How does everybody backup their data?

Xplo · 3 May 2014 at 18:32

Hi

I'm not too knowledgable in these sort of areas, hence i am wondering how everybody approaches the backup scenario, based on a typical example of the shoes some of us are in.

I have a 250gb main drive with OS and games etc
+
A single partitioned NTFS 1GB drive solely for storage, photos, videos, music etc. No applications or games or anything are run from this drive. Just storage and access

Whats the best way and how does everybody usually do this? Backup with the use of 'images'? If so are their any good free utilities or is it all pay for stuff?

No other alternative than investing in a 2gb external drive to periodically back everything up to?

Thanks

86JR · 3 May 2014 at 18:37

I would like to 2nd the question except I have 8TB of data I need to back up, and have run out of room for another HDD. Image file would be awesome or a massive rar file!

tnx · 3 May 2014 at 18:38

I regularly back up my important files to DVD-r. Old school me.

Minstadave · 3 May 2014 at 18:39

Backup all the laptops/PCs to a homeserver with drivebender mirroring all the important files and backups.

Jamin280672 · 3 May 2014 at 19:01

Back my whole system up to a blu-ray disk, one disk for the lot.

Buffalo2102 · 3 May 2014 at 20:16

Backup everything to my home server plus precious photos etc. are also backed up to Google drive.

Mel_P · 3 May 2014 at 20:25

Win XP (x2), 7 OSs / files >> WHSv1 in separate location
Win7 - image of drive, Win 8 image of drive (using built-in tools) + file history to separate USB/SSD - stored in garage
All photos - 1 copy on HDD on PC, another copy on 2TB USB drive - stored in garage

Backup every couple of weeks

Hopefully can recover from OS or HDD failure

Mel

Mel_P · 3 May 2014 at 20:27

86JR said:
I would like to 2nd the question except I have 8TB of data I need to back up, and have run out of room for another HDD. Image file would be awesome or a massive rar file!

Buy some large HDDs (3x3TB) in USB enclosures - copy + store in separate location (e.g. garage) ?

Rroff · 4 May 2014 at 14:00

I don't bother imaging OS installs.

My backup system for important data is a 4 bay qnap NAS currently has 2x500gb hdds in raid (for convenience not redundancy) and using realtime replication to an external USB drive plugged in the back. I then take regular snapshots onto another USB disc via the front USB copy port.

welshdragon · 4 May 2014 at 14:33

Buffalo2102 said:
Backup everything to my home server plus precious photos etc. are also backed up to Google drive.

Same here but with photos backed up to onedrive/skydrive

My server is a four bay qnap ts-470

David Bisset · 4 May 2014 at 16:59

computers each have a scheduled task to take back ups of each other, only docs, music, pics etc I don't care about having to reformat.

I use create synchronisity for this, not sure it's a good choice at all but it's done the job to date.

NeoStuey · 4 May 2014 at 19:09

I just back up my documents and other personal data to a portable HDD every once in a while. There's been no real schedule to it to be honest. But I am considering making an back image of my system on my 1TB Western Digital hard drive in case my Raid array goes awry one day.

xb8browney · 4 May 2014 at 19:11

I have very little data these days. Anything important (Pictures) are stored on dropbox.

Dervious · 4 May 2014 at 19:54

Not everybody backs up their data.

Some do, and the others often regret it.

kona786 · 4 May 2014 at 22:58

14TB backed up with external HDD's.

Philtor · 4 May 2014 at 23:41

I just use an external drive and Macrium reflect. I take a system image then backup my music and pics as well separately.

mikedigitales · 4 May 2014 at 23:53

Home server running freenas, and important stuff also backed up on externals off site.

ukbilleh · 5 May 2014 at 02:11

DS413
could do with sending it to another location as raid isn't a backup but thats what hindsight is for

DoneADougalOnSofa · 5 May 2014 at 03:03

640GB USB external hard disk.
Backs up my SSD and program drives once a week.

Have discovered Steam now though, so will have to get a bigger one soon.

abbotsmike · 5 May 2014 at 12:38

Data drive and media drive robocopied to a 2TB USB3 drive once a week or so, system drives (laptop and desktop) imaged to the same drive every couple of weeks. That drive lives offsite.

Crucial stuff (work, important docs) is in dropbox, onedrive or google drive, dependent on what it is!