Backup your DATA!

With the recent epidemic of failing hard disks, I thought it might be a good idea to make a thread with basics of backing up data. It seems that lately HDDs just don't last very long, many not making it more than a few months before dying and taking out all your data with it. While you can usually RMA the drive, or have it replaced undert a service contract if you have a prebuilt or a portable system, you can't get those precious files back that were on the drive, and data recovery is not an option for many users. Data recovery is very expensive and is not a guarantee that you'll get the files back you needed(if any)

There are several methods of backing up your files and many utilities that can help you do this, as well as WinXP Pro having a backup wizard that can assist you, so I won't go into specific apps, rather I will concentrate more on what you need to include.
The basics are pretty logical, personal files, your document files, music, videos, images, etc... but youy will also want to include your Bookmarks, your address book, contact lists, and any settings that can be exported to a file. It would also be a good idea to create a txt file with any special settings or workarounds you've had to make in order to compensate for conflicts.

I mentioned earlier that there are many utilities designed to assist you with htis, but all you really need is a CD burner, burner software, blank CDs, and of course the files you want to make copies of.
Personally, I keep a disc with all my settings and contacts on it, as well as lists of all tweaks and hacks I've used on the system. I keep other discs according to the types of files and/or the subject matter of the files.
A backup utility will usually just make copies of the directories you specify, as well as the exported files such as bookmarks and contacts.

If you choose to turn your nose up at the suggestion of backing up your files, just remember that you are the only one to blame for losing your data next time you have a drive die. I laugh at clients on a daily basis when they ask what I'm going to do about the data they lost, while explaining that DATA is not covered by a warranty, and I'll laugh at you as well.


Any additional info or resources pertaining to backups is more than welcomed

The best thing I can suggest is for all of you to use the RAID controllers that are built onto those high end mobos you all keep buying.

Make a RAID 1 mirror (I know it wastes disk space but is your data important or not?). Then you don't have to worry about anything.

Don't install any OS or put any games on this RAID 1 mirror, just store important data that would make you cry if you lost it. Important documents, favourites, saved games, code, important downloads (pr0n), etc.... You know the drill.

AFAIK, in 99% of cases, even if one of the HDDs and your RAID controller (or motherboard) somehow failed, you can still plug the surviving disk into another HDD controller (doesn't have to be RAID) and get your stuff back.

If its REALLY important, back it up with a DVD burner. Man, they are cheap now. Come on there is no excuse.

On my home network, I use this RAID 1 volume as the central repository for all important data that I have.

For example, I also have a Linux box, and I schedule a cron job to run to backup certain, important data up to the RAID 1 machine (windows xp box) by connecting with samba and then running code something like this:

#!/bin/bash

if [ -w /mnt/xp_box_drive_d/linuxhome/ ];
then

#---Log Begin Backup In Log File---#
echo "" >> /var/log/homebackup.log
echo "Backup Started" >> /var/log/homebackup.log
date >> /var/log/homebackup.log

rm -fr /mnt/xp_box_drive_d/linuxhome/*
cd /home/

for FILE in $(ls | grep -vi store | grep -vi lost+found)
do
tar -zcvf /mnt/xp_box_drive_d/linuxhome/$FILE.tar.gz $FILE
done

#---Log End Backup In Log File---#
echo "Backup Completed" >> /var/log/homebackup.log
date >> /var/log/homebackup.log

#---Copy Log File to Windows Share In Correct Format---#
cd /tmp
unix2dos /var/log/homebackup.*
cp /var/log/homebackup.* /mnt/xp_box_drive_d/linuxhome/
dos2unix /var/log/homebackup.*

else

#---Log Failure Of Backup In Log File---#
echo "" >> /var/log/homebackup.log
date >> /var/log/homebackup.log
echo "Backup Did Not Run. Destination Directory Not Accessible." >> /var/log/homebackup.log

fi




save the above as /usr/local/bin/homebackup

I then schedule a cron job that runs - I dunno, weekly? - that looks a bit like this:

#!/bin/bash
/usr/local/bin/homebackup > /var/log/homebackup.last

Or something like that.

Similarly, I schedule backups on the other XP machine - my multimedia server, to run to copy important files over the network to my XP machine with RAID 1 as well.

Well, you DO have to worry about accidental deletion, but you can backup things to DVD-R once a month or something.

I can't do anything but agree with this after spending 2 days recovering data from a dead computer (faulty OS and disk).

It was the database for our netshop, and we didn't have any backup since the first version I put up.
(And that was actually all I could recover, but I didn't find that out until later, and had to recreate all using what was on the net )

After that I've started backing the data up to a separate drive, and will buy a cd-rw to take the backup either once a week, or when a large update has happened to the site.

And now all I'd need is a DVD +-RW so I could backup my own files...

If you are doing this manually...
I've tried that and its annoying. You will forget to manually make the copy and then have to restore and find your backup is annoyingly out of date.

You need something that does this without you having to think about it.

However, an approach like this would avoid the problem of accidental deletion that is inherent in raid 1 setups.

