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Question

best ways to backup my laptop

Nov 30, 2013 8:38PM PST

whats the best way to back up my laptop

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
What works for you?
Nov 30, 2013 9:29PM PST

While I suggest a full image backup that is time consuming for most and I find folk won't invest that much time or effort.

What's next is what we can't lose. If you backup what you can't lose to a few devices (one copy is not considered backup, but a fine copy) then if you get wiped out, you have what you can't lose to restore to the next machine.

I have a full image and "sync" what I can't lose on a few externals, then what I must never lose on 3rd and other places.
Bob

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Answer
Got a desktop computer?
Dec 3, 2013 5:34PM PST

If you have a desktop computer - even an old, slow junker just for this purpose - you can sync your laptop to a folder on that machine. Programs like iDriveSync will constantly send files to it, as fast as you create or modify them on the laptop. As a bonus, copies are also maintained "in the cloud", so you actually have a redundant backup system: if the drive in the junker dies, you can replace it and carry on.

One downside is that the backup machine has to be running and on-line to accept the updates, but if you're comfortable with temporary reliance on the cloud copies, you can fire it up daily, or even weekly.

Note also that this is not an archive: screw up a file on the laptop, and you will quickly have backup copies of that screwed-up file. If that's an issue, consider running an archiving program, like Retrospect, on the backup machine. (If the backup machine is a Mac, Time Machine will do nicely.)