank safe deposit box to swap out the drives. It's a poor man's off site storage, but I feel comfort in knowing I have a possibility of recovering should my house be destroyed by fire or hurricane.

 

[Live And Learn]

Do you store one of them offsite or in a fire proof safe? Hard disk failure is my #1 concern. Fire or theft probably rates higher for me than a simultaneous failure of both my laptop and my backup drives. I'm hoping the safe really holds up if there is a fire.

<snip>

A cloud backup is probably even safer, but I'm not 100% comfortable it won't be compromised.

I don't have a fireproof safe - should probably do that. Thanks for the idea.

I'm not comfortable with cloud storage either.