Externals for back up

[Bob]

Here are some things for you to consider. I know you've already thought of some of this, but I thought I should say it for the benefit of others reading the thread too.

First, how much time can elapse before recreating lost files becomes unacceptable? That determines your incremental frequency. You are talking about a 1 week incremental backup. Any work you do in the week subsequent to the previous backup will not be on the backup and will need to be recreated if lost. If that's acceptable, you're good to go on the interval.

Second, to restore a drive, you will need a full backup plus all the incremental backups that were made subsequent to making the full backup. Each will need to be restored in order. Incremental backups do not keep track of deletions. If you add a file and do an incremental backup, the file will be in the backup. If you subsequently delete the file, the file will still be present in that incremental backup and it will be restored when you restore the incremental. The only easy way to keep your backup and restores in sync with your drive is to periodically make full backups.

If you're making weekly incremental backups, a monthly full backup would seem reasonable. Since you are swapping drives with one stored an another location, I'd recommend taking the current backup drive to the offsite location and bring back the other drive and then delete the previous incrementals and any full backups you don't want and make a new full backup. That way, the drive you have with you has the current full backup and current incrementals. That will make it convenient to restore if need be. The offsite drive will have the previous monthly full backup and incrementals.

Each full backup is a generation. You need to decide how many generations you want to keep. I'd suggest a minimum of two.

[momoffduty]

Have I confused you yet?

Yes, but not more than I confuse myself at times.

Thanks Bob & Bob for your responses. Good points!

Weekly incremental would be fine, but can see backing up a special project I am working on or maybe photos or videos that are special mid week. I rotate my SD cards so would be able to retrieve.

Bob (Peru), as I understand that you back up your SSD drive with your programs separately? I am thinking I can get both my C & D drive on a 2T external. My D drive is 2T, but I try not to let it fill up. Is it better to have separate backups for each drive?

I looked at the Buffalo 2T and read the reviews. For what I am doing would the software that comes with the external be sufficient for my needs?

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

Cheryl, I have the Pro version of Macrium Reflect.

I have it scheduled to automatically run incremental backups every day with a weekly full back up of each of my discs. The Pro version also allows for space management on the media being backed up to so that it will automatically delete copies older than you need. So, in some detail:-

C: (opsys disc) - backup scheduled full every Saturdayat 0730; incrementals scheduled at 07.30 every Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri (i.e. every other day.)
D: (WIP disc) - backup scheduled full every Sunday at 08.30; incrementals scheduled at 08.30 every other day.
E: (data disc) - backup scheduled full every Tuesday 10.00; incrementals scheduled at 10.00 every other day.

The time variances are so that the backups don't start "tripping over each other".

The software manages the back up copies and is set to always retain the latest two copies of full backups and associated incrementals.

[Peru]

Bob (Peru), as I understand that you back up your SSD drive with your programs separately? I am thinking I can get both my C & D drive on a 2T external. My D drive is 2T, but I try not to let it fill up. Is it better to have separate backups for each drive?

I don't have any SSD drives, but my OS drive is a separate drive from my media. And yes, I keep the system images on a different drive than my data backups.

My internal drive setup:
C: OS and programs and Page file
M: Media and Projects
B: Backups
X: Exports, Media Cache, Media Cache Database.

On my video editing machine, M: and X: are separate 2 drive RAID 0.
On my "backup video machine" (the everyday computer), I don't use RAID.

I should have mentioned that when I back up data, I don't use software, but instead just copy folders and files to the backup drive. I don't have to worry about corrupted incremental backups that way. I got burned by Acronis and Paragon software using incremental backups.

I also prefer clones to system images, but do make both.

The internal backup drive is used for copying data as I create it or import it (project files, media) and that data is kept on the internal backup drive until it is backed up on both an on-site and off-site external drive.

Have I confused you yet?

Yes, but not more than I confuse myself at times.

I wish that I had the ability to simplify an explanation as well as Bob.

By the way, the software that I have used is Acronis True Image 2013, Paragon Backup and Recovery, and lately EaseUs Todo Free.

[momoffduty]

Thanks John & Bob for the details. I get it now!

