Best way to back up data as of today

[dr_ml422]

Ok guys. I did some research and found several answers to this question of what's the best way to back up data.

1. Use cds/dvds and store in a safe weather conducive environment. Not an option for me as I'm looking to store my dvd collection which is soon going to take over my apt..

2. Use a flash drive or external hard drive. Flash drives too small for amount of data I have. External hd maybe, but also risk failure due to mechanical or other obvious and well known issues.

3. Online server which you pay a yearly fee for. Well that sounds great, and some reports have it as a secure and reliable way, but reports of slow retrieval and accidentally deleting from your computer will delete it also.

4. Admin posted about the solid state drives coming out soon and the larger capacity flash drives. Also the standalones that can hold video or w/e and be played when you want to. This also on the rise and as far as the standalone storage capacity not much right now I think.

So I'd like input from all you guys if possible stating how you back up your dvd collection or any other vasts amount of data, and what if any recent methods are the best, and secure as well as available today.

Admin, I'd very much appreciate your take on this as well as you definitely work with vast amounts of data in regards to the forum, and the whole DD website along with your collection of DVDs/Blu-ray as well.

So all the big guns and regular soldiers including any others with some great suggestions on this please contribute. I very much will definitely appreciate this, and am ready to pull the trigger $$$ wise in respect to this concern as it is of a top priority above all right now. Digitally speaking of course. Also within reason economically, but doesn't have to be that cheap either.

[doctorhardware]

You are looking at 50 gig flash drives right now. The price is around $100. Hard drive are still the most effective way to store large amounts of data. If you are worried about data loss. First mechanical failure is possible, but if the drive is not in constant use I would think that would be very low on the list. But there is also software that can be used to check the integrity of the drive. The company that writes the software is Gibson Research. The program is SpinRite, what the program will do is to check the drive for bad sectors. The program will do a low level format with no data loss. Then if it finds any bad sectors, it will mark the sectors as bad so that windows can't use them. So that your data will be safe.

[ed klein]

How about 25gb and 50gb blank media disks. So called Blu-ray disks.
Also called BD-R (single and dual layer) and rewritable BD-RE.

I am bias towards blank media disks and flash drives.

[dr_ml422]

In regards to Flash drives I'd need about 10 of those 50gb drives as of now. Their archival life isn't as long as regular hard drives and they too are prone to issues with more and more read/write transfer.

As far as Blu-ray I'm looking at about $700 to a $1000 just for the optical drive alone. Not an option right now. Blu-ray blanks still off the charts $$$ wise also. I would need about 10 of those 50gb blanks just for starters. What about a coaster w/one of those? Possibility. Nothing and no one's perfect. Also the player and hdtv to boot to watch them. Also not an option as of now. Eventually, I'll get a hdtv and w/e player to use w/it, but right now I'm not.

And lastly, who knows where Blu-ray's going to be if at all. So this for me is both the most costly and riskiest option right now.

This is why I need input from as many of you as possible to weigh in on this. Right now I'm looking at about 350 dvds that definitely need to be stored safely, and another 300 or so that will also, but are not a priority over the rest. Thanks.

[ed klein]

The 25gb and 50gb blank disks are not just for Blu-ray, you can store standard defination material on them too (data), so you don't need a Blu-ray reader and writer and a standalone Blu-ray player. You can use them just like you would a DVD-5 (4.7gb) or a DVD-9 (8.5gb) for data storage.


If it was me, I would get an el-cheap-po computer, and put in three or four very large sata hard drives. Most of the new computers don't have IDE cables and motherboard connections anymore, and usually 2 to 4 SATA connections with the cables. This way if you have a change in plan you can always use the computer for something else.

[doctorhardware]

There is sales on 1TB hard drives, a Western Digital is $99.99 for an internal hard drive. This is at Micro Center. Or he could build one, that way you know what you need. Since he has built a new system it will be a piece of cake.

[doctorhardware]

There is a Western Digital 1 TB external hard drive on sale at Ecost, it is going for $119.00. It is on sale for 24 hours and one per customer.

[dr_ml422]

There is a Western Digital 1 TB external hard drive on sale at Ecost, it is going for $119.00. It is on sale for 24 hours and one per customer.

The external hd doesn't have to be the same make as the internal ones correct? I have 2 seagates in my build. This 1tb from Western Digital sounds great.

Also does any malfunction at all happen when you don't use it as often? You know sometimes when you just let something sit it can also get flawed.

