scream-of-consciousness;
"If you're trying to change minds and influence people it's probably not a good idea to say that virtually all elected Democrats are liars, but what the hell."
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Friday, May 02, 2014
crash
Oh My
My 2T hard drive with all mm backup data has seemingly crashed, and with it all my dreams for a wonderful world. I am chopping wood, whistling Dixie, and pissing in the wind until this dark cloud passes.
Look into a ReadyNAS from Netgear. I have a 2T unit that utilizes RAID so if one dies I simply hot swap it out and put another drive in. It's like Johnson Baby Shampoo. No more tears. Additionally I use Crash Plan Pro as a cloud backup.
RAID 1 seems the way to go as you get a full mirror. I'd done RAID 5 but you need a minimum of 3 disks but it will only survive the loss of one drive in that instance. Any more and you're still hosed.
We never truly learn how to back up our data until we've lost our data at least three times.
Storing data on one disk is almost the same as throwing it out the window. Yes, I've had hard drives that have lived and worked for more than 10 years without any problem, but the few times I've had a problem, it was always something important that I'd kept only on one disk. Murphy's law, being what it is, means it'll be that one disk that HAS to fail.
If you're technically inclined, you can use freenas to build a Raid 2Z array with a minimum of 4 disks (2 disks can fail before you lose data) and have that system backed up to another set of Raid 1 arrays. (so accidental deletes can be recovered from. That's 6 drives, plus the bootup media - which I also make a raid 1 for a total of 8 drives)
Even if you don't go for the 4+2 drives, you can plug in a usb drive and back up your raid 2z drive to that.
Heck, you could even go Raid 1z (3 drives) plus one additional backup drive (usb, or internal - I'd go usb so I could move the thing somewhere safe occassionally - and then get multiple drives to swap in and out)
(Can you tell that I've lost data more than once in the past?)
There are data recovery services and they do work and they are not cheap. Generally, depending on the kind of damage, they can recover most, sometimes all of the data. It can set you back a pretty penny though. Budget 1-2K USD. Worth it, if you need that data back.
RAID 1 arrays? huh? reading the above make head spin faster than cheap, portable, external backup hard drives that do a pretty decent job. Which brand to buy? Heck, for 60 bucks or so, pickup a couple. oy vey ole'
Home users needn't frig with RAID Arrays. You're backing up to your desktop HD? What kind of crazy is that? Or did you just lose the backup records of the actual external backups? Don't worry, they're recoverable.
When my HD crashed, I removed it and went to Frys. They sold me a Sabrent HD enclosure (3.5" SATA/IDE) that allowed the crashed HD to be accessed externally through the USB port as if it were a thumb drive. All the file system was accessible and I recovered everything. You might try that.
All you need to do is submit a FOIA request to the DOJ, the FBI and the NSA requesting electronic copies of the C & S / Terpsboy data for the last dozen or so years you have maintained the blog.
And tell them to not hover so closely with their drones because it's messing up your external hard drive.
If anything can go wrong, it will, at the worst possible moment.
It really doesn't matter when you back-up, or how often, or how many different drives you use. When the gods hate you, they hate you! However much precautions you take, they will p*ss on you and make your life miserable. You, of all people, should know that by now!
I can almost hear them now: "Suck it up, Looser! Try again!"
You can't win; you never will. Salvage what you can, make hard copies of everything you save, drink heavily, and prepare yourself for the next major crash!
Most computers will hold two hard drives. Put in a second one and get SyncToy (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=15155), then back up at the end of the day. Brain-dead simple to use. If you can't squeeze in a second drive, you can get an external USB dock that handles standard and laptop hard drives. I haven't lost a single file since 1997. -bravokilo
Look into a ReadyNAS from Netgear. I have a 2T unit that utilizes RAID so if one dies I simply hot swap it out and put another drive in. It's like Johnson Baby Shampoo. No more tears. Additionally I use Crash Plan Pro as a cloud backup.
