Which type do I need to get?

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Depends On The Type Of Burner and the Type Of Backup

by Grif Thomas Forum moderator Jun 3, 2009 12:58PM PDT

First, you'll need to tell us whether you want to use DVD discs or CD discs. Your burner will dictate which type you want.. If you only have a CD burner, you won't be able to use DVD discs.. On the other hand, if you have a DVD burner, then use DVD discs. They store a lot more data.. I tend to use DVD+R's that are 1 - 16X but when creating important backups, I'll slow things down so it burns the disc at 4X or 8X only.. Some folks will burn them at 1X in order to make a quality, long lasting burn.

By the way, good quality DVD discs will burn at a number of speeds and it's more important to find good quality discs than determine the disc based on burn speed. Still, finding a high speed, good quality disc isn't too difficult..

In my case, I actually make TWO sets up backups using the disc types below:

For permanent, long term backups, I'll recommend using DVD +/-R discs which are not rewritable.. Whether you choose DVD+R or DVD-R is somewhat dependent on the preference of your DVD burner but +R discs seem to be a little more universal currently. The DVD+/-R discs will store for long periods of time and should be kept in a safe dry place, probably in a location other than where the computer resides. (Think..What happens if the computer is destroyed in a fire.?.)

For backups where you want to create backups frequently, over and over again, I'll recommend DVD+RW discs which can be written to multiple times.. One note though.. Many folks try to use packet writing software such as Nero InCD or Roxio Drag-to-Disc which formats the RW disc and allow you to copy and paste data directly from the computer to the disc as if it were a hard drive. Although such packet writing software has its place, I would NOT recommend using such for backing up important files.. They have a canny ability to suddenly become unreadable which clearly is not the purpose for backups.. Instead, RW discs can be used as quality backup items if the backup is created using a standard burn where the disc is finalized. The backup is created, finalized and a week from now, if you want to create a new backup on the disc, simply erase the disc and burn it again.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Always use the "+" version if you use DVD

by pepoluan Jun 5, 2009 3:09PM PDT

Technically, the DVD "+" version is far more advanced than the "-" version.

I'd recommend using exclusively DVD+R or DVD+RW.

Make sure that your DVD writer support the "+" version. Most newer writers are 'hybrid' ones that support both "+" and "-" versions.

For technical details:
* http://www.cdfreaks.com/reviews/Why-DVDRW-is-superior-to-DVD-RW/

For somewhat-technical-***-marketing details:
* http://www.dvdplusrw.org/Article.asp?mid=0&sid=3&aid=12

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Not Always...

by Grif Thomas Forum moderator Jun 7, 2009 4:44AM PDT

"More advanced" is only true if it works... Some of the original DVD burners, (I'll admit there aren't a lot of these older burners still functioning), did NOT recognize the DVD+R discs and certainly would not work with RW style discs.. A DVD-R disc was required..

And although I also recommend using DVD+ discs is most cases, I have a couple of customers that continue to use DVD- discs simply because their burners work better with them..

Generally, using the term "always" is stretching it.. Read some of the user comments in the CDFreaks link you provided above...

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Comments? Dates are better

by pepoluan Jun 10, 2009 1:36PM PDT

Yes, I've read the comments. But they're dated as old as 2005 (and even older!)

Lots of what they've written are no longer valid today, *provided* that one use a hybrid DVD

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Discs are just not worth using now a days

by howlin51 Jun 3, 2009 1:00PM PDT

Discs are just a pain in the butt.I recommend u buy an external harddrive and backup your important stuff there. there is a free full featured backup software called GFI backup Home edition 2009 that u can find here: http://www.gfi.com/downloads/register.aspx?pid=bkuphm&lid=en it is extremely simple to use, and u can choose exactly which folders and even specific files u want to backup. it also supports incremental backups (backs up files that have changed since last backup), diffeential backups (if u erase a file at the source (ur computer) it will automatically erase that file/s on the external harddrive the next time you run the backup.) this features can be turned off if you don't need them as well.

trust me u'll be happy using both an external HD and this software instead of discs and any other backup software.

