Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 18

Thread: Don't Forget to Backup!!!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    New York
    Posts
    1,840

    Don't Forget to Backup!!!

    This is just a friendly reminder to back up your computer files.

    My hard drive crashed on Monday and I lost everything. Thankfully, I had backed up my important files about a week earlier, so I really didn't lose too much. I bought and installed a new hard drive (cheaper and easier to do than I thought it would be) and then spent the next two days reloading all my software and files. Make sure you have your serial numbers (ie. for software like CorelDraw) in a convenient place (I didn't and it took me forever to finally find it) too.

    So remember..........backup, backup, backup.
    Epilog Mini 24 - 45 Watt, Corel Draw X5, Wacom Intuos Tablet, Unengraved HP Laptop, with many more toys to come.....





    If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have one idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas... George B. Shaw

  2. #2
    Steve

    There are several ways to auto back up your files daily. One is an internet service I use called Carbonite and I also have an external hard drive by Seagate which is automatic. There are others including Casper which I understand backs up software as well.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  3. #3
    Backing up software would be great! Has anyone use this feature and what software you recommend?
    Martin Boekers

    1 - Epilog Radius 25watt laser 1998
    1 - Epilog Legend EXT36 75watt laser 2005
    1 - Epilog Legend EXT36 75watt laser 2007
    1 - Epilog Fusion M2 32 120watt laser with camera 2015
    2 - Geo Knight K20S 16x20 Heat Press
    Geo Knight K Mug Press,
    Ricoh GX-7000 Dye Sub Printer
    Zerox Phaser 6360 Laser Printer
    numerous other tools and implements
    of distruction/distraction!

  4. #4
    I've got a kazillion important files that I used to worry about even being on a back-up drive. I've had them fail as well. I spent a few extra dollars on an external mirrored raid drive and sleep a lot better now. Data is mirrored so if one drive fails, nothing is lost.
    I design, engineer and program all sorts of things.

    Oh, and I use Adobe Illustrator with an Epilog Mini.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Suwanee, GA
    Posts
    3,686
    Quote Originally Posted by Martin Boekers View Post
    Backing up software would be great! Has anyone use this feature and what software you recommend?
    I use two programs - Casper and SmartSyncPro. I like that they are both automatic and I don't have to do anything for them to work. I tested Casper when I first used it and the backup was up and running in just a few minutes.

    No matter what backup you use, make sure you test it after it backs up. You would be surprised to know how many people have used a backup program for years only to find out, when they needed it, that it wasn't really working.

    Gary

  6. #6
    +1 for Carbonite. It has save my butt more than once.


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Glenelg, MD
    Posts
    12,256
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Griffith View Post
    I've got a kazillion important files that I used to worry about even being on a back-up drive. I've had them fail as well. I spent a few extra dollars on an external mirrored raid drive and sleep a lot better now. Data is mirrored so if one drive fails, nothing is lost.
    Just don't forget to back up that data from time to time on non-connected media (DVDs, Flash sticks, etc.)... a bad electrical storm can turn a redundant electronic vault into a steaming pile of jumbled electrons. No amount of crying can get said data back... I've tried.
    Hi-Tec Designs, LLC -- Owner (and self-proclaimed LED guru )

    Trotec 80W Speedy 300 laser w/everything
    CAMaster Stinger CNC (25" x 36" x 5")
    USCutter 24" LaserPoint Vinyl Cutter
    Jet JWBS-18QT-3 18", 3HP bandsaw
    Robust Beauty 25"x52" wood lathe w/everything
    Jet BD-920W 9"x20" metal lathe
    Delta 18-900L 18" drill press

    Flame Polisher (ooooh, FIRE!)
    Freeware: InkScape, Paint.NET, DoubleCAD XT
    Paidware: Wacom Intuos4 (Large), CorelDRAW X5

  8. #8
    I use Dropbox to move my data from system to system. I like to think of it as my offsite backup of critical data.
    Rabbit 1290 80W RECI
    Shopbot PRS Alpha
    Aspire, Corel, Signlab, and many more
    Gerber Edge and 2 vinyl cutters
    plus a shop full of woodworking and metalworking machines

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Hintz View Post
    Just don't forget to back up that data from time to time on non-connected media (DVDs, Flash sticks, etc.)... a bad electrical storm can turn a redundant electronic vault into a steaming pile of jumbled electrons. No amount of crying can get said data back... I've tried.
    I hear ya. I only plug the drive in when doing a backup. I can't count the hours I've spent recovering data. I've bought matching drives and swapped platters which never worked. I've even used the freezer trick a few times which amazingly did work. Of course the drive was toast afterwards.
    I design, engineer and program all sorts of things.

