external hard drive

spleenrippa

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

An external drive isn't much book for archival or backup purposes. Unless you're running multiple drives in a RAID config, you're just as vulnerable to data loss as if you had gone with another internal drive. Anyone who has data they wish to preserve should set up a NAS.

If your PC is hit by a lightning an internal backup drive will likely be killed also, an external drive or NAS which is only connected and powered during backup is safer in that context (personally I use both internal and external backup drives plus online backup). 

Huh? Hit by lightning? Why don't you have your equipment powered via a good quality surge protector?

 

MelissaGT

spleenrippa said:

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

An external drive isn't much book for archival or backup purposes. Unless you're running multiple drives in a RAID config, you're just as vulnerable to data loss as if you had gone with another internal drive. Anyone who has data they wish to preserve should set up a NAS.

If your PC is hit by a lightning an internal backup drive will likely be killed also, an external drive or NAS which is only connected and powered during backup is safer in that context (personally I use both internal and external backup drives plus online backup). 

Huh? Hit by lightning? Why don't you have your equipment powered via a good quality surge protector?

 

Oof yeah, that's an important investmant in and of itself. I have an APC battery backup/surge protector that ran me about $250. Those are not cheap...and they don't last forever either. You also need to make sure you're getting one with enough wattage that you need for your specific system. 

I live in a 100+ year old house, and while the wiring in the walls was updated in the 80's, it still doesn't have enough wall plugs to be up to today's standards...and I've learned that protecting expensive electronics is definitely A Thing. 

Taoz

melissastjames said:

Taoz said:

melissastjames said:

kyoto kid said:

Fauvist said:

Back up to a cloud service, and use 2 external hard drives as storage.

..I'd never put my projects and WIPs on someone else's server. 

RAID requires the drives to be installed in the case.  If the PSU goes poof it can take everything with it.

I'll stick to an external that can be disconnected between backup sessions. 

The rub is that if your house burns down, then you lose everything. I'll stick with putting my stuff on an encrypted backup server. Never had any problems. Of course, I'd only stick with the well-known names in online backup, and unfortunately, that's not cheap. 

Crashplan offers unlimited backup for $10/month per computer including external drives.  I wouldn't call that expensive.  Though unlimited is, as always, not really true, but 10-15 TB is no problem I've heard.

Stuff like that adds up when you have a number of different things that ping you with monthly/yearly costs.

Sure but having other subscriptions doesn't make the Crashplan subscription more expensive. 

MelissaGT

Taoz said:

melissastjames said:

Taoz said:

melissastjames said:

kyoto kid said:

Fauvist said:

Back up to a cloud service, and use 2 external hard drives as storage.

..I'd never put my projects and WIPs on someone else's server. 

RAID requires the drives to be installed in the case.  If the PSU goes poof it can take everything with it.

I'll stick to an external that can be disconnected between backup sessions. 

The rub is that if your house burns down, then you lose everything. I'll stick with putting my stuff on an encrypted backup server. Never had any problems. Of course, I'd only stick with the well-known names in online backup, and unfortunately, that's not cheap. 

Crashplan offers unlimited backup for $10/month per computer including external drives.  I wouldn't call that expensive.  Though unlimited is, as always, not really true, but 10-15 TB is no problem I've heard.

Stuff like that adds up when you have a number of different things that ping you with monthly/yearly costs.

Sure but having other subscriptions doesn't make the Crashplan subscription more expensive. 

I think you missed my point. $10 a month -can be- expensive to someone. That's all I'm saying. 

LeatherGryphon

melissastjames said:

spleenrippa said:

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

An external drive isn't much book for archival or backup purposes. Unless you're running multiple drives in a RAID config, you're just as vulnerable to data loss as if you had gone with another internal drive. Anyone who has data they wish to preserve should set up a NAS.

If your PC is hit by a lightning an internal backup drive will likely be killed also, an external drive or NAS which is only connected and powered during backup is safer in that context (personally I use both internal and external backup drives plus online backup). 

Huh? Hit by lightning? Why don't you have your equipment powered via a good quality surge protector?

 

Oof yeah, that's an important investmant in and of itself. I have an APC battery backup/surge protector that ran me about $250. Those are not cheap...and they don't last forever either. You also need to make sure you're getting one with enough wattage that you need for your specific system. 

I live in a 100+ year old house, and while the wiring in the walls was updated in the 80's, it still doesn't have enough wall plugs to be up to today's standards...and I've learned that protecting expensive electronics is definitely A Thing. 