I wish that I had the ability to simplify an explanation as well as Bob.

You do and you did! It takes me awhile to process things.

I now have a plan: Start off with 2 Ts for alternating backups. Full then incremental. Swap out and repeat. I think I will stick with doing this manually for now. The link John provided I have book marked and may switch over to a utility for auto schedule backups. I plan on getting 2 more externals later and the utility would be handy.

Thanks for all the help provided on this thread!

[momoffduty]

Update. I purchased 2 Buffalo Externals 2Ts. Ran the back up yesterday. About 1.2T of data and not sure exactly how long it took, but in 4 hours the progress showed 1/2 way. The program files did not back up. Is this normal? I was thinking everything on my C drive would back up.

On my computer there are 2 - USB 2s on the front. On the back there are 2 - USB 3s. Using the back USB3 for the faster transfer speed is good, however the cord is stretched to get to the unit with the power cord stretched the opposite direction.

I pulled the sheet on the Intel Desktop Board DH77EB and couldn't tell if it is possible to swap out the 2 - USB 2s on the front for the USB 3s.

Here is the integration guide:
http://downloadmirror.intel.com/20951/e ... uide03.pdf

Anyone have time to look? Thanks.

[Gerlinde]

Cheryl, why don't you not order longer cables? Here is an extension cable at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics--Male--Female-Extension-Meters/dp/B008EQYRRY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1391011480&sr=1-1&keywords=usb3+cable+9ft

I"m not an expert, but I think you won't be able to switch the ports.

[momoffduty]

Cheryl, why don't you not order longer cables? Here is an extension cable at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics--Male--Female-Extension-Meters/dp/B008EQYRRY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1391011480&sr=1-1&keywords=usb3+cable+9ft

I"m not an expert, but I think you won't be able to switch the ports.

Why didn't I think about longer cables.

I was afraid the board would not support USB 3 on the front. If it did I planned on adding the USB 3 and not switching.

Another 101 question: I use the remove safely feature to unplug the unit. But, since I can't reach to the back easily (have to move the whole thing out of the wood cabinet) I unplug the end at the unit. Does it make a difference? My plan is to use the same cable for both units when I swap out the externals.

[Peru]

I use a USB extension instead of a regular USB like this one so I can safely remove from the front and leave the extension connected to the rear:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_ ... 0extension

I do have a USB 3.0 port in the front of one of my computers, but it doesn't work as well as the rear ones. It doesn't seem to have enough power.

[Gerlinde]

Why didn't I think about longer cables.

You are welcome, Cheryl

I don't believe it matters where you unplug. I do it on the drive usually and had no trouble with it.

[Francesco Carzedda]

I am still happy with a Toshiba 1tb.
I backup manually (but I studied for years my own mental order with pc's directories), I do it quickly.
I feel more secure since I bought an uninterruptible power supply which is a stabilizer as well.
The main problem with my external hd is that I can't disconnect it easily, a peripheric (I don't know which one) is still dialoguing with it.
Sometimes I have to turn the pc off (

[momoffduty]

Thanks Bob & Gerlinde for the links! I can't believe I didn't think of that. I have 2 firewires connected to the back that I leave in place. One long and one short. Good to know that it is safe to remove from the unit too.

Francesco, thanks for the tips on your set up. My plan is to disconnect when not backing up.

Love the tech support everyone!

[momoffduty]

I ended up getting 2 Buffalo externals. I have been using one the past few months with incremental backups. Today I hooked up the 2nd Buffalo and cannot get the backup started. The Buffalo utility said that "F" is not connected.

F is the assigned port.
Plugged in the 2nd Buffalo and ran the exe file.
Restarted the computer.

The external is clearly connected in the My Computer window. The Buffalo Utility is saying it isn't connected.

I am using the same port for both externals if this makes a difference.


EDIT: Plugged in the 1st Buffalo and back up ran with no problems.

[Peru]

It sounds like it could be a bad drive. Are you using the same power supply and cable for each drive?
If there is no special applications on the new drive, you can format it and see if it then works .

[momoffduty]

Yes, the same power supply & cable.