02-13-2019, 02:41 PM | #1 |
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Tangential discussion about backups
If you backup your system regularly, a separate Calibre backup is unnecessary. If you don't back up your system, you're at significant risk....
Last edited by NSILMike; 02-13-2019 at 02:57 PM. |
02-13-2019, 03:33 PM | #2 | |
hopeless n00b
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Specific Calibre libraries, I have separate, more granular backups prior to massive reorganization. In any case, I use the portable version so I just use FreeFileSync/Robocopy for those, too. The import/export function is blocked on Calibre Portable. |
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02-13-2019, 03:59 PM | #3 |
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Actually, no. There is a lot you could lose if your disk died beyond PortableApps and data folders. Setting up a new disk can be intense and if you are missing or can no longer get certain updates, etc. you can be blocked.
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02-13-2019, 04:18 PM | #4 | |||
null operator (he/him)
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Moderator Notice
This is not the place for discussing alternative approaches to general systems management issues, if you continue the discussion I'll move it to the Lounge. Nor is the Calibre forum a place for reposting links to non-calibre related media articles - try Twitter. BR |
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02-13-2019, 04:29 PM | #5 |
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BetterRed-
I disagree. This thread is completely relevant to both Calibre users and users in general. |
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02-13-2019, 05:08 PM | #6 |
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We back up important data, photos, bank info, Calibre, etc. We do not do full system backups, and haven't for a long long time. Our experience is that if something goes wrong with the computer, the best way to deal with it, should formatting be necessary, is a format and reinstall of the OS, run all updates, then, and only then, restore the backup data.
This scenario has not been needed for over 10 years at this point, and probably longer. |
02-13-2019, 05:28 PM | #7 |
null operator (he/him)
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02-13-2019, 05:35 PM | #8 | |
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For me personally, there's nothing mission critical on my home PCs so I don't need a system image. If I ever experience a motherboard failure, all I need after a fresh Windows install is to install Microsoft Office (plus a few other programs), restore my PortableApps backup, install Dropbox and I'm up and running. No complicated dev environment or tweaks. No games, even. Mind, I have a copy of app installers, software license/registration/activation codes and Windows updates (wsusupdate) on the NAS. |
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02-13-2019, 09:19 PM | #9 |
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A few months ago I decided the time had come to retire my Windows Home Server which while it still worked had hard drives that were beginning to fall, and had limited memory. I replaced it by a QNAP NAS and purchased Macrium Reflect as a backup tool. With it in doing monthly full backups, weekly differentials (since last full) and incrementals (since last backup).
I also finally built myself a new PC and if course all was going great with it. One day though I noticed the backup had failed with a message that $MFT$ (or one of the internal NTFS files) was corrupted. No problem I thought let's just do a chkdsk. With the error being on the C drive this of course many doing it during the boot process. Horror oh horror, the process failed with the PC rebooting during the chkdsk I tried rebooting and the same thing happened. Luckily I'd made recovery media which nervously I tried. WOW. It booted into Windows PE, loaded Macrium Reflect and listed the backups on the NAS! Recovery was trivial but unfortunately the PC still continued to randomly power off I tracked the issue down to the RAM modules being loose. How I don't know. At least I can say I have working backups! |
02-15-2019, 08:21 AM | #10 | |
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02-17-2019, 04:56 AM | #11 |
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I backup anything that is important to me, on an external hard drive and/or USB stick. The rest, as a few have already said, is just 'stuff' that can easily be recreated or rebuilt!
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02-19-2019, 01:29 PM | #12 |
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A cloud based backup service has served me well through several hardware tech refreshes. I use Carbonite, but there are several competitive services available. Just Google "backup services"
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