Question about file backup

**ISUKyro** · 01-23-2009, 10:10 PM

Just wanted to pick the brains of a few of ya'll.

I'm really thinking it would be smart of me to have some way of backing up some important files (stuff for work, school, mp3, videos, pics of family etc....). My question is would it make since to drop in another hard drive in my system or more since to get an external hard drive? Any real pros/cons of going either way on this?

**TykeClone** · 01-23-2009, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by ISUKyro

Any real pros/cons of going either way on this?

Yes. Next question.

How you back up depends upon how important your stuff is and what you're trying to protect against.

**dmclone** · 01-23-2009, 10:15 PM

I had an extra hard drive laying aroud so I just bought Acronis True Image and it does back-ups automatically for me in case I lose my hard drive.

I think the external hard drives make sense since a lot of them just have 1 button back-ups.

**ISUKyro** · 01-23-2009, 10:16 PM

Mostly worried about the chance of hard drive failure leaving me with no way to get the files I really don't want to be without.

**Cyclone90** · 01-23-2009, 10:20 PM

I'd go external. I've been very happy with the stability and ease of my Western Digital 500GB external drive. Much easier to install and in a worse case scenario restore. Just install the backup software on the next box or hard drive, attach the USB and you're good to go.

Easy to transport a ton of music and/or video if you wish too.

**jaretac** · 01-23-2009, 10:24 PM

I would go with a external hard drive. I have a 500GB at 7200RPM external hard drive that I spent $70 on and I have both my laptop and desktop backed up on it, plus a bunch of other large files that I don't want clogging up my computer.

The nice thing about external hard drives is that they aren't limited to just one computer. You can back up as many computers as you want. You can also use it to transfer very large files from one computer to another. Additionally, I think you can also use a external hard drive as a secondary storage device for a Xbox- but I've not tried it yet.

**TykeClone** · 01-23-2009, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by ISUKyro

Mostly worried about the chance of hard drive failure leaving me with no way to get the files I really don't want to be without.

Then, as the others have said, an external hard drive is probably the best way to go. Acronis is nice software that will back up stuff for you rather easily.

**jaretac** · 01-23-2009, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by TykeClone

Then, as the others have said, an external hard drive is probably the best way to go. Acronis is nice software that will back up stuff for you rather easily.

Is there any way for me to back up my credits, just in case I lose them

**TykeClone** · 01-23-2009, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by jaretac

Is there any way for me to back up my credits, just in case I lose them

Do as I do - don't bet and depend upon the generosity of CF in their occasional credit grants.

One thing I've learned - I'm a terrible, terrible, terrible gambler.