Yeah, it gets me when I hear someone try to talk a computer illiterate grandma into buying a computer.  "Look, grandma this little laptop computer is only $350."   Without explaining that she will also need a $60 to $90 monthly ISP fee, and a surge protector for $30, or an UPS for $100, and an antivirus for $30-$50/year, and $100 everytime she needs a professional to fix her computer.  Sure, grandkid can do it, but that's a risk too if he ever gets around to it and may still need the professional to un"fix" it.  And that little 14 inch laptop screen hasn't got enough real estate to show a web page properly and she may still need a magnifier to be able to read the things her eyes no longer can.  'Puters can be as much expense and trouble as pets.  But one thing in their favor, they don't poo.

Taoz

spleenrippa said:

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

An external drive isn't much book for archival or backup purposes. Unless you're running multiple drives in a RAID config, you're just as vulnerable to data loss as if you had gone with another internal drive. Anyone who has data they wish to preserve should set up a NAS.

If your PC is hit by a lightning an internal backup drive will likely be killed also, an external drive or NAS which is only connected and powered during backup is safer in that context (personally I use both internal and external backup drives plus online backup). 

Huh? Hit by lightning? Why don't you have your equipment powered via a good quality surge protector?

I use some cheap ones to protect against surges on the power grid itself, but I wouldn't trust any consumer priced type to protect against a lightning, I disconnect the equipment completely during thunderstorms instead.

MelissaGT

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

An external drive isn't much book for archival or backup purposes. Unless you're running multiple drives in a RAID config, you're just as vulnerable to data loss as if you had gone with another internal drive. Anyone who has data they wish to preserve should set up a NAS.

If your PC is hit by a lightning an internal backup drive will likely be killed also, an external drive or NAS which is only connected and powered during backup is safer in that context (personally I use both internal and external backup drives plus online backup). 

Huh? Hit by lightning? Why don't you have your equipment powered via a good quality surge protector?

I use some cheap ones to protect against surges on the power grid itself, but I wouldn't trust any consumer priced type to protect against a lightning, I disconnect the equipment completely during thunderstorms instead.

Maybe it's just something common in the northeast, but aren't most houses grounded against lighting strikes? We have a lightning rod on the top of our house. Or maybe my house is special because my grandfather was a ham radio operator and set it up so lightning wouldn't damage his equipment. (Yes, I still live in the house I grew up in, passed down through the family.) I would hope that houses would just be built for that sort of thing. *shrugs*

kyoto kid

LeatherGryphon said:

kyoto kid said:

...need a chainsaw. 

Nope, no chains in my house, so won't need to saw through any of them.

...heh, how about one of these then:

Taoz

melissastjames said:

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

An external drive isn't much book for archival or backup purposes. Unless you're running multiple drives in a RAID config, you're just as vulnerable to data loss as if you had gone with another internal drive. Anyone who has data they wish to preserve should set up a NAS.

If your PC is hit by a lightning an internal backup drive will likely be killed also, an external drive or NAS which is only connected and powered during backup is safer in that context (personally I use both internal and external backup drives plus online backup). 

Huh? Hit by lightning? Why don't you have your equipment powered via a good quality surge protector?

I use some cheap ones to protect against surges on the power grid itself, but I wouldn't trust any consumer priced type to protect against a lightning, I disconnect the equipment completely during thunderstorms instead.

Maybe it's just something common in the northeast, but aren't most houses grounded against lighting strikes? We have a lightning rod on the top of our house. Or maybe my house is special because my grandfather was a ham radio operator and set it up so lightning wouldn't damage his equipment. (Yes, I still live in the house I grew up in, passed down through the family.) I would hope that houses would just be built for that sort of thing. *shrugs*

Houses with lightning rods are rare here (Denmark), I only recall having seen it on a few houses.  Thunderstorms aren't that common here, an average of 1 lightning per square kilometer a year, but I agree lightning rods is a good idea anyway, we have been hit a couple of times over the years, first time it damaged most of my computer and music equipment, after that I've always pulled the plug during thunderstorms.

kyoto kid

melissastjames said:

Taoz said:

melissastjames said:

Taoz said:

melissastjames said:

kyoto kid said:

Fauvist said:

Back up to a cloud service, and use 2 external hard drives as storage.

..I'd never put my projects and WIPs on someone else's server. 

RAID requires the drives to be installed in the case.  If the PSU goes poof it can take everything with it.

I'll stick to an external that can be disconnected between backup sessions. 

The rub is that if your house burns down, then you lose everything. I'll stick with putting my stuff on an encrypted backup server. Never had any problems. Of course, I'd only stick with the well-known names in online backup, and unfortunately, that's not cheap. 

Crashplan offers unlimited backup for $10/month per computer including external drives.  I wouldn't call that expensive.  Though unlimited is, as always, not really true, but 10-15 TB is no problem I've heard.

Stuff like that adds up when you have a number of different things that ping you with monthly/yearly costs.

Sure but having other subscriptions doesn't make the Crashplan subscription more expensive. 

I think you missed my point. $10 a month -can be- expensive to someone. That's all I'm saying. 