    Oh, and I use Adobe Illustrator with an Epilog Mini.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Canton, Ohio
    Posts
    259
    FWIW - I use a ReadyNas Duo, fully reduntant to back up my files for myself and others on the home network. Takes up very little space and hasn't skipped a beat in three years. Mine is configured to give me 1 Terrabyte of fully redundant storage. With "add ons" can also be configured for more than just storing files.
    Life and death don't bother me. It's that little period of time in between that bothers me.

    Epilog Mini-24 40w with Rotary, Flame Polisher, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6, EngraveSoft, Windows 10 64-bit.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Barrie, Ontario
    Posts
    239
    I like using Clonezilla, about once a week I clone the drive to a matching drive. Clonezilla is a open source program that boots from a live Linux cd/dvd, it will clone the entire drive partitions and all. I use two clone drives one is a bare bone windows + software, the 2nd is an everything drive windows, software and data. the advantage of having the 1st drive is you can restore to a clean install with all software in place.
    -
    Zing 24 - 40 watts
    Corel X3/X5/X6
    Autocad 2016

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Suwanee, GA
    Posts
    3,686
    With the exception of Joe, everyone is talking about backing up data. Data loss is bad but you will still be down for a while without a working computer if you don't have a cloned drive to boot up. Think about re-installing all of your programs, drivers, settings, etc. - it takes a lot longer than you think, especially when you have to find the disks, serial numbers, etc. That is why I use Casper and likely why Joe uses Clonezilla. The test I mentioned in my previous post showed me that I can have the computer back up and running in less than 30 minutes with everything ready to go - programs, data, everything! Even if you have a spare computer that you can access the data and continue working, you will still have to get the crashed computer up and running which means installing everything over again. Clonezilla, Casper and others will make that a non-event. The only thing I'd recommend to Joe, and everyone else too, is to have it automated. Mine runs daily and the backup that clones my data runs continuously.

    Gary

  13. #13
    I am sold! Next purchase is cloning software!

    Steve, Thanks for bringing this up! undoubtly
    you saved many folks time and files!

    Marty
    Martin Boekers

    1 - Epilog Radius 25watt laser 1998
    1 - Epilog Legend EXT36 75watt laser 2005
    1 - Epilog Legend EXT36 75watt laser 2007
    1 - Epilog Fusion M2 32 120watt laser with camera 2015
    2 - Geo Knight K20S 16x20 Heat Press
    Geo Knight K Mug Press,
    Ricoh GX-7000 Dye Sub Printer
    Zerox Phaser 6360 Laser Printer
    numerous other tools and implements
    of distruction/distraction!

  14. #14
    We use Acronis. I have RAID drives on the workstation and RAID drives on the backup drives. The offsite 1/2 a world away backup drives are also RAID. Ask me why and I will tell you stories about all the large hard drive companies and their wonderful products that fail.

    On external drives that are only used as backup drives and a rarely used, power 'em every so often and to a rudimentary read/write. We had one that we had not used in a while and when we powered up, we discovered the heads had bonded to the platters and on spin up...well it was not pretty. We are using Laci D2 Network 2 drives easily capable of 1GB/S over our network switch so backups of full CAD workstations only take 42 minutes for full backup and verify. No reason nowadays not to have things backed up.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Savusavu, Fiji
    Posts
    1,167
    Plus 1 for Acronis TrueImage. It is one the most commonly used backup programs and has been around for a long time (i.e., you can depend on it to be relatively bug-free and stable). You can set it to be fully automatic for backing up just certain files/folders or the entire hard drive. However, NO system is perfect. I like an attached backup drive (networked or not) and one that is detachable, so it can be stored AWAY from the computer (thinking fire or theft). To save time when backing up to an external/detachable drive, I use eSATA drives rather than USB (although USB3 or Thunderbolt are also fast possibilities).
    Longtai 460 with 100 watt EFR, mostly for fun. More power is good!! And a shop with enough wood working tools to make a lot of sawdust. Ex-owner of Shenhui 460-80 and engraving business with 45 watt Epilog Mini18.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •