Seriousness How do you back-up your 'stuff'? - Page 3

HarryT · 11-12-2009, 07:22 AM

Just in case anyone's not aware of it, Microsoft "Synctoy" (a free download) is an excellent utility for keeping data backed up on an external drive. You designate the folders you want to back up, and when it's run, it syncs the contents of the external drive with the internal. You can configure it either so that it maintains the external data as a true copy of the internal (matching new files, changes, and deletions), or such that it never does deletions on the external copy.

More details at:

http://www.microsoft.com/prophoto/do...nctoybeta.aspx

Sweetpea · 11-12-2009, 08:36 AM

Hmm, must try that at home!

kazbates · 11-12-2009, 11:48 AM

For those of you who have purchased TB external hard drives, can you tell me the benefit of those that also have Firewire and eSTAT connectivity in addition to USB 2.0? I've been looking at buying one for my husband but there are so many out there that I just don't know what is necessary for the "common man" and what would just be over kill. I have done a little research and am also taking into account data transfer speeds, but sometimes feel more features isn't always better.

Thanks,

HarryT · 11-12-2009, 11:56 AM

It just allows them to be connected to a wider range of systems. No particular benefit if you have USB2.

pdurrant · 11-12-2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

It just allows them to be connected to a wider range of systems. No particular benefit if you only have USB2.

Fixed that for you.

If your computer has a firewire or an eSata port, an external harddisk will be faster connected to that rather than a USB port.

HarryT · 11-12-2009, 12:28 PM

eSATA is faster, but Firewire and USB2 are rather similar in terms of connection speed, are they not?

kennyc · 11-12-2009, 12:32 PM

The acutal specs say USB2 is faster than Fireware, but the handshaking mechanism slows it down.

still I think the perceived difference is pretty negligible...

pdurrant · 11-12-2009, 01:34 PM

Firewire 400 and USB 2 (480Mbps) are similar in nominal speed, but in use Firewire 400 is significantly faster.

Firewire 800 is a lot faster than USB 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

eSATA is faster, but Firewire and USB2 are rather similar in terms of connection speed, are they not?

kazbates · 11-12-2009, 02:04 PM

Thanks so much for the information! I knew this was the right place to get answers.

The unit that I am looking at is actually a 1.5 TB external with the following specs:

Triple USB 2.0, FireWire and eSATA interfaces; USB data transfer up to 480 MB/sec., FireWire data transfer up to 400 MB/sec. and eSATA data transfer up to 3GB/sec.

Because I'm not sure of what connections he has on his computer (it's less than 6 months old but I know he tricked it out when he ordered it, boys and their toys and all that

), I'm thinking it might be good to cover all the bases, based on what you all have said. Thanks.

HarryT · 11-12-2009, 02:25 PM

He's certain to have at least a USB2 port, so there's no doubt that it'll work.

devilsadvocate · 11-23-2009, 04:43 AM

USB is to Firewire what VHS was to Beta...Firewire is faster but every PC built within the last decade or so has at leat one USB port.

Also, it's possible to (rather cheaply) add eSATA to your machine (assuming you don't have it already) if you're not afraid to open the case for a few minutes:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-070-_-Product

There are more, this is just to show you they're out there. If the machine is recent (<2 years) it'll work and it's not too hard to install. The reason it might be worth it is because eSATA is smokin'-fast, about the same as if you installed the drive internally.

kazbates · 11-23-2009, 08:50 AM

I ended up getting him a 2TB external with all 3 types of connectivity for a pretty fair price. He was thrilled and has been fiddling with it ever since. We have a huge DVD collection which he would like to store on the external so that any of the computers (we have several) on our home network can access them. I don't know why it's so hard to walk to the cabinets in the family room and just get the discs but then he doesn't understand my fascination with yarn!

devilsadvocate · 11-23-2009, 01:40 PM

In my experience CDs and DVDs tend to last longer when they're not lent out/borrowed/stolen/played to death/used as frisbees. I started keeping all our music & movies on hard drives a few years ago on the reasoning that if you don't take it out, it can't get lost or damaged.

kazbates · 11-23-2009, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by devilsadvocate

In my experience CDs and DVDs tend to last longer when they're not lent out/borrowed/stolen/played to death/used as frisbees. I started keeping all our music & movies on hard drives a few years ago on the reasoning that if you don't take it out, it can't get lost or damaged.

It must be a geek guy thing.

