Home Computer Back-up

[RWhite]

What's the best, simple computer back-up package you guys can recommend? I want something for the desktop, not on-line.

[Tx Redneck]

Free or paid?

[RWhite]

I just want a box (external hard drive) that sits next to my computer(s) and will backup the computer when I tell it to (ie, software loaded in the ext. drive).

[flybye70ss]

we use Acronis True Image and it works great.

[motoman]

Depending on how much you need to back up, something like a 500gb external hard drive should suffice. If you're that worried about it failing then go with a SSD drive.

[RWhite]

Thanks!

Anyone use ClickFree drives (http://www.clickfree.com)? I found their products on the web last night. They look interesting and simple to use.

I'm doing this because of my first ever computer hard drive crash last week! Guess I learned a lesson to not buy any more lease return computers! They were cheap, but one really nailed me last week.

I have my little used laptop going now in the house and one of the lease return units outside in the garage at my ham station. It will be replaced soon.

Another question, I always turn off my computers in the evening after I use them (they are usually on all day). The computer out in the garage is at ambient temp (78 to 90 or so) until I turn on the A/C out there every morning. Should I leave that one on all the time because of the harsh temp deltas it sees?

Thanks for all your help!

[stang2be]

If you've got multiple pc's to back up I'd look into a NAS type storage device that you can back up multiple machines too. Also consider a backup solution with some redundancy. Say that new backup drive takes a dump then you lose a lot of data in one place.

My personal solution is using windows home server with redundant disks so if one takes a crap I'm ok. I've used it to restore my wife's laptop to a brand new hard drive in an hour via the network restore option. I know its a bit more overkill than a basic external drive but it all comes down to the value of the data.

I also try and replace my systems hard drives once the drives go out of warranty. Hard drives and power supplies are some of the most common things to die on a desktop.

[RWhite]

[QUOTE=stang2be;311826]....
My personal solution is using windows home server with redundant disks...............QUOTE]

Just looked at that. Very interesting! May be an overkill for me for now, but since I have two computers on my network now and may add back in the third (which crashed last week), that may be my best solution ultimately.

Looks like it is a software package from Windows and then a Windows Server box, which looks like a number of companies sell.

Thanks!

[stang2be]

WHS is based of the windows server platform. I'm still running the original version as I haven't seen any justification to upgrade. It does have other features like remote file sharing, remote desktop access, etc.

Lots of folks have written add-ins that allow for all kinds of other functionality.

I realize its overkill for some but there are a few vendors that sell prefab WHS systems. Another option is a linux distro like FreeNAS that takes an old spare machine and makes it into a NAS then just use a spare box with some decent storage and your good to go. I've debated building one like this with my spare IDE raid card and 4x500gb drives I still have.

[roliath]

Acronis TrueImage is free if you have are backing up a Western Digital or Seagate drive.

[RWhite]

Thanks for all the suggestions. It has been helpful!

[Slammy]

I would never use a SSD as a backup, their failure rate is much higher, they are crazy expensive and have less space than the good ole HD. I run a SSD as a main drive and a second 1TB HD for backup and storage

Im just using the built in windows back up in windows 7 to do a backup to a partition on that extra HD.

[roliath]

SSD's failure rate high? haha

[Slammy]

SSD's failure rate high? haha

Much higher than HDs, they are finally getting caught up though. That has always been their achiles heel

- Intel 0.59%
- Corsair 2.17%
- Crucial 2.25%
- Kingston 2.39%
- OCZ 2.93%

Needless to say i went with an Intel SSD

[roliath]

I've had easily over 80 or more SSD's in the past 2 years (resale) not one has failed, except for the issue when Intel was bricking SSD's with their shitty firmware update.
SSD's in everything I own, I will never use a mechanical drive for my OS. Right now my ssd array is ridiculously fast (over 1gbit read/write).
Where did you get those numbers btw.