Please recommend a backup solution for my computer

jasong · 2013-01-04, 21:31

I'm not in a situation where it'd be a problem if I had to wait a day or two to get my data back, so something cheap and easy to use is what I'm looking for. I've heard Google has something like that. But I have zero experience in this sort of thing, so I figured it would be better to simply ask for advice.

My torrents and games will NOT be backed up, at least not fully, and if anyone has any advice on proving ownership of lost copyright protected data, that would be much appreciated. Also advice on backing up passwords and whatnot.

Lastly, since Mega automatically encrypts data using a locally generated key(generated on my computer) I'm seriously considering using that. Though I'm not totally sure if the website is operational, will have to check that.

swl551 · 2013-01-04, 23:29

I have a drive DOCK (esata) and back up using ROBOCOPY (WINDOWS). I purchase raw drives, usually used and usually 2.5 inch (easy to store or hide). I clean them then encrypt them with truecrypt [windows/linux/mac] and store the disks off-site.

I am not a fan of image backups as I like clean install if I have to restore. windows always performs better before the "junk" piles up over time...

Additional benefit of using something like robocopy is the flexibility, often not available in a "consumer" oriented backup package. (subjective statement)

jasong · 2013-01-05, 02:30

Thanks, I'll google robocopy.

xilman · 2013-01-05, 09:24

Get a cheap USB external disk (preferably two and cycle between them) and backup your stuff to it (or them). Which software you use depends on the OS running on the machine to which it is connected.

Here backuppc running on a Linux box backs up almost all my systems over the house network. I've incremental backups taken nightly, cycled weekly, and full backups taken weekly. Those fulls are themselves cycled annually with the exception that one annual backup is kept "forever".

Very nice system is backuppc.

Paul

2013-01-04, 21:31	#1
jasong "Jason Goatcher" Mar 2005 3×7×167 Posts	Please recommend a backup solution for my computer I'm not in a situation where it'd be a problem if I had to wait a day or two to get my data back, so something cheap and easy to use is what I'm looking for. I've heard Google has something like that. But I have zero experience in this sort of thing, so I figured it would be better to simply ask for advice. My torrents and games will NOT be backed up, at least not fully, and if anyone has any advice on proving ownership of lost copyright protected data, that would be much appreciated. Also advice on backing up passwords and whatnot. Lastly, since Mega automatically encrypts data using a locally generated key(generated on my computer) I'm seriously considering using that. Though I'm not totally sure if the website is operational, will have to check that.

2013-01-04, 23:29	#2
swl551 Aug 2012 New Hampshire 2³·101 Posts	I have a drive DOCK (esata) and back up using ROBOCOPY (WINDOWS). I purchase raw drives, usually used and usually 2.5 inch (easy to store or hide). I clean them then encrypt them with truecrypt [windows/linux/mac] and store the disks off-site. I am not a fan of image backups as I like clean install if I have to restore. windows always performs better before the "junk" piles up over time... Additional benefit of using something like robocopy is the flexibility, often not available in a "consumer" oriented backup package. (subjective statement) Last fiddled with by swl551 on 2013-01-04 at 23:33

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2013-01-05, 02:30	#3
jasong "Jason Goatcher" Mar 2005 3·7·167 Posts	Thanks, I'll google robocopy.

2013-01-05, 09:24	#4
xilman Bamboozled! "𒉺𒌌𒇷𒆷𒀭" May 2003 Down not across 2·5,393 Posts	Get a cheap USB external disk (preferably two and cycle between them) and backup your stuff to it (or them). Which software you use depends on the OS running on the machine to which it is connected. Here backuppc running on a Linux box backs up almost all my systems over the house network. I've incremental backups taken nightly, cycled weekly, and full backups taken weekly. Those fulls are themselves cycled annually with the exception that one annual backup is kept "forever". Very nice system is backuppc. Paul