#1February 24th, 2009 · 10:12 PM
77 threads / 45 songs
2,296 posts
United States of America
Crashhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Well, it finally happened to me 4 days ago. My computer crashed. I lost all files that I had...I had to rebuild my comp from scratch...But, I was wise. I didn't lose any Music files or lyrics ....I had put everything on Cds...so, if you want to be safe... copy your stuff to Cds or any other program you can...I would have died if I lost everything that I worked for....dont wai't...copy your files

Flyer
#2February 24th, 2009 · 10:27 PM
181 threads / 54 songs
1,932 posts
Canada
Great advice man.
Good thing you had everything saved.

I dont have much stuff, but what i do have is on an external hard drive.
#3February 25th, 2009 · 01:28 AM
117 threads / 20 songs
1,422 posts
United States of America
Yeah..

If (oooh, the big terrible 'if'... you knew it was coming) you can afford it, a good way to try to prevent data loss is with a "RAID" hard drive setup.  Conceptually, you have yourself at least 2 hard drives (of the same capacity, ideally), and the computer's "raid controller" can actually have a live backup of your data at all times.

It beats trying to make manual backups of stuff.

A "RAID-2" setup requires 2 hard drives.  they mirror each other, so that if you lose one, the other is still stands when the smoke clears.  Probably the most logical choice if you like the idea, and if you've got a computer that's new enough.

RAID-4 or RAID-5 setups are a little different, because you have 4 or 5 hard drives, but the computer decides where to put your data in an 'magical' intelligent way.  If you lose any 1 hard drive, you'll have a backup between the data held on the remaining ones.  So, bottom line is that your computer only sees one hard drive, but you have magic backups, and you actually can get more space out of that "one" hard drive.  Hard to explain, and usually not the route for personal computers :P  If you're interested, let me know, but otherwise, you prolly don't care and I'm just typing because that's what I do all day at work anyway
#4February 25th, 2009 · 08:41 AM
77 threads / 45 songs
2,296 posts
United States of America
.
Im deff interested TLS....I never heard of that system....my comp is  about 4 yrs old...but its still in pretty good shape I think....I would like to check out that program...I prob could use it...
#5February 25th, 2009 · 09:25 AM
181 threads / 54 songs
1,932 posts
Canada
Woah thats a really cool system!
Ill have to look into that for one of my computers.

(We have it hooked up to our 42 inch lcd tv)
#6February 25th, 2009 · 08:18 PM
128 threads / 44 songs
2,814 posts
Puerto Rico
Aggh you too..Man yes it sucks ,I did loose everything on mine..
#7February 25th, 2009 · 09:52 PM
77 threads / 45 songs
2,296 posts
United States of America
.
Yeah I know you did Marino..I was a little bit on the lucky side I say....to have about 98% of my work saved...and what I did lose I have posted on music sites so, I can download lyrics/music from the sites...


Flyer
#8February 26th, 2009 · 12:49 PM
341 threads / 59 songs
4,361 posts
Cymru (Wales)
TonightsLastSong wrote…
Yeah..

If (oooh, the big terrible 'if'... you knew it was coming) you can afford it, a good way to try to prevent data loss is with a "RAID" hard drive setup.  Conceptually, you have yourself at least 2 hard drives (of the same capacity, ideally), and the computer's "raid controller" can actually have a live backup of your data at all times.

It beats trying to make manual backups of stuff.

A "RAID-2" setup requires 2 hard drives.  they mirror each other, so that if you lose one, the other is still stands when the smoke clears.  Probably the most logical choice if you like the idea, and if you've got a computer that's new enough.

RAID-4 or RAID-5 setups are a little different, because you have 4 or 5 hard drives, but the computer decides where to put your data in an 'magical' intelligent way.  If you lose any 1 hard drive, you'll have a backup between the data held on the remaining ones.  So, bottom line is that your computer only sees one hard drive, but you have magic backups, and you actually can get more space out of that "one" hard drive.  Hard to explain, and usually not the route for personal computers :P  If you're interested, let me know, but otherwise, you prolly don't care and I'm just typing because that's what I do all day at work anyway :D

But your motherboard has to have a RAID function / ability, someone with an older PC might not have RAID built in.

