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Resolved Question

Restoring data or incrementally backing up

May 17, 2017 8:37AM PDT

With all the hacking etc around, I am becoming nervous about my data files.
Is there any basic real difference between a weekly incremental backup and simply using the create restore point facility every week?

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boblalux has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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Backup and restore
May 17, 2017 11:24AM PDT

There are many backup and restore progs, you pick the one that fits your needs.

I don't do either of these with windows active.

Pick up a bug and then plug in your backup device and poof! it's toast.

I have 2 spare ssd's which I alternate.

I boot up a copy of linux and every 2 weeks I make a clone, 25GB ssd>ssd about 3 minutes.

That fits my needs but may not fit yours.

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Answer
RED ALERT. I mean it.
May 17, 2017 8:59AM PDT

Windows Create a Restore Point does not backup user files. There are articles what it does but in short it is not backing up any of your files and even the OS files are still open to attack using this method.

So, here's my view. I hope you have tested your backup system for restore functionality. I have not seen any decrease of folk telling me they backed up but can't restore.

This usually is because they never tested the restore feature and it was broken or the backups were bad, damaged, infected or other.

-> OK, how do I backup? Some ask. I have a pair of USB 2TB pocket drives (isn't tech grand?) and they were under 99 bucks each. Why 2? If one gets lost or corrupt I have a backup. Externals are notoriously unreliable when you really need them to work.

After that I have a pair of memory sticks for a small set of folders I can't lose.
Finally I have a fifth backup on DropBox of items that are high value that get synced to my other PC so that makes those files Hard To Kill.

"We only lose what we don't backup."

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Answer
If Nothing Else, Copy Important Files To A Removable Drive
May 17, 2017 4:10PM PDT

For those extremely important files, make backups of your backups. As just an example, a couple of days ago, I made a system image of both my computers, plus I made copies to DVDs and flash drives of particularly important files.

Hope this helps.

Grif