No problems with a hard drive here in 13 years, other than that time I accidently used a flashlight with a huge magnet while looking into my old 386SX :-D

haha, too bad cause most aren't effected by magnets...at least according to MSN's article about "Technological Myths"

Talk about no excuses!

I use Acronis True Image 7 to backup my drive while in Windows. I don't even have to click on it.. It does for me.. And only when I'm not using the computer!

Worried about long backup times? Not a problem... Acronis supports incremental imaging, cutting my usual image time from 2 hours to a mere 15-20 minutes after the initial backup you create.

How simple does it get?

As far as erasing data with magnets, I have been yet to prove it. I've used some incredible neodymium 40 and 50 earth magnets without any luck (or misfortune) attempting to purposely erase drives of all shapes and sizes.

Drives theirselves have extremely powerful magnets which drive the actuator, so I'm not sure I understand how that's OK, but an external magnet is not.

Rick.. thanks for your suggestion of Acronis.

For those who haven't tried it, it's like a simplified and glorified Ghost. Easy to use, configure, and fairly reliable. Had a few issues in installing it, but uninstall/reinstall fixed that.

Lets you create incremental images as he said, as well as lets you specify the image file size for spanning- IE you can burn them to CD as a backup, and then use their propietary boot media to recover from an image should **** hit the fan. Uses Linux for booting, and they even give credit to that on their website.

Has a built in image explorer for retrieving a single file, and can do background scheduled incrementals.. very neat.

It's a bit of a resource hog, not unexpected.. but overall I recommend it (so far).

Problem with my CD-RW

I am having problems when I tried to copy from HD (C:\) onto E:\. The error message is as follows "E:\ is not accessible. Incorrect Function". As a matter of fact, I used the E:\ drive to copy a folder to C:\ drive. Hence, I know it works; but I do not understand why I am getting this error message. Besides, I know that my disks are not damged. Can any one help or suggest for solving the problem.

Tx a lot!

I think it is the problem of file system,and you are adviced to format it again。

About Acronis

Is is incremental or differential backups that Acronis does?

Incremental backups aren't as nice to restore as diffs, or fulls.

I had a drive fail on me spontaneously. Funny thing is I was actually using it as a temporary backup of a drive I was formatting. After formatting that drive I find the backup drive is inaccessible and upon inspection has some weird partition/file system info which made no sense. The only 'lead' I had was that I used a MAGNET tipped screwdriver to bolt it into the case ...

Fortunately, after some determination, I came across the GET DATA BACK software and used it via BART's PE BUILDER [stand-alone XP environment on a boot CD]...both are great tools, and worked wonders, was able to read the drive and effortlessly recover ALL the files which I needed without any errors.

Bottom line, backups are extremely important, however, I found that 'simple' data recovery is quite inexpensive if you do your research, meaning there is alot of things you can try to get your data from a drive before you submit to a 'professional'.

Cheers.

A magnet tipped screwdriver isn't strong enough to do any damage to a harddrive....unless you beat it savagely with it.. :knock:

Thanks for the lecture on Hardrive Maintenance. I have never had a HD fail but the OS I use is a pain in my but. Good thing its a common OS that everyone uses. I should have no problems finding a solution!

Any help on my post from this morning!! :wave:

I have an HP DAT Drive installed on an SCSI card in a Windows XP Pro PC, which is part of a serverless LAN (a workgroup). The DAT drive is working, it shows up as a tape drive in the device manager, and I can back up local PC data using the bundled 'Tapeware v7.0 backup software by Yosemite Technologies. But I did not find this software very user-friendly, and certainly not for layman users.
But I want to share the tape drive over the network, so that other PCs on the LAN can map it, and then use the simple windows backup utility to backup their important data.
But I am not able to put the tape drive up on share, since it does not show up in 'my computer' as a drive (like A, C or E).
Can anyone please help me?

what program could i use to back up my music collection but be able to synchronise the files so i dont have to keep track of all new songs in my library or burning the whole lot again? could anyone help me?
thanks.

yea I use a few differnt backup programs just in case, now here is the scary part I've lost disks for some of my stuff thats where you have the problems.
I had an entire CD Case disappear. odds are that my room mate former room mate decided it was hers.
oh well I'll find it or get it back.

but my main program is norton ghost
I'm out

I'd like to **** in here for a moment guys.

Can someone or anyone clairify for me and others about this.

The Nivida Nforce4 has options regarding RAIDS, ok,,

Now, Can a user install his OS on a non-raid and still have a RAID in his system ?

I have the HD's for this, so maybe am just not thinking here.

C: Drive= Seagate 80gig SATA
D: & E: Drive in a RAID configuration, both 160 gig Seagates SATA or PATA
F: CD-ROM BURNER
G: DVD-CDRW BURNER
H: External Backup Drive with a Maxtor 160gig useing Firewire

I have my system configured except for the D & E Drives which am just useing them as reg drives now. I have 4 Seagates 160 gig, 2 in SATA and 2 in PATA.
I hope I explained myself here or better yet, can someone tell if am off the deep end now ! :grinthumb

<removed due to P66's post>

Of course. Its just like having an extra hard drive, only its a group of hard drives acting as one unified storage device.