What is the best way to back up my harddrive?

[gymophett]

I just have tons of music and stuff. I want Crunchbang back. I loved OpenBox. Soo. Here I am, I don't have an external hard drive, but I have some DVDs. I have mintBackup installed.

[aysiu]

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. If you don't have an external hard drive but you have DVDs, I guess you just burn your music and stuff to DVD.

[hessiess]

Get an external hard drive(or (if possible) a second internal one), they arn't very expensive and are substantially easier/more reliable than dumping everything to optical disks.

[Gizenshya]

Get an external hard drive(or (if possible) a second internal one), they arn't very expensive and are substantially easier/more reliable than dumping everything to optical disks.

x2

and in case you're wondering, they are significantly cheaper per GB than optical storage as well. and MUCH easier and faster.

[howefield]

they are significantly cheaper per GB than optical storage as well. and MUCH easier and faster.

-5

I don't argue about preferring hard disks to optical storage for ease and speed, but because it is cheaper ? Care to back that up ?

[aysiu]

It's cheaper in the long run, especially if you keep changing files.

Yes, you can get almost 500 GB of blank DVDs for US$30 or so, but if you keep changing files or adding files, you'll have to keep adding more and more DVDs.

With an external hard drive, you buy it once and can keep modifying and backing up files without continuing to buy more hard drives (thanks to rsync).

[hessiess]

Also, if you do use optical disks, be sure to burn them as slowly as possible, and burn at least two copies of everything, especially if you are using them for backup, as they are incredibly easy to accidentally damage.

[Blacklightbulb]

Seriously as suggested above get another hard-drive.
They are cheap.
They can store a lot more.
Data will be safer on an HD.
Fast to transfer.
...

[beercz]

http://rsnapshot.org to an external hard disk? You can even do it in cron.

[Lateforgym]

I have been backing stuff up for years on a monthly basis. Optical sucks. It doesnt last forever like they lied to us about in 1987 and you dont have time to run to the store to buy new DVD/CD that kill the environment.

Linux users may have better luck with Optical, but Windows has not worked well for hardcore archiving on Optical. Its msot used program Nero has crashed many systems over the years and its fix: buy our newest $75 version.

Right now I use esata and to a 3GB HDD and it rocks (Windows). I no longer have to lock up my computer for 45 minutes for backups, I can simply copy and work on something else.

In two years they will have the newest USB on the self and I think that will be faster then esata



Actually if you are getting a new system just take out your old HDD and throw it in the new box. It will show up as another drive and you can jsut copy over all your files, but you will have to reconvifigure all your favorites.