...yeah I looked at it and there were a number of "exclusions".I'm with LeatherGryphion an 80$ 4 TB HDD will more than pay itself back over time. If I get 6 years of service out of it (about the amount of time my old library drive lasted) that is a savings of 600$ which when you are on ta fixed income (that doesn't keep pace with inflation) is a factor.

Taoz said:

melissastjames said:

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

An external drive isn't much book for archival or backup purposes. Unless you're running multiple drives in a RAID config, you're just as vulnerable to data loss as if you had gone with another internal drive. Anyone who has data they wish to preserve should set up a NAS.

If your PC is hit by a lightning an internal backup drive will likely be killed also, an external drive or NAS which is only connected and powered during backup is safer in that context (personally I use both internal and external backup drives plus online backup). 

Huh? Hit by lightning? Why don't you have your equipment powered via a good quality surge protector?

I use some cheap ones to protect against surges on the power grid itself, but I wouldn't trust any consumer priced type to protect against a lightning, I disconnect the equipment completely during thunderstorms instead.

Maybe it's just something common in the northeast, but aren't most houses grounded against lighting strikes? We have a lightning rod on the top of our house. Or maybe my house is special because my grandfather was a ham radio operator and set it up so lightning wouldn't damage his equipment. (Yes, I still live in the house I grew up in, passed down through the family.) I would hope that houses would just be built for that sort of thing. *shrugs*

Houses with lightning rods are rare here (Denmark), I only recall having seen it on a few houses.  Thunderstorms aren't that common here, an average of 1 lightning per square kilometer a year, but I agree lightning rods is a good idea anyway, we have been hit a couple of times over the years, first time it damaged most of my computer and music equipment, after that I've always pulled the plug during thunderstorms.

....same here in Western Oregon.

MelissaGT

kyoto kid said:

melissastjames said:

Taoz said:

melissastjames said:

Taoz said:

melissastjames said:

kyoto kid said:

Fauvist said:

Back up to a cloud service, and use 2 external hard drives as storage.

..I'd never put my projects and WIPs on someone else's server. 

RAID requires the drives to be installed in the case.  If the PSU goes poof it can take everything with it.

I'll stick to an external that can be disconnected between backup sessions. 

The rub is that if your house burns down, then you lose everything. I'll stick with putting my stuff on an encrypted backup server. Never had any problems. Of course, I'd only stick with the well-known names in online backup, and unfortunately, that's not cheap. 

Crashplan offers unlimited backup for $10/month per computer including external drives.  I wouldn't call that expensive.  Though unlimited is, as always, not really true, but 10-15 TB is no problem I've heard.

Stuff like that adds up when you have a number of different things that ping you with monthly/yearly costs.

Sure but having other subscriptions doesn't make the Crashplan subscription more expensive. 

I think you missed my point. $10 a month -can be- expensive to someone. That's all I'm saying. 

...yeah I looked at it and there were a number of "exclusions".I'm with LeatherGryphion an 80$ 4 TB HDD will more than pay itself back over time. If I get 6 years of service out of it (about the amount of time my old library drive lasted) that is a savings of 600$ which when you are on ta fixed income (that doesn't keep pace with inflation) is a factor.

Taoz said:

melissastjames said:

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

Taoz said:

spleenrippa said:

An external drive isn't much book for archival or backup purposes. Unless you're running multiple drives in a RAID config, you're just as vulnerable to data loss as if you had gone with another internal drive. Anyone who has data they wish to preserve should set up a NAS.

If your PC is hit by a lightning an internal backup drive will likely be killed also, an external drive or NAS which is only connected and powered during backup is safer in that context (personally I use both internal and external backup drives plus online backup). 

Huh? Hit by lightning? Why don't you have your equipment powered via a good quality surge protector?

I use some cheap ones to protect against surges on the power grid itself, but I wouldn't trust any consumer priced type to protect against a lightning, I disconnect the equipment completely during thunderstorms instead.

Maybe it's just something common in the northeast, but aren't most houses grounded against lighting strikes? We have a lightning rod on the top of our house. Or maybe my house is special because my grandfather was a ham radio operator and set it up so lightning wouldn't damage his equipment. (Yes, I still live in the house I grew up in, passed down through the family.) I would hope that houses would just be built for that sort of thing. *shrugs*

Houses with lightning rods are rare here (Denmark), I only recall having seen it on a few houses.  Thunderstorms aren't that common here, an average of 1 lightning per square kilometer a year, but I agree lightning rods is a good idea anyway, we have been hit a couple of times over the years, first time it damaged most of my computer and music equipment, after that I've always pulled the plug during thunderstorms.

....same here in Western Oregon.

Lightning is a fairly common thing here...probably because our weather changes can be quite extreme. What is that thing they say about weather and New England and waiting five minutes, lol.