PPRuNe Forums - Future-proof HD backup?

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I volunteer as Computer Mechanic at an organization with some thousands of members. One of my tasks is to back up important files such as the membership data base. I do it roughly once a week. The source paper records are kept that long.

I have written a small BAT program which produces ZIP files of the membership data, the database programs that use the data, various correspondence directories (oops, folders) and copies of the accounting data. These ZIP files are collected into a directory / folder and I have written a simple C program which puts the date in the name of that folder.

This folder is then automatically written to a CD-RW in DLA mode (which I don't trust). I copy the dated folder of ZIP files to the other computer in the office. I also manually make two copies of the dated folder on CD-R disks, one of which I take home from the organization's office in case there is a disaster at the office such as a fire.

The result is six copies of the ZIPped data:
1) on the main PC,
2) on the secondary PC,
3) on a CD-R in the Office,
4) on a CD-R I take away,
5) on a CD-RW (DLA) in the office,
6) on a flash drive at the office (not mentioned above).

I put no more than about a dozen of the dated folders of the ZIPped data on a single CD - they don't seem to like as many as 16 folders on a single CD.

The automated writing to the DLA CD-RW came in very handy when I was in hospital* at the start of January 2007. We were still able to capture a year-end set of data. I phoned the not-very-computer-literate employee who was able to run the batch (BAT) program and produce the CD-RW.

While this may sound complicated, it takes less than ten minutes. Our PCs run Win XP. The BAT program goes though all the steps including writing the CD-RW. Transfer to the secondary PC and writing the CD-R disks is manual.

It doesn't answer the goal of continual backups as one changes file contents.

seacue

* gall bladder op on Boxing Day 2006, Angels isn't the only one to enjoy such attention.

Quote:

To take ownership of a file or folder:

Open Windows Explorer, and then locate the file or folder you want to take ownership of.
Right-click the file or folder, click Properties, and then click the Security tab.
Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
In the Change owner to box, click the new owner.

(Optional) To change the owner of all subcontainers and objects within the tree, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check box.

Notes

To open Windows Explorer, click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
If you are not joined to a domain and want to view the Security tab, see To display the Security tab.

You can transfer ownership in two ways:

The current owner can grant the Take ownership permission to others, allowing those users to take ownership at any time.
An administrator can take ownership of any file on the computer. However, the administrator cannot transfer ownership to others. This restriction keeps the administrator accountable.

CATIII-NDB,

It's all in Windows Help!

Although I seem to recall that XP Home and Pro differ in the availability of NTFS security.

Quote:

To display the Security tab:

Open Folder Options in Control Panel.
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click Folder Options.
On the View tab, under Advanced settings, clear Use simple file sharing

Thanks for that Saab - everyone watching this cut and paste Saab's advice into a doc ASAP - particularly if you are trying to access Win XP files backed up on another computer.

Saab. If we ever meet at a pprune do - I owe you a pint.

CAT III

Thank you all for your wisdom. I think that the clear conclusion to draw is that I should forget about the idea of a snapshot of the whole drive and simply copy my docs, address books, e-mails, favourites (there, you can see that I don't trust IE!) and other data to a DVD now and again and leave the software to be replaced with new stuff for the inevitably new OS which would come along in the event of failure of the current kit.

It's always worthwhile, helpful and stimulating to consult you chaps on here. I think that there has been some spin-off, which is not directly related to my question, which will have enlightened others too.

Thanks again!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keygrip (Post 4630348)

Any of you guru's have any comments, for or against, Carbonite?

www.carbonite.com

Seems to get around the fire/flood/theft idea as well as it remembers to do the cross pollination of data without human input (I think).

First I've heard of it, but it doesn't appear to be doing any more than Dropbox, which costs nothing for the first 2GB of space used.

Note that Outlook mail files need special handling, because they're stored in an odd location in your profile that is normally hidden from view. Microsoft has a document on this, here: How to manage .pst files in Outlook 2007, in Outlook 2003, and in Outlook 2002