You guys are into videos as well. Is this the methods you guys use now for your collection or w/e else you deem important of backing up and storing? I would guess you also have a helluva large collection as well.

It's funny because when it comes to the videos you would still need a hard copy to put into the player unless you always watch them on your pc. So this is kind of a tricky solution to a important concern. That's why when admin and ed talked about these players that can store footage so you could just watch whenever you want I was zoned in. I just don't know much about that and how much you can actually store as of today on one of those.

doc get back to me asayc about the compatibility I mentioned above as if it's no problem and one of the better sales right now I'd hop on it. Newegg also has some Seagate external hard drives on sale as well. I have my Dell still but just room for a extra hd. Sata is the way to go like ed suggested so that is also an option definitely.

In all let me know about this storage thing as how you guys deal w/it. True that space is needed and a efficient way of keeping it at that.

[Wombler]

As far as the optical formats go DVD-RAM has the longest data retention period and there's a choice of several cheap DVD writers that support it.

Whether or not you'd want to buy that many discs though is another matter.

If space is at a premium then my advice would be dispose of the packaging and keep the originals in one of those DJ style aluminium cases.


Wombler

[dr_ml422]

Therein lies the catch-22 in a way. I'm trying not to get into buying anymore cases. If I continue that there won't be anymore space left. Then again like I mentioned they eventually have to be on some format whether a disc or on a hd or w/e stored to watch them. I really don't want to use my pc that way all the time. Sometimes I do as they look great. So, that's the main question at hand. What do you guys do w/all your videos as far as storing and then watching them? What's more or less the most efficient way as of today w/all the storage available in use w/ regards to hd's, standalones w/storage capabilities, on-line servers etc... Or is there none really other than continuing to pile up the DJ style aluminum cases? There has to be a way, especially as you guys been into this way longer than me. I'm going to have to back them up regardless, but also want to know a way to try and if at all eliminate the hard copies if in fact that's a option today, and still watch them. Thnx.

[ipaulo]

Funny I was asking a question like this sometime ago. This is the way I do it, it might not be the correct way but it works for me. I store the disc in the kind of cases that Wombler mentioned.

http://www.supermediastore.com/cd-dvd-storage-case-aluminum-metal-like-720-capacity.html

There is also a 1000 capacity one. Be careful though because the 750 one gets pretty heavy when it's full.

I have a full tower pc case. It can hold 12 harddrives. At present the way I've got it set-up it can only hold 9. Right now I'm running 7 HDs., 2 300 IDEs, 3 750 satas, 1 T sata and 1 150 sata. I'm thinking of getting a 1.5T in the future.

I use DvdProfiler3.5 to sort and keep track of my collection. Depending on my mood I either watch them on the pc or the TV.

I wondering if your only choice is to use an external drive. If so have a look at these.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010150414%20131021336%201310224342&name=1.5TB

If you got room to go internal then a couple of these should set you right.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148337

I really just comes down to how much money your willing to spend. Good luck.

[Wombler]

Or is there none really other than continuing to pile up the DJ style aluminum cases?

Have you seen the sort of thing I'm talking about?

They can hold up to 2000 discs all fully tabbed and indexed.

I can't see you piling too many of those up.

A 2000 capacity one is only 63cm x 48cm x 40cm which is an amazingly small volume compared to 2000 Amrays.


Wombler

[MilesAhead]

@Wombler I'm trying one of those cases myself. I miss the old Fellows preassembled spinner cd towers. They were rugged and held 240 standard jewel cases for @$74. They stopped making 'em. Now similar spinners they want to charge you $150 and assembly required at that!! Anyway, these suitcase type gizmos will avoid storing a ton of slimline cases.

[doctorhardware]

I have been moving some stuff around the office. I have a very old 8088 computer with a Western Digital hard drive. The computer boot up and the only problem the CMOS battery died causing the setup to be lost. The 20 meg hard is running perfectly. So as far as having mechanical issues do to non use should not be a issue. The external 1TB drive are the same as the internal drives. Like I have stated before you can use the spinrite software to check the hard drive integrity and also the date integrity.

[Wombler]

@MilesAhead

Yeah and they're relatively cheap too given the large number of discs you can store.

Mine holds about 400 but needless to say I'm now finding that I could have gone with a bigger one.

I wouldn't recommend the 2000 one to anyone that's planning to transport them regularly though as there's quite a weight with such a large number of discs.


Wombler