FLYER wrote…
Im deff interested TLS....I never heard of that system....my comp is  about 4 yrs old...but its still in pretty good shape I think....I would like to check out that program...I prob could use it...
: It's not a program, it's part of your motherboard (or not) , you need special RAID HDs which are connected to the motherboard via a red cable (usually) and small connectors (not the long IDE connector with lots of pins). If you dont have the CD that came with the RAID HD it can be a little tricky installing the drivers, I had to copy them to a floppy disk and install them with the WindowsXP installation CD.
But if you get it sussed it's meant to be a very good way of securing your data.

Though to be honest at the moment USB external HDs seam like the best bet, the chances that both your HD and your External HD will 'self destruct' at exactly the same time is minimal wouldn't you say ?
And any other reason for a so called crash will not result in data loss.......if your HDs are still alive in any way and not formatted you can ALWAYS get MOST of your data back.
 
As for CDs .... CDs.....CDs......CDs.....and even More CDs......
#9February 28th, 2009 · 05:27 PM
117 threads / 20 songs
1,422 posts
United States of America
though, you *can* get RAID software to do the job, too, but it won't be as robust as having your computer's "motherboard" support it by nature.

You would probably be best off looking at  new computer if you want to get that.  RAID-4/5 is what web site computers will often use, since it's simply not acceptable to have a hard drive failure.  For home use, RAID-2 is probably the more logical choice.

Though, as kings has said, an external hard drive is often just as good for home use, except that you have to manually make sure you back things up.

If you really are still interested in this whole RAID thing, I could point you to a few links online to show some computers & prices.  It's always a little hassle to work a new computer up from scratch, but it can often be worth it.  Things are pretty dang cheap these days.  Even with a $120 shipping fee, I got my current computer for just over $500, and it'll be a nice solid machine for a few years to come!
#10February 28th, 2009 · 06:19 PM
160 threads / 33 songs
1,965 posts
United States of America
TonightsLastSong wrote…
Yeah..

If (oooh, the big terrible 'if'... you knew it was coming) you can afford it, a good way to try to prevent data loss is with a "RAID" hard drive setup.  Conceptually, you have yourself at least 2 hard drives (of the same capacity, ideally), and the computer's "raid controller" can actually have a live backup of your data at all times.

It beats trying to make manual backups of stuff.

A "RAID-2" setup requires 2 hard drives.  they mirror each other, so that if you lose one, the other is still stands when the smoke clears.  Probably the most logical choice if you like the idea, and if you've got a computer that's new enough.

RAID-4 or RAID-5 setups are a little different, because you have 4 or 5 hard drives, but the computer decides where to put your data in an 'magical' intelligent way.  If you lose any 1 hard drive, you'll have a backup between the data held on the remaining ones.  So, bottom line is that your computer only sees one hard drive, but you have magic backups, and you actually can get more space out of that "one" hard drive.  Hard to explain, and usually not the route for personal computers :P  If you're interested, let me know, but otherwise, you prolly don't care and I'm just typing because that's what I do all day at work anyway :D


   You did better at explaining this than I did.  I use the RAID 2 for now. I am thinking of adding an external hard drive array later on.  like the Glyph drives.for back up and audio/video file storage.

