Personal backups

[GregHess]

I use a Raid 1 Array on my primary workstation, combined with DVD-R's (Also +R's) and an external firewire drive to ghost the drive too.

[dvornik]

Thanks, Greg. I'm waiting for DVD-R drives to get into $200 range. Raid 1 sounds like a good idea, could you describe your setup in more detail? I think I would use ghost for a system drive and Raid 1 for data drives.

Oh, by the way, how do you make ghost work with firewire drives? I wanted to set it up and couldn't. Do they have DOS drivers or something? Which drives are you using, we are planing to buy a couple.

[quinox]

/me just plugs in old hdd's

[GregHess]

Hey Dvornik,

Check www.hot-deals.org. I was able to pick up the Sony DRU-500A for around 250 USD a few months ago because of a combination of deals. You might be able to snag one of the earlier burners with some coupons for under 200 USD.

As for the ghosting... I'm ghosting to a image file and then copying that file to the firewire drive. Truthfully I haven't yet done this (As I just installed the firewire drive about 2 days ago). Thats my plan at least. Once the system's all setup and flawlessly clean, I'll do some trial runs and tell you how they do.

I will be using Norton Ghost 2003...in that makes a diffy.

[CarlCampbell]

I can burn DVD-R's. 2.7 GB to be exact. Greg, know of any superior DVD? Btw, the ones at my local store are called DVD-RAM's, happen to know why? I dunno myself.
Ghosting sounds interesting, that must be that it is identical to your HD of choice, right? So how do you start that off? is it a special function or do you simply duplicate your data and then tell your drive to copy all new files to the external HD too?

Personally, I've always preffered tangible data (aka silicone disks) cuz unless you actually destroy them, data cannot be harmed, right? But it really sucks to burn lotsa CD's and never know when is the right moment to make a new backup. There's also the dilemna of wether to delete old files or simply get them off your computer.

I've heard that nowadays you can simply buy an HD and then get some sorta periferal that lets you install the HD into that and make it available through firewire. Any info on this?

Carl :beer:

[GregHess]

"Btw, the ones at my local store are called DVD-RAM's, happen to know why? "

There are three standards. DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM. Dvd ram is like a floppy or a zip disk. You can write to it without needing to go through a 3rd party program. However virtually nothing can read the disks sans another dvd-ram.

Most of the discs out now are 4.7 gigs, what burner are you using to write too?

"So how do you start that off? "

Norton Ghost 2003 is the program you use. It does it all for you. :) Its made by symantec.

"I've heard that nowadays you can simply buy an HD and then get some sorta periferal that lets you install the HD into that and make it available through firewire. Any info on this?"

Ya thats what I just did. Its working thus far. I'll post more info on it once I verify the USB 2.0 functionality of it. I'm still a bit sketchy about the whole thing.

[CarlCampbell]

Originally posted by GregHess
However virtually nothing can read the disks sans another dvd-ram.

Does that mean that only DVD writers that are capable of writing DVD-RAMs can read them or what?

According to what you said, that means I can just drag and drop, huh? And do I get my space back if I delete files?

Btw, I'm using a PHILIPS DVD+RW-D28

Carl

[GregHess]

A DVD-RAM requires a DVD-RAM Drive. The disks are in little caddy's.

You can't write or read to a dvd-ram if you have a DVD+RW, your media is DVD+RW only. You should be able to use 4.7 gig disks...and if not, check to see if your burner has a firmware update to add support for higher capacity disks.

If you had a DVD-RAM drive...then yes, I believe you can just drag and drop to the disks.

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