ReplyDeleteRAID 1 seems the way to go as you get a full mirror. I'd done RAID 5 but you need a minimum of 3 disks but it will only survive the loss of one drive in that instance. Any more and you're still hosed.
ReplyDelete*le sigh*
ReplyDeleteWe never truly learn how to back up our data until we've lost our data at least three times.
Storing data on one disk is almost the same as throwing it out the window. Yes, I've had hard drives that have lived and worked for more than 10 years without any problem, but the few times I've had a problem, it was always something important that I'd kept only on one disk. Murphy's law, being what it is, means it'll be that one disk that HAS to fail.
If you're technically inclined, you can use freenas to build a Raid 2Z array with a minimum of 4 disks (2 disks can fail before you lose data) and have that system backed up to another set of Raid 1 arrays. (so accidental deletes can be recovered from. That's 6 drives, plus the bootup media - which I also make a raid 1 for a total of 8 drives)
Even if you don't go for the 4+2 drives, you can plug in a usb drive and back up your raid 2z drive to that.
Heck, you could even go Raid 1z (3 drives) plus one additional backup drive (usb, or internal - I'd go usb so I could move the thing somewhere safe occassionally - and then get multiple drives to swap in and out)
(Can you tell that I've lost data more than once in the past?)
There are data recovery services and they do work and they are not cheap. Generally, depending on the kind of damage, they can recover most, sometimes all of the data. It can set you back a pretty penny though. Budget 1-2K USD. Worth it, if you need that data back.
RAID 1 arrays? huh? reading the above make head spin faster than cheap, portable, external backup hard drives that do a pretty decent job. Which brand to buy? Heck, for 60 bucks or so, pickup a couple.
ReplyDeleteoy vey ole'
Home users needn't frig with RAID Arrays. You're backing up to your desktop HD? What kind of crazy is that? Or did you just lose the backup records of the actual external backups? Don't worry, they're recoverable.
ReplyDeleteCasca
When my HD crashed, I removed it and went to Frys. They sold me a Sabrent HD enclosure (3.5" SATA/IDE) that allowed the crashed HD to be accessed externally through the USB port as if it were a thumb drive. All the file system was accessible and I recovered everything. You might try that.
ReplyDelete"You don't have a real backup until you have 3 copies on 3 different types of media and at least one off-site."
ReplyDelete- my old computer prof
I live in hurricane country. I keep my backups on DVD and 2 usb drives and I keep one in a water-proof/fire-proof safe...
Hey Anon, are they still serving up popcorn at Fry's? I'm getting hungry.
ReplyDeleterighty gomez
All you need to do is submit a FOIA request to the DOJ, the FBI and the NSA requesting electronic copies of the C & S / Terpsboy data for the last dozen or so years you have maintained the blog.
ReplyDeleteAnd tell them to not hover so closely with their drones because it's messing up your external hard drive.
If anything can go wrong, it will, at the worst possible moment.
ReplyDeleteIt really doesn't matter when you back-up, or how often, or how many different drives you use. When the gods hate you, they hate you! However much precautions you take, they will p*ss on you and make your life miserable. You, of all people, should know that by now!
I can almost hear them now: "Suck it up, Looser! Try again!"
You can't win; you never will. Salvage what you can, make hard copies of everything you save, drink heavily, and prepare yourself for the next major crash!
Computer no work? Could it have something to do with Ballmer closing down XP?
ReplyDeletec.u.ulus n.imbusi iii
I'm pissed, but not pissed enough to spend umpteen hours trying to recover- something I have doe in the past. Things will evolve.
ReplyDeleteAcronis True Image - cheapest way to recover an entire drive
ReplyDeleteMost computers will hold two hard drives. Put in a second one and get SyncToy (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=15155), then back up at the end of the day. Brain-dead simple to use.
ReplyDeleteIf you can't squeeze in a second drive, you can get an external USB dock that handles standard and laptop hard drives.
I haven't lost a single file since 1997.
-bravokilo