What are you going to do when your hard drive crashes?

[Bob Juch]

Do you have a full backup of your hard drive?

If not, what are you going to do when it crashes? It's a matter of when, not if.

I've been using Iomega's external drives, first USB, then firewire, and recently eSATA, for taking a full backup for ten years or so. However, I've had three of them crash and have had only one internal drive crash. I have however had to use the backup to restore after software failures and to recover corrupted files.

The system I just built has RAID capabilities built-in. I'm using RAID 1 which has two disk drives mirrored. In other words, data is written to each of them at the same time. If one crashes, then all I have to do is pop in a new drive and copy the surviving one to it.

I still need an external backup drive to recover from software and data errors though. The disk management software now handles the backup but is incompatible with my old Iomega drive. (It's also only 300 GB and my new drives are 500 GB.) It also uses proprietary eSATA sockets and cable so it won't plug into my new system's eSATA port.

I shopped around and believe this is the bast replacement:

Seagate FreeAgent Pro 500 GB $129.25 at Amazon.com.

It looks very, very, cool too! It should arrive tomorrow.

[Sir_Galahad]

I have my system set up so that I have all my system files on one physical drive and then my programs and data set into separate partitions on a second physical drive. All I back up is the data since, if my system crashed, I would have to re-install the software anyway if I had to re-install the operating system. I run a full data backup once a week and then nightly incrementals.

I have thought about installing the RAID mirror but decided that I really do not need to go that route just yet.

Oh yes, I am still rather archaic as I use an Iomega internal JAZ drive to store my data. I have never had a problem with the media.

[gsabc]

I just copied all my documents, photos and music over to an 150 GB external drive, in preparation for getting a new computer in the next month or two. I either have the disks for all the programs or they're available online, so I don't worry too much about those. The music is also retrievable, but with some effort and cost. The documents and photos, though, are unique. I REALLY don't want to lose them.

I've recently seen terabyte external drives for around $225. I'll probably invest in one of those as an automatic backup to the new equipment.

[Bob Juch]

I have my system set up so that I have all my system files on one physical drive and then my programs and data set into separate partitions on a second physical drive. All I back up is the data since, if my system crashed, I would have to re-install the software anyway if I had to re-install the operating system. I run a full data backup once a week and then nightly incrementals.

I have thought about installing the RAID mirror but decided that I really do not need to go that route just yet.

I've heard it recommended to partition your programs and data from your operating system, but Windows has far too many things that reside in your system folders and the registry for that to be practical.

Also, if you lose your system, do you really want to spend days reinstalling all your programs? Do you have the needed license keys all filed away?

[NellyLunatic1980]

My computer came with two 30GB hard drives already installed, so if one tips over, I've got the other one.

[MarleysGh0st]

I, uhhh, had to go and buy Ramsley.

But at least I was able to recover the files I wanted to save by slaving the corrupted HD at work and copying my stuff to a thumb drive.

I'll need to look into one of those external drives and Ramsley's RAID capabilities.

Because a computer professional not following all the advice about backups is like a doctor who smokes and has clogged arteries.

[Sir_Galahad]

I have my system set up so that I have all my system files on one physical drive and then my programs and data set into separate partitions on a second physical drive. All I back up is the data since, if my system crashed, I would have to re-install the software anyway if I had to re-install the operating system. I run a full data backup once a week and then nightly incrementals.

I have thought about installing the RAID mirror but decided that I really do not need to go that route just yet.

I've heard it recommended to partition your programs and data from your operating system, but Windows has far too many things that reside in your system folders and the registry for that to be practical.

Also, if you lose your system, do you really want to spend days reinstalling all your programs? Do you have the needed license keys all filed away?

That may be true for WinXP or Vista but I still use Win2K. Reinstalling only takes me a couple of hours. I have Norton's Ghost and an external hard drive for the ghosting but I haven't gotten around to setting it up yet. I actually don't use that much in the way of software and have all the keys and serial numbers safely locked away. And, since all of my data resides on a single partition, it is relatively easy to restore if necessary. Since I upgrade my system ever couple of years or so, I have found this to be the most expedient way to get my system back up and running.

[Bob Juch]

Oh, I forgot to mention: What if your whole system is destroyed in a fire or natural disaster? I currently use two external drives and alternate them so that one is always in a supposedly safe place, but I could lose important stuff that's not on my backup backup drive.