That's exactly what my husband is doing. At least it keeps him off the streets and out of the pub. (Just kidding, of course.) In his (and your defense), all our old Disney DVD's are scratched and dirty thanks to little hands wanting to do things for themselves.

wodin · 11-23-2009, 02:38 PM

http://www.Carbonite.com

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11-12-2009, 07:22 AM	#31
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,556 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Just in case anyone's not aware of it, Microsoft "Synctoy" (a free download) is an excellent utility for keeping data backed up on an external drive. You designate the folders you want to back up, and when it's run, it syncs the contents of the external drive with the internal. You can configure it either so that it maintains the external data as a true copy of the internal (matching new files, changes, and deletions), or such that it never does deletions on the external copy. More details at: http://www.microsoft.com/prophoto/do...nctoybeta.aspx

11-12-2009, 08:36 AM	#32
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	Hmm, must try that at home!

11-12-2009, 11:48 AM	#33
kazbates Wizard Posts: 2,627 Karma: 406616 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Northern Virginia Device: SurfacePro, SurfaceBook 2	For those of you who have purchased TB external hard drives, can you tell me the benefit of those that also have Firewire and eSTAT connectivity in addition to USB 2.0? I've been looking at buying one for my husband but there are so many out there that I just don't know what is necessary for the "common man" and what would just be over kill. I have done a little research and am also taking into account data transfer speeds, but sometimes feel more features isn't always better. Thanks,

11-12-2009, 11:56 AM	#34
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,556 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	It just allows them to be connected to a wider range of systems. No particular benefit if you have USB2.

11-12-2009, 12:28 PM	#36
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,556 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	eSATA is faster, but Firewire and USB2 are rather similar in terms of connection speed, are they not?

11-12-2009, 12:32 PM	#37
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,907 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	The acutal specs say USB2 is faster than Fireware, but the handshaking mechanism slows it down. still I think the perceived difference is pretty negligible...

11-12-2009, 02:04 PM	#39
kazbates Wizard Posts: 2,627 Karma: 406616 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Northern Virginia Device: SurfacePro, SurfaceBook 2	Thanks so much for the information! I knew this was the right place to get answers. The unit that I am looking at is actually a 1.5 TB external with the following specs: Triple USB 2.0, FireWire and eSATA interfaces; USB data transfer up to 480 MB/sec., FireWire data transfer up to 400 MB/sec. and eSATA data transfer up to 3GB/sec. Because I'm not sure of what connections he has on his computer (it's less than 6 months old but I know he tricked it out when he ordered it, boys and their toys and all that ), I'm thinking it might be good to cover all the bases, based on what you all have said. Thanks.

11-12-2009, 02:25 PM	#40
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,556 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	He's certain to have at least a USB2 port, so there's no doubt that it'll work.

11-23-2009, 04:43 AM	#41
devilsadvocate Complicated Warlock Posts: 677 Karma: 160970 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Madiganistan Device: HP Mini 1101, Droid X rooted, GTab rooted/VEGAnTAB Ginger Edition/CM7	USB is to Firewire what VHS was to Beta...Firewire is faster but every PC built within the last decade or so has at leat one USB port. Also, it's possible to (rather cheaply) add eSATA to your machine (assuming you don't have it already) if you're not afraid to open the case for a few minutes: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-070-_-Product There are more, this is just to show you they're out there. If the machine is recent (<2 years) it'll work and it's not too hard to install. The reason it might be worth it is because eSATA is smokin'-fast, about the same as if you installed the drive internally.

11-23-2009, 08:50 AM	#42
kazbates Wizard Posts: 2,627 Karma: 406616 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Northern Virginia Device: SurfacePro, SurfaceBook 2	I ended up getting him a 2TB external with all 3 types of connectivity for a pretty fair price. He was thrilled and has been fiddling with it ever since. We have a huge DVD collection which he would like to store on the external so that any of the computers (we have several) on our home network can access them. I don't know why it's so hard to walk to the cabinets in the family room and just get the discs but then he doesn't understand my fascination with yarn!

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11-23-2009, 01:40 PM	#43
devilsadvocate Complicated Warlock Posts: 677 Karma: 160970 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Madiganistan Device: HP Mini 1101, Droid X rooted, GTab rooted/VEGAnTAB Ginger Edition/CM7	In my experience CDs and DVDs tend to last longer when they're not lent out/borrowed/stolen/played to death/used as frisbees. I started keeping all our music & movies on hard drives a few years ago on the reasoning that if you don't take it out, it can't get lost or damaged.

11-23-2009, 02:38 PM	#45
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	http://www.Carbonite.com