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If You Buy One Such External Drive For Backups..

by Grif Thomas Forum moderator Jun 4, 2009 3:56AM PDT

...Be sure to buy a second external drive to backup the backup..

Just a little information from experience.. Backups are exactly that.. Something to be used when a hard drive dies.. Unfortunately, we've seen way too many external drives fail at inopportune times.. So...If you store/backup all your personal songs and pictures to an external drive and it dies, what's left..

For most my clients where large amounts of storage are necessary, I recommend purchasing two such drives, making duplicate copies and storing one in a remote location from the computer. A recent story about a DJ friend who used a 1 TB external drive to store all his working songs and videos.. The drive died and panic ensued.. Luckily, most of the data was also on a work collegue's computer and he was able to restore his drives.. The lesson learned... He purchased TWO new 1 TB drives and created duplicate versions on each drive.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Be careful of a batch...

by pepoluan Jun 5, 2009 3:11PM PDT

If you buy 2 Hard Disks, if they're the same brands, make sure that they're from a different batch.

Drives from the same batch tends to fail at roughly the same time.

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Not My Experience At All..

by Grif Thomas Forum moderator Jun 7, 2009 4:33AM PDT

I've purchased large groups of hard drives, with similar serial numbers, and they last "as long as they last", each one being a little different than the next. Frequently, there will be one or two drives which have immediate problems but generally, they will last years. And since the use of one computer compared to another computer will directly impact the lifespan of the drive, there's no way to know if the drives "tend to fail at roughly the same time".

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Ah yes...

by pepoluan Jun 10, 2009 1:39PM PDT

Ah yes, I forgot...

The suggestion for having drives from different batches applies mostly for RAID situations, as all drives in a RAID array are expected to have the exact same load and usage.

If you're not planning to use them in a RAID array, i.e., you use them individually, then feel free to use drives from the same batches.

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Backing-up computer

by k8samms Jun 4, 2009 7:48PM PDT

Looks like there's a lot more to backing-up than I realized. Thank you both for your help.

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back it up

by RonS [WINDOWS-TEAM] Jun 5, 2009 4:41AM PDT

You?ve got some good info in here. Here?s a link to some backup resources from Microsoft, just in case: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/pc-backup.aspx.

Also, just as some added info. I personally backup to a couple different places:

1) Discs
2) External HD
3) Microsoft SkyDrive (http://skydrive.live.com/)

I figure this covers my bases.

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Is software needed to backup data files on ext hard drive?

by black069 Jun 5, 2009 3:21PM PDT

I am running Windows XP Home SP3.

I noticed that one of the posts above suggested a program (http://www.gfi.com/downloads/register.aspx?pid=bkuphm&lid=en) to use when backing up data files.

I have seen on other forums as well where folks suggest using some type of application to help store data files (onto whatever source).

I personally am going to store my data files on an external hard drive (plus an additional backup of some sort as you mentioned).

Do I need an application to do this....or can I simply drag and drop the files (or copy and paste, etc.) into the window that opens when I click on the external hard drive from "My Computer"?

Also, I have noticed that the data files on the external hard drive are stored in the FAT or FAT32 format (I can't recall which), but my system's hard drive is, of course, NTFS formatted. Is this OK...in other words, if my computer died, would I be able to restore these (FAT-formatted) data files back onto my (NTFS-formatted) system after reinstalling OS, etc.?

Thanks so much.

SB

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U don't necesarilly (wow I can't spell) need backup software

by howlin51 Jun 7, 2009 3:06AM PDT

U can also just drag/drop, copy/paste when using external drives (make sure the drive is properly formated before using though) the nice thing about backup software is that it does all of the work for you.(after is properly configured of course.) most backup software costs money, but GFI backup is totally free! thats why I like it and recommend it so much.