For those things, I use Mozy (http://www.mozy.com) for a nightly networked backup. It's free for 2 GB. I don't need more than that now, but I could pay for unlimited storage!

The one problem is that they allow a maximum transfer of just 1 MB/second so it's pretty slow even though just changed data is backed-up.

[Bob Juch]

My computer came with two 30GB hard drives already installed, so if one tips over, I've got the other one.

30 or 300? You're using RAID 1?

[ulysses5019]

Whatever happens, I won't take the field sobriety test.

[Bob Juch]

I have my system set up so that I have all my system files on one physical drive and then my programs and data set into separate partitions on a second physical drive. All I back up is the data since, if my system crashed, I would have to re-install the software anyway if I had to re-install the operating system. I run a full data backup once a week and then nightly incrementals.

I have thought about installing the RAID mirror but decided that I really do not need to go that route just yet.

I've heard it recommended to partition your programs and data from your operating system, but Windows has far too many things that reside in your system folders and the registry for that to be practical.

Also, if you lose your system, do you really want to spend days reinstalling all your programs? Do you have the needed license keys all filed away?

That may be true for WinXP or Vista but I still use Win2K. Reinstalling only takes me a couple of hours. I have Norton's Ghost and an external hard drive for the ghosting but I haven't gotten around to setting it up yet. I actually don't use that much in the way of software and have all the keys and serial numbers safely locked away. And, since all of my data resides on a single partition, it is relatively easy to restore if necessary. Since I upgrade my system ever couple of years or so, I have found this to be the most expedient way to get my system back up and running.

I hope that works out for you.

[ToLiveIsToFly]

Do you have a full backup of your hard drive?

If not, what are you going to do when it crashes? It's a matter of when, not if.

I've been using Iomega's external drives, first USB, then firewire, and recently eSATA, for taking a full backup for ten years or so. However, I've had three of them crash and have had only one internal drive crash. I have however had to use the backup to restore after software failures and to recover corrupted files.

The system I just built has RAID capabilities built-in. I'm using RAID 1 which has two disk drives mirrored. In other words, data is written to each of them at the same time. If one crashes, then all I have to do is pop in a new drive and copy the surviving one to it.

I still need an external backup drive to recover from software and data errors though. The disk management software now handles the backup but is incompatible with my old Iomega drive. (It's also only 300 GB and my new drives are 500 GB.) It also uses proprietary eSATA sockets and cable so it won't plug into my new system's eSATA port.

I shopped around and believe this is the bast replacement:

Seagate FreeAgent Pro 500 GB $129.25 at Amazon.com.

It looks very, very, cool too! It should arrive tomorrow.

I had a seagate free agent 500GB, and it went bad fairly quickly. I think the mechanics are fine, but the external design was problematic for me; it's vertical, and a little top heavy, and it proved easy to knock over. Now it's completely unreliable - the data is still on there, but the computer stops recognizing the drive after half an hour or so. I have to turn it off, wait a long time, and turn it on. The good news is that none of the info is lost, the bad news is it became worthless as a mirror or an ongoing backup, since it quite often spontaneously goes poof.

I replaced it with a maxtor 500 GB drive that I bought for $110 or so off the shelf at officemax back in March. It's also vertical, which I'm still wary of, but it's much more bottom-heavy, hasn't tipped over at all, and seems completely reliable.

Bottom line is that I no longer trust the seagate, but see no reason why you shouldn't as long as you keep it in an extremely physically safe location.

Speaking of physically safe locations, what are you doing about off-site data storage? If, God forbid, your house burns down, having redundant local backups may not be all that helpful.

[ToLiveIsToFly]

Speaking of physically safe locations, what are you doing about off-site data storage? If, God forbid, your house burns down, having redundant local backups may not be all that helpful.

I see you answered this question while I was typing.

[peacock2121]

I will cry and then cry some more.

Then I will realize that all of the really important stuff is backed up on a disk and I will go about making it all okay.

Maybe I will cry in between, just because that is what I do.

[Bob Juch]

Do you have a full backup of your hard drive?

If not, what are you going to do when it crashes? It's a matter of when, not if.

I've been using Iomega's external drives, first USB, then firewire, and recently eSATA, for taking a full backup for ten years or so. However, I've had three of them crash and have had only one internal drive crash. I have however had to use the backup to restore after software failures and to recover corrupted files.

