What is everyone using for computer backups?

[homebrewed]

Linux user here. I've been using a backup program called Duplicity. It's very capable but configuring it can be a bit tedious. For instance, it can work with an attached (internal/external) drive as well as networked drives if properly configured. However, there's a simple GUI wrapper for it called deja-dup. I really only want to save my data, not the whole OS, so the dumbed-down version is OK for my purposes. Everything in our home directories (we have two computers -- His and Hers) is backed up on a weekly basis. In our case, external drives.

So far all data-loss threats have come from hardware related problems, not fire.

 

[Aaron_W]

The most sensitive data about you is probably already out there and you don’t have any control over it. Well, except our members in Europe

You mean "they" already have photos of me with Lolly the Llama? Well then nothing left to hide.

 

[wachuko]

I use a 5- bay QNap NAS and also backup most important files and all photos to secondary external drives and Blu-ray's... Can't have enough backups of your most important information.

I do not backup my music since I keep all the CDs in case I need to restore it. I know, I know, even CDs go bad... but to me the photos and documents have the priority.

 

[tmenyc]

I use a Mac, so backup to Time Machine; plus, a 5T drive for quarterly separate backup of photos (I use Lightroom for my business) and documents (in Time Machnie also); I also use that drive for storage of music and audiobooks I've had for years and love using. My phone photos go straight to Google Photos, mostly old cars seen in the wild and family pictures. I don't back up anything that's online.

 

[ttabbal]

Most of my stuff is on multiple systems. Important stuff is also on BD-R. 100G/per is enough that it works alright. I have some 20+ year old archival CD-Rs around as well that still work.

My strategy is to avoid programs, OS, etc.. Just user data. Limits storage requirements and I can re-install everything from scratch if needed.

 

[alloy]

Last night I bought 1drive for $10 for the first year. I thought it was a good way to get my feet wet with cloud backups. I also bought a 2tb external drive that will be here tomorrow.

I also got a little drive case for the ssd drive. I plugged the drive in and my heart sank. It was encrypted with a 48 bit key. It's called bit locker. After some research I found out that Microsoft had the keys in my account. I will be turning off bit locker first thing when the new computer comes in. What a pain. It's not like I have national security info on my hard drive to protect, Just shop files and junk.

Of course my wife might look on the drive and see what I actually paid for stuff and I'd be in big trouble.

 

[woodchucker]

Last night I bought 1drive for $10 for the first year. I thought it was a good way to get my feet wet with cloud backups. I also bought a 2tb external drive that will be here tomorrow.

I also got a little drive case for the ssd drive. I plugged the drive in and my heart sank. It was encrypted with a 48 bit key. It's called bit locker. After some research I found out that Microsoft had the keys in my account. I will be turning off bit locker first thing when the new computer comes in. What a pain. It's not like I have national security info on my hard drive to protect, Just shop files and junk.

Of course my wife might look on the drive and see what I actually paid for stuff and I'd be in big trouble.

as I said before, just plug in a screen to your computer, either vga or hdmi, and you can use your computer again with that SSD.
get all your stuff off, then continue on.

 

[alloy]

I don't plan on using the drive, but I got everything off it thankfully. I'll transfer it to this computer I bought. Same as the other one, but more ram.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095VBFCFZ?ref=fed_asin_title

 

[Boswell]

Lots of good thoughts on backups. I have one more thing to add, If you don't test your backups, then don't expect them to work when needed. A simple test would be several times a year, restore a random file. It the best, it will identify if something that is not working as expected. At worst you you get practice in how to a file restore. Over the years, I have needed to restore single files multiple times and have never had to restore a complete drive. Well, twice I had to reload all my music from CDs .

 

[woodchucker]

I miss the old days when I just opened a CD as a data cd and copied over the music files.
Then the music industry got involved and made it a pain in the Ass , and you have to manually rip CD's. all the ease gone, and more of a pain.

Of course They were so worried about CD's and now, it's all online.