Backing up to a CD/RW - Suggestions?

[Bert Bigelow]

Beth,
I used to use the Zips for backups and interim storage, for transferring between computers...but then I decided to use CD-Rs for the first two, and memory cards from my cameras in a USB card reader for transferring files. I got that idea from you, come to think of it.
:o)
Bert

[Beth Haney]

Ha! You're right! I did do that for a while, but I kind of got out of the habit and back to using my Zips again. A good thing, too, because now my husband is off on vacation with the camera and all of the cards! :) Unlike a number of other forum folks, I've also had an external drive for a couple of years that can be used with either of my computers, so my serious data backups (not stuff to be archived) are done on it.

[Bert Bigelow]

Beth,

I've also had an external drive for a couple of years




I'm thinking of buying an external USB2.0 or Firewire drive of at least 120 GB capacity. I know it's more expensive than an internal drive, and I know it's slower, but my plan is to use it for my photo archive. I would copy files to the internal drive when I'm working on them, so the slower access and data transfer rate would not be a problem.
It would make migration to a new computer in a year or two a non-problem...just plug it in and go!
Whaddayathink?
Bert

Good to hear that common sence and good thinking is in full effect here. <
grin > The only worse thing than hearing those terrible ,"I forgot to back
it up and now I lost everything" stories is having it happen to you.






"Bert Bigelow" <bigelowrs@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1de9a270.54@WebX.la2eafNXanI...

> Beth,
>
> I've also had an external drive for a couple of years
>
>
>
>
> I'm thinking of buying an external USB2.0 or Firewire drive of at least

120 GB capacity. I know it's more expensive than an internal drive, and I
know it's slower, but my plan is to use it for my photo archive. I would
copy files to the internal drive when I'm working on them, so the slower
access and data transfer rate would not be a problem.

> It would make migration to a new computer in a year or two a

non-problem...just plug it in and go!

> Whaddayathink?
> Bert

For my 2 cents worth, I would still buy an enclosure and put my own drive in
it. There is also the other point that if a pre-made external drive goes
belly up, you might not be able to open it or to replace the drive, with the
enclosure you know that you can; and trust me, it could not be any simpler.
Bear in mind thatt I enjoy building computers and their subsystems so I
found this a pleasent experience. The only difficultity I had was formating
the new "second" drive under Windows XP Pro. It seems that good 'ole Bill
took away those trusty standbys, Fdisk, Sys and format. A new procedure
MUST be used. Thanks Bill < grin >.


Tom

[Beth Haney]

That's pretty much how I've been doing it, and it's been working fine for me. It's especially handy because I have the two computers and can connect it to either one. When I rebuilt the desktop last Winter, I backed up all my data files to the external, and reloading everything on the new hard drive was really simple. I backed up the laptop last week, too, because hubby has that with him along with the camera. [My toys are gone!!! :( ]

You also might be surprised at how fast you can access the data. Mine is a 7200 rpm firewire, and if there's something on it I want to print, I don't need to copy the file, I just print from the external.

[Bert Bigelow]

Beth,

Mine is a 7200 rpm firewire




Firewire and USB 2.0 are both about the same bus data rate. USB spec is a little higher, but in actual tests that I've read about, they're about the same.
Bert

[Bert Bigelow]

Beth,

did you by any chance post the speeds for FW400 and FW800 backwards?




Nope. That's what the article said. It's on page 36 in the August PC World.
Bert