The system I just built has RAID capabilities built-in. I'm using RAID 1 which has two disk drives mirrored. In other words, data is written to each of them at the same time. If one crashes, then all I have to do is pop in a new drive and copy the surviving one to it.

I still need an external backup drive to recover from software and data errors though. The disk management software now handles the backup but is incompatible with my old Iomega drive. (It's also only 300 GB and my new drives are 500 GB.) It also uses proprietary eSATA sockets and cable so it won't plug into my new system's eSATA port.

I shopped around and believe this is the bast replacement:

Seagate FreeAgent Pro 500 GB $129.25 at Amazon.com.

It looks very, very, cool too! It should arrive tomorrow.

I had a seagate free agent 500GB, and it went bad fairly quickly. I think the mechanics are fine, but the external design was problematic for me; it's vertical, and a little top heavy, and it proved easy to knock over. Now it's completely unreliable - the data is still on there, but the computer stops recognizing the drive after half an hour or so. I have to turn it off, wait a long time, and turn it on. The good news is that none of the info is lost, the bad news is it became worthless as a mirror or an ongoing backup, since it quite often spontaneously goes poof.

I replaced it with a maxtor 500 GB drive that I bought for $110 or so off the shelf at officemax back in March. It's also vertical, which I'm still wary of, but it's much more bottom-heavy, hasn't tipped over at all, and seems completely reliable.

Bottom line is that I no longer trust the seagate, but see no reason why you shouldn't as long as you keep it in an extremely physically safe location.

Speaking of physically safe locations, what are you doing about off-site data storage? If, God forbid, your house burns down, having redundant local backups may not be all that helpful.

I got my drive yesterday. This one is not top-heavy at all. It seems very hard to tip over if I try. Does yours have a "T" base?

The only thing I don't like is the orange light on top. Pointless.

[ToLiveIsToFly]

Do you have a full backup of your hard drive?

If not, what are you going to do when it crashes? It's a matter of when, not if.

I've been using Iomega's external drives, first USB, then firewire, and recently eSATA, for taking a full backup for ten years or so. However, I've had three of them crash and have had only one internal drive crash. I have however had to use the backup to restore after software failures and to recover corrupted files.

The system I just built has RAID capabilities built-in. I'm using RAID 1 which has two disk drives mirrored. In other words, data is written to each of them at the same time. If one crashes, then all I have to do is pop in a new drive and copy the surviving one to it.

I still need an external backup drive to recover from software and data errors though. The disk management software now handles the backup but is incompatible with my old Iomega drive. (It's also only 300 GB and my new drives are 500 GB.) It also uses proprietary eSATA sockets and cable so it won't plug into my new system's eSATA port.

I shopped around and believe this is the bast replacement:

Seagate FreeAgent Pro 500 GB $129.25 at Amazon.com.

It looks very, very, cool too! It should arrive tomorrow.

I had a seagate free agent 500GB, and it went bad fairly quickly. I think the mechanics are fine, but the external design was problematic for me; it's vertical, and a little top heavy, and it proved easy to knock over. Now it's completely unreliable - the data is still on there, but the computer stops recognizing the drive after half an hour or so. I have to turn it off, wait a long time, and turn it on. The good news is that none of the info is lost, the bad news is it became worthless as a mirror or an ongoing backup, since it quite often spontaneously goes poof.

I replaced it with a maxtor 500 GB drive that I bought for $110 or so off the shelf at officemax back in March. It's also vertical, which I'm still wary of, but it's much more bottom-heavy, hasn't tipped over at all, and seems completely reliable.

Bottom line is that I no longer trust the seagate, but see no reason why you shouldn't as long as you keep it in an extremely physically safe location.

Speaking of physically safe locations, what are you doing about off-site data storage? If, God forbid, your house burns down, having redundant local backups may not be all that helpful.

I got my drive yesterday. This one is not top-heavy at all. It seems very hard to tip over if I try. Does yours have a "T" base?

The only thing I don't like is the orange light on top. Pointless.

Mine does have a T-base but it's not very broad. I think yours is a different shape than mine, though - orange light "on top" on yours goes down the entire side of mine.

[Bob Juch]

Mine does have a T-base but it's not very broad. I think yours is a different shape than mine, though - orange light "on top" on yours goes down the entire side of mine.

My base is two inches wide. It does have a narrow strip on the side with the orange light too. It's the one on top that bugs me.