~chapibol

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I use a USB flash drive

by bowacl Jun 5, 2009 4:37PM PDT

I have 2 a 4 gig one and an 8 gig one, the 4 more then holds all my stuff, they were both under $20. I work on computers so having these is handy for me to take my rescue software around on too. I have used SyncBack with out to much problems but there are many free back up programs available to keep the drive in sync with your data. I have had compatibility problems with disks so only use them for mainly backing up my photos ever 6 months, in between everything is on the flash drive and usually one other hard drive in my network.

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...but it a software application required?

by black069 Jun 6, 2009 4:38PM PDT

Thanks for the message and suggestion on software.

I was more interested at the present moment (so that I can go ahead and back up my data files ASAP) if any sort of application, like the one you suggested or any other, is required to back up data files on an external hard drive.
....or if I can just drag and drop the selected data files from their current location on my system to the window corresponding to the external hard drive (accessed via "My Computer").

Thanks for your help.

SB

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If the only thing you want to do is copy certain files,...

by Paul C Jun 7, 2009 9:26AM PDT

...then dragging and dropping to another hard drive or USB key is certainly a viable option. I'd rather not try to drag and drop to a CD or DVD, as any packet writing software used in that manner is often unusable in other drives and on other machines unless you close the disk. That seems to me to be a waste of putting, say, 3GB data on a 4.7GB DVD.

I'm also not a fan of external hard drives for the reasons other posters to this thread have explained.

In the end, I say that the safest way to save your important files, assuming that you are NOT interested in making a 100% image of your C: partition, is to use a backup utility such as Sync Back or Comodo Backup to copy the files to a second INTERNAL hard drive, then burning that backup to CD/DVD and storing the CD/DVD at a location other than where the computer is (say, at work?). Better yet is to use a paid app like Macrium Reflect, available at http://www.macrium.com, or Acronis True Image, available at http://www.acronis.com. These apps backup selected files or an entire C: drive; they also allow you to create a bootable rescue disk so that in case you find your PC unbootable, you have a chance of getting to your backups on the second hard drive and restoring/moving your data that way.

In all these cases, I advocate making a copy of these backups to CD/DVD (NOT RW media) and storing them offsite.

Hope this helps,

Paul

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Addendum:

by Paul C Jun 7, 2009 9:29AM PDT

Comodo Backup, AFAIK, does not allow the user to verify the integrity of the backup; the other apps I mentioned do. That capability is highly desirable to me, as I want to know that any backup I make will work when I need it.

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ANOTHER addendum:

by Paul C Jun 7, 2009 9:39AM PDT

I seem to be caught in moron mode tonight...

Macrium Reflect IS available in a 100% free version at http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp. The free version ONLY supports disk imaging (backing up an entire partition).

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Data files are saved in FAT-format. Is this OK?

by black069 Jun 7, 2009 9:45AM PDT

Wow. You're fast. Before I typed my post, you had responded and made 2 addenda.

One question from a post above that I still need help with, though, if you don't mind....

I have noticed that the data files I have saved on my external hard drive are stored in the FAT or FAT32 format (I can't recall which), even though the hard drive from which they came is NTFS-formatted. Is this OK...in other words, if my computer died, would I be able to restore these (FAT-formatted) data files back onto my (NTFS-formatted) system after reinstalling OS, etc.?

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Yes, you may.

by Paul C Jun 7, 2009 6:54PM PDT

If you just move the files, there will be no problem. If you move an entire partition that is FAT32 formatted, however, the odds are that you'll not be able to modify them after the transfer - and you'll actually be creating a FAT32 partition on an NTFS volume - something I'd shy away from.

So, just move the files from the external hard drive and leave that drive's file structure and formatting on the external drive.

Paul

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Please disregard prior post.

by black069 Jun 7, 2009 9:35AM PDT

Sorry. I didn't realize my ? (re: whether software necessary to save data files on ext hard drive) already had a response (from howlin51). Thanks for that info.

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no backup software is required

by howlin51 Jun 9, 2009 1:48PM PDT

it helps but is not required...

ps: I love this cnet forums. ppl are so helpful!

~chapibol