How do you guys backup your computers?

[Raziaar]

Well i'm going through yet another computer data backup. Taking my DvDs... which have lasted me a surprisingly long time with just one spindle lasting me over a year while burning a bunch of DVDS.

However, I always run into the issue of how to back up my stuff. Usually its a long and painstaking process, of going through every directory figuring out what I need to back up, then organizing them into folders, putting those folders into ISO's, then burning the ISO's.

This latest time has prompted me to sort of reevaluate how I do things. Backing up to DVD all the time is obviously a very poor way to go... Especially with dozens of them lying around.

What do you guys suggest?

 

[nutcrackr]

I already have all the important documents in a few places on my computer. I usually just grab a dvd-rw and throw them on directly as data.

 

[Raziaar]

I've already backed up 9 dvds worth of data this time.

And before you go WTF!

I'm not backing up game installations and stuff... there's other things i'm backing up that I don't currently have storage anywhere else.

Surprising, I know! And not all the DVDS are to maximum capacity... generally anywhere from 2-4gb each.

 

[nutcrackr]

What the hell are you backing up? Porn?

 

[Raziaar]

Nah. My porn directory is 1.35 gigabytes only... and it hasn't changed at all in a year.

 

[Dog--]

Yea.. I usually buy a spindle of 50 DVD's for $20 and burn on as data, I think that is the easiest way to go, unless you want to buy a personal server, like Mirra...

 

[Asus]

I just have an external harddrive as my data backup. Easy, no mess and less time spent. Although it costs more than blank dvds. hehe
I don't use it for anything else so the platters and motor do not get much wear&tear. IMO There is a much higher chance of blank media going bad. Scratches, humidity (here I live it can be bad) etc. Although DVDs are a lot better than CDs. (CD write on the surface, there is a layer of plastic over where DVDs write to)

 

[Raziaar]

Yeah we have an external hard drive... well, my brother does. But it's filled with other more important things.

I think i'll just stick with DVDs for now.

I'm getting far too many though.

Any reccomendations on how to store my DVDS? I've been trying to find cheap cd racks of sorts that I can buy and mount on my walls.

I have literally hundreds of CDS and DVDS.

 

[PimpinPenguin]

I use both my external hard drive and dvds to back up data. I try to avoid using dvds when i can because i lose them when i need them

 

[bbson john]

I back them up in my mind.

 

[Ome_Vince]

download into your head ftw

I have a 300gig external hard drive where i throw my stuff onto. Works really well.

 

[bliink]

I just put mine on the floor, and shout "I've got your back!" or "Got your six, computer pal!!"

my computer knows its got back-up from me.

 

[Laivasse]

^^^Lurl

180Gb USB HD. If you have a lot of data you want to back up then there's nothing that beats an external HD IMO. I use DVDs for the install files of certain utility programs I need, and I have floppies stuff that I might find essential when bringing my computer back up, eg. the drDOS version of Partition Magic and my VIA mobo drivers.

 

[koul_jackson]

i keep a folder within mydocuments called "Not Backed", and i just keep adding to the folder, when it hits 4.5GB(about the size of Mr DVD) i can burn just that one folder and then organize all my shit whereever i want, reformatte and then just reinstall drivers and programs. I reinstall windows about every 6 months.

 

[ktimekiller]

I just put mine on the floor, and shout "I've got your back!" or "Got your six, computer pal!!"

my computer knows its got back-up from me.

Rofl

 

[DEATHMASTER]

I keep a backup of important stuff in my 2nd HDD. (it's used for other stuff as well but it's large enough for backup of important files)

 

[tehsolace]

for now (until blu-ray or hd-dvds are affordable), dvds remain the cheapest solution to backing up data. of course another hard drive would be faster, and may in fact be just as affordable if you dont already have a good dvd-burner.

as for the tediousness of finding what needs to be backed up... i run into that problem alot too. i usually make a list of all the things i need to save, and i keep installation executables of my needed programs into a folder i call "Backups" so i dont have to redownload them if i ever reinstall windows.

 

[Raziaar]

I just put mine on the floor, and shout "I've got your back!" or "Got your six, computer pal!!"

my computer knows its got back-up from me.

LOL. Funny.

Backup went successful. All smoothly. From here on out I'm going to try to keep logs of what files/folders need to be backed up in a text file or something, so it doesn't take as long.