Most motherboards put out in the last few years support the RAID systems.
#11March 1st, 2009 · 04:37 AM
189 threads / 27 songs
2,834 posts
Germany
All RAID systems don't prevent from loosing data.
If the files are damaged then they are damaged on ALL drives in this arrays (virus or bit faults)
This only works if a harddisk has any hardware problems and seems to dismount. Mirroring systems show the same behaviour.
That's why IT manager count on backup their data into a professional storage system like storage libraries (those systems contain special harddrives and a tape copy system) controlled by "intelligent" software like Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM-Backup)
I guess the costs for private use are exorbitant.
To prevent loosing data a USB stick is fine and cheap same for a backup on CD or DVD
#12March 1st, 2009 · 04:48 AM
160 threads / 33 songs
1,965 posts
United States of America
TritonKeyboarder wrote…
All RAID systems don't prevent from loosing data.
If the files are damaged then they are damaged on ALL drives in this arrays (virus or bit faults)
This only works if a harddisk has any hardware problems and seems to dismount. Mirroring systems show the same behaviour.
That's why IT manager count on backup their data into a professional storage system like storage libraries (those systems contain special harddrives and a tape copy system) controlled by "intelligent" software like Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM-Backup)
I guess the costs for private use are exorbitant.
To prevent loosing data a USB stick is fine and cheap same for a backup on CD or DVD

The RAID works fine if the HD fails from phsyical problems.. and no not all files are damaged , HDrives only destroy data when they write. you can have your C drive crash and if you don't re format you can pull most of the data off of it. unless the disk itself is damaged.

 Yes you should use back ups all the time. I have all my programs backedup. and my important files backed up
but lots of my day to day BS. I don't need backed up. I do let the 2nd hd mirror the C drive , it is a waste of HD but if the 1st one fails (physical) and existing files are on both drives, the files will not be damaged on the 2nd drive.  imho I do believe the info comes from RAM and is written to both HD independently.
#13March 1st, 2009 · 07:30 AM
341 threads / 59 songs
4,361 posts
Cymru (Wales)
toastedgoat wrote…
you can have your C drive crash and if you don't re format you can pull most of the data off of it. unless the disk itself is damaged.
I do believe that a clean/uncluttered/regularly defragmented system ensures much better results when recovering data.
I installed a second XP on a partition and used it as my main system for about 6 months, I didn't even start up C:, after some time I kept on getting the startup test screen "one of your hds needs to be checked for consistency.....press any key to abort..... " and my whole system was slow, then all of a sudden the whole HD was gone, just like that, I had had some warnings but didn't see them as warnings.
I hit the whole HD with partition doctor programs and recovery programs and recovered (with structure) all the other partitions....but not the main XP system I was using, all I found back were mostly bits of text files ..... millions of them, because I hadn't defragmented in all that time bits of data/programs were scattered everywhere around the HD surface , these scattered bits were then recovered as text files because there was not enough info to join the data back into files and folders.

So keep your system tidy , which is only good for a smooth running system anyway, but it really helps when recovering lost data too.

Sata Raid systems are a lot quicker too by the way, when I had mine running (not the 2hd system, just 1) it would clearly transfer data much faster than the normal HDs.

I just find it less hassle to plug an External USB HD in , and I can take it with me as well, and I can have LOADS of them!  
#14March 1st, 2009 · 11:19 AM
160 threads / 33 songs
1,965 posts
United States of America
yes defraging the hd is a must. I have mine set up to do it automatically to both drives.  My plan is to get an external hd array.  with removable drives.. looking at the glyph drives , but there are others out there. I am shopping now. For now I used the mirrored drive and back up my files to cd's.
#15March 1st, 2009 · 09:59 PM
117 threads / 20 songs
1,422 posts
United States of America
Despite TK's comments, I'd still rather go RAID.  Usually data loss doesn't come from messing up while saving to the HD.

If you're using your files regularly (like a music project file), then you should already be working from the foundational fact that your files work correctly.  So, if they already work correctly, then your backup will work correctly.

If your primary files that you work from are busted, then... using any other backup system would not magically fix *that*.  You'd be screwed one way or the other if your primary copy doesn't work :P

I'm actually working on a blog entry about how to sorta-build your own computer.  ("sorta" because its about picking good parts, rather than buying a pre-built one from a store shelf.  The blog entry isn't about actually assembling pieces.  Instead, it's about knowing which pieces you want.)  I'll maybe post a link here for good measure later on, once I finish it.
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