External Backup Disk

[bm]

We decided after the last complete crash of this system it would be a good Idea to have some sort of backup so we went and got Drive Image 7 from Amazon. I thought it might be a good Idea to get an external Harddrive to store the backups. The new backup disk would have to be able to store a backup from 2 computers. one with a 120Gb disk and the other with a 40Gb disk. Im not sure on what size to get as I think the Software compresses the Backup but to what extent I dont know. If it compresses it hugely the new system comes with a DVD writer so I could use that (And the smaller disk PC has a CD-RW).

A. Is getting an external disk a good Idea?
B. Can anyone reccomend one?

Thanks for your help!

[GeForce]

A. Getting an external drive is a great idea, but it need not be external.
B. I cannot really recommend a drive because there are so many out there. Remember to get one that is big enough. Compression depeneds on what you are backing up.

If you get an external drive, get a USB 2.0/Firewire drive. Don't get USB 1.1, it will be way too slow.

Hope that helps a bit.

Jonathan

[bm]

Thanks GeForce, I shall go ahead and get one! I went into PC world (partly for a laugh to see the prices but I thought it might at least have a decent range!). The biggest they had was an 80Gb external disk at

[GeForce]

Hi,

Couple of options here. If you want to get an external drive and live in the UK, I recommend Maplin (www.maplin.co.uk). They have a lot of computer stuff and at quite reasonable prices. Firewire is the best choice.

Your other option is to get an internal drive and install it on one computer, then network them. The advantage of this is that you can share documents, printers, internet connections and more.

Make sure you get 7200rpm and at least 120Gb for a backup drive. External is fine, but if it were me, I would go for an internal. It is safer in there . If you get external, be sure to keep it well ventilated, and not to jog it while data is going to and from it.

Getting a backup drive though, is a very good idea, I got one myself a couple of weeks ago.

Hope that helps a bit more

Jonathan

[IanR]

I bought Acronis imaging software and store the image for my PC on a second 120 gB HDD I added to the system.  I work on the principle that only 1 HDD will go down the pan at any one time  ;).  Being on the IDE bus this drive is as fast as the system - an external drive must, as pointed out above, be USB2 or Firewire.  I take an image twice a week and keep the most recent one as well as the new one on this drive.  The image of my C: drive (which is a 40gB drive) is about 20 gB with no, or very little compression, and takes about 25 minutes to make.  I would never go through the horrors again of rebuilding a PC with all that I now run - I have restored the image several times after having had trouble with new software - before I install most things I take an image first !  You can also make a Boot CD with Acronis (and all the other similar packages) and therefore boot from this if the need arises to restore the image.

Good luck

IanR