Buying a new Computer - Q&A

[Ruff_Hi]

Here is my current backup solution. Requirements:
1 x 1TB internal drive
2 x 500Gb external drive
some software
work location different from home

I think I have my data back up routine as good as I can get it ... this is what it is:

• my file structure:
  • system and progs on C drive
    
  • data on D drive
    
• automatic events each night
  • incremental backup of C and D to X drive (internal) each night
    
  • contact of all backups (0th and preceding 5 generations) on X drive are archived to external drive each night
    
• automatic event each Tuesday
  • a new incremental cycle (generation) is started and the preceding 5 generations are moved down a slot (0 to 1, 1 to 2, ... 4 to 5, 5 removed) on X drive
    
• about every 5 or 6 weeks (not automatic), I swap the external drive with another that I keep at work
  

It is a combination of 3 pieces of software ...

1. http://www.acronis.com/ for the incremental backup / images. I have 2009 and it does that I need. They seem to tweak their interface every year, (re)introduce bugs and generally piss people off with their new versions.
   
2. A batch file(s) set up that someone wrote to interact with acronis (has tons of options and works like a dream) for the generational backups. You have to get your acronis scheduled tasks set up right if you are Type-A about backup file names ... but that isn't too hard.
   
3. http://www.scootersoftware.com/ (beyond compare) for the syncronization of my internal backup drive with my external drive. Beyond compare can be scripted and kicked off with a batch file.
   

Acronis has 'batch file' options that can run pre-backup and post backup. The generation batch file runs pre and the sync beyond compare batch file runs post.

My backups kick off at 1am so it never bothers me - Tuesday is the longest run (full backup) and finishes by 3am or so.

My data isn't critical, not work related or anything like that ... but I want it backed up. I have lost data before so I know what not having it backed up feels like.

[antisocialmunky]

Magnetic Tape is the most reliable backup media.

[kjn]

My backup system was similar to Ruff's, but less elaborate. I had two external 1TB hard drives (disposables) which backed up my MacBook (at home) and my work computer (at the office), using the built-in backup software (Time Machine for the mac, Windows backup for the work computer). Every month the two hard drives switched places, so I had an off-site backup.

I think the key questions is: how many computers are you planning to back up?

[Ruff_Hi]

Can macs and PCs backup to the same disk? If so, how do I do that? I am trying to include my wife's mac into my backup routine.

[kjn]

Can macs and PCs backup to the same disk? If so, how do I do that? I am trying to include my wife's mac into my backup routine.

Some Mac OS backup software allow copying to NTFS disks, but it's not something I would recommend without prior research and testing (it meant large amounts of critical data hadn't been properly backed up at an old office where I worked, granted this was in the old ugly Mac OS 9 and NT/95/98 days).

What I've done is partitioned the two disks in two parts: one NTFS and one Mac OS Extended. Windows treats the Mac OS Extended partition as empty, and Mac OS can read (but not write) NTFS.

I'd probably take a closer look at Crashplan, to manage the backups in a mixed network (a piece of advice that I probably should follow myself).

[sunrise089]

Regoarrarr, you don't do work from home, do you?

I continue to feel people vastly over-think data backups. IMHO reinstalling the OS and some programs is a trivial risk considering how reliable PCs are these days. If what you care about if pictures, videos, documents, etc I'd just put those things in a folder on your main hard drive, buy a cheap external harddrive, and copy the folder over periodically. That solution btw is <$100, lasts several years, and takes perhaps 15 minutes of time per month.

[nabaxo]

I use Dropbox myself. It's fairly cheap and I don't mind having my back-up being taken care of elsewhere.

[Ruff_Hi]

Clear ... zapppp ... thread necro in progress.

My PC has happily chugged along very nicely. Last addition was a slightly bigger screen so that I can actually see more. Nice part is that the physical size of the screen is actually smaller (sits closer to the desk).

Anyway - I have given up trying to stream the recordings that I have on my PC to my samsung TV upstairs. Instead, I have decided to look into getting a HTPC (Home Theatre PC). There are some that are prebuilt and allow for you to expand, but (before sunrise yells at me) I've decided to give building one myself a go.

So ... any suggestions?

I think I need the following:

1. computer case
   
2. power
   
3. ram
   
4. mother board
   
5. HDD
   
6. CPU
   
7. TV tuner
   
8. windows OS
   
9. DVD blu ray player
   

[NobleHelium]

You could look into Intel's Next Unit of Computing (NUC) form factor or derivatives like Gigabyte's BRIX. Not sure if they're actually worth it cost-wise, but they're like a router in size and are quite appealing aesthetically for HTPCs.

[Ruff_Hi]

You could look into Intel's Next Unit of Computing (NUC) form factor or derivatives like Gigabyte's BRIX. Not sure if they're actually worth it cost-wise, but they're like a router in size and are quite appealing aesthetically for HTPCs.

From what I have read, that is where I was heading too (small footprint). I am actually looking at a silverstone case.



Silverstone also have a NUC style that is super small.

dimensions for above case ...


dimensions for NUC style case ...