Gaurav Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 I don't want Google ninja type answers. Only from people who have real world experience. I know how to use Google as well :-P 1- Backing up data. I back up my work on internal HD and then drag a copy on to the external HD. I do this manually ie. no automatic software. I want to continue doing this way but my question is which software can I use that will double check and verify that the data I dragged to the external backup HD is exactly same as the stuff on my internal HD? Currently I just look at the folder properties to make sure that the file count and size etc is exactly same. 2- Ghost HD I had an external USB HD that was partitioned into two parts :H and :I. I reformatted the HD into one chunk. via "Disk Management" window. Then I used the usual eject USB device option from the taskbar. My issue is that every time I restart my PC I still see both :H and :I inside "MY COMUTER" folder as if they were still connected. If I use the eject device from the taskbar then they go away but restart brings them back. Note that the USB HD is not connected at any time ie. not connected during restart or after restart. How can I make sure that they never come back? It's not a problem but it's f@king irritating! 3- Related to question 1 What is a safe method of automatically backing up my data instead of doing it manually? I mean I connect external HD and then with click of a button my internal and external backup HDs should get synchronized. I don't know why this method scares me :-) What if it gets synchronized the wrong way around? ie the internal HD becomes like the external one instead of external becoming like the internal one :hysterical: I assume that there is an option to make one the master and the other the chamcha? 4- 1TB Any one using the 1 TB HD? Is the water safe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apocalypse Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 There are backup softwares which can do the task automatically. I can recommend you a few. What do u mean by 1 TB is water safe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaurav Posted July 22, 2007 Author Share Posted July 22, 2007 I mean it's newish capacity. My HDs are all in the 500GB range currently. Just feeling virgin nerves about 1TB HDs :hysterical: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apocalypse Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 are u thinking of external ones or internal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apocalypse Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 if buying external ones only buy Seagate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaurav Posted July 22, 2007 Author Share Posted July 22, 2007 Internal will be 1TB as I am not sure if my external HD case can handle 1TB HD inside it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apocalypse Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 external 1TB you can get under 300 dollars. You can go for those Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer1 Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 GKD I write from personal experience of losing about 10 years worth of data in April! Always use an automated backup program. I had set up Norton Ghost on my PC, and thought it was doing the job - my PC crashed, and lo and behold, NG had only backed up about a quarter of my documents. I had set it up right, but the program is apparently known for its glitches. Data recovery chaps suggested that I switch to Acronis as NG apparently is temperamental. I bought Acronis for about 20 pounds on ebay and have set it up to back up internally every 48 hrs and on to an external hdd every 48hrs too. The program allows you to check on the integrity of the backups and it has been working fine so far. Of course, this doesnt prevent you losing data in case of fire or theft, and if you are really keen, you can get data backed up in a nuclear-type bunker for about 15 pounds a month! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rajiv Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 External HD is well, another HD If I were you, I would get a Blue Ray DVD Writer and get BD-R ( I think its 25 GB + Capacity ) and back em up in that format I have seen External HD go loco as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaurav Posted July 22, 2007 Author Share Posted July 22, 2007 Good points everyone. Rajeev yes external HD is another HD but what are the chances of internal and external going bad at the same time? I keep my external HD disconnected normally. I have surge protector installed as well. Although a direct lightning strike would fry everything. I try to burn most critical stuff on to DVD as well. I must say that managing all the DVDs becomes such a pain. Few days ago lightning struck few metres from my window and the noise was so loud that my ears started ringing. Had to check my data just to be sure :hysterical: Observer1 that must have been rough. I would never touch Norton for anything anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THX_1138 Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I don't want Google ninja type answers. Only from people who have real world experience. I know how to use Google as well :-P 1- Backing up data. I back up my work on internal HD and then drag a copy on to the external HD. I do this manually ie. no automatic software. I want to continue doing this way but my question is which software can I use that will double check and verify that the data I dragged to the external backup HD is exactly same as the stuff on my internal HD? Currently I just look at the folder properties to make sure that the file count and size etc is exactly same. 2- Ghost HD I had an external USB HD that was partitioned into two parts :H and :I. I reformatted the HD into one chunk. via "Disk Management" window. Then I used the usual eject USB device option from the taskbar. My issue is that every time I restart my PC I still see both :H and :I inside "MY COMUTER" folder as if they were still connected. If I use the eject device from the taskbar then they go away but restart brings them back. Note that the USB HD is not connected at any time ie. not connected during restart or after restart. How can I make sure that they never come back? It's not a problem but it's f@king irritating! 3- Related to question 1 What is a safe method of automatically backing up my data instead of doing it manually? I mean I connect external HD and then with click of a button my internal and external backup HDs should get synchronized. I don't know why this method scares me :-) What if it gets synchronized the wrong way around? ie the internal HD becomes like the external one instead of external becoming like the internal one :hysterical: I assume that there is an option to make one the master and the other the chamcha? 4- 1TB Any one using the 1 TB HD? Is the water safe? GKD try out this new software that comes packaged with Seagate external HDD. give me a day to find out the name, but it is quite useful. what it does is that after you select the folders you wish to backup, it automatically creates a copy of them on your external HDD. Then every time you make adjustments to your files on your computer, the software automatically makes the same changes to your backup. i.e. if you were to update a word file, the updated file is automatically used to replace the old one. if you were to add files, or delete them, the changes would be reflected on your backup... see if this is something you were looking for, if so, i ll find out the name of the software. a word of caution. dont go out and buy a seagate HDD just for this purpose since the software that comes with the HDD is a trial (30 day) version only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THX_1138 Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 the software is called Free Agent Pro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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