New to advanced storage solutions: Best options for redundant storage?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
H

hammer326

Distinguished
Nov 29, 2012
98
0
18,630
Hello,

I'm seeking a more intuitive way to achieve a fairly simple goal. I have a folder, aptly named "titanic folder of important crap." It contains my most important files and is saved on two HDD's, one external, one internal. As it stands, I have a shortcut to each folder on my desktop and when I want to save something in them, I simply save it to each one. Problem is, when moving bigger stuff I often get impatient or otherwise forget to save it to the other drive.

This has left me with two largely identical folders but not verbatim. What I first want to do is merge them so I have a "master" folder from the combination of these folders. At that point, I want to figure out something better than the current system. ideally, I'd like a single shortcut on my desktop which I could then open and save things to, but automatically save said files to both of what would then be identical folders. What are my options? Is there some way to "sync" 2 HDD's like that? Is that what cloning and/or RAIDS are?

Again really new to this so thanks in advance for any help.

 
Solution
W
Why do you need to duplicate the contents in real time? Configure Windows backup to back up the folder on the primary drive to the folder on the secondary drive.

1) Open the Start Menu and type Backup and Restore. Open the resulting program.
2) Click Back Up Now. An options screen appears.
3) Select the secondary drive where you'd like the copy to reside and select Next
4) When it asks what to back up, select Let Me Decide and select the folder you wish to be backed up. Of course you can include other important things if you wish. Click Next when done.
5) The Backup Summary appears. Verify that you're happy with your settings. Also note the option to change the backup schedule, this is the only part of the setup process that lets you...
Sort by date Sort by votes
W

weberdarren97

Glorious
Aug 10, 2015
8,137
6
45,615
Why do you need to duplicate the contents in real time? Configure Windows backup to back up the folder on the primary drive to the folder on the secondary drive.

1) Open the Start Menu and type Backup and Restore. Open the resulting program.
2) Click Back Up Now. An options screen appears.
3) Select the secondary drive where you'd like the copy to reside and select Next
4) When it asks what to back up, select Let Me Decide and select the folder you wish to be backed up. Of course you can include other important things if you wish. Click Next when done.
5) The Backup Summary appears. Verify that you're happy with your settings. Also note the option to change the backup schedule, this is the only part of the setup process that lets you change the schedule. You can go back and change it later, but I like to just do it right the first time.
6) Click Save Settings and Run Backup. Windows begins backing up your selected directories. Feel free to continue using your computer while this process completes.

This will help you to be sure you've got everything you need in the master folder.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
W

weberdarren97

Glorious
Aug 10, 2015
8,137
6
45,615
As for cloning and RAID, these are not for these purposes.

Cloning does what the name suggests. It copies all data from one drive onto another drive. This includes partition information and boot sector information. It can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 5 hours depending on the size and speed of your drives. This method is not ideal for your usage scenario.

RAID is not going to do what you want it to do. I could go on about this for awhile, but these guys have a nice simple explanation for you. Just like cloning, RAID requires two HDDs (or SSDs). Once configured for RAID, the second drive can't be used for anything else unless you delete the array and format the drive.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
W

weberdarren97

Glorious
Aug 10, 2015
8,137
6
45,615
I admit that storage solutions are not my strong suit. If what I mentioned makes sense and you think it will work for you, then go for it. If you need me to clarify something, just ask.

If you're more confused now than when you started, just leave the question unanswered and wait for a more knowledgeable user to come across your post.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
H

hammer326

Distinguished
Nov 29, 2012
98
0
18,630
All very helpful indeed Darren, rest assured. I'm fumbling through windows backup now. Pretty straightforward so far, but it seems to dump a copy of whatever folder I designate to whatever drive, so I'm opting to manually make sure everything of importance is accounted for on at least one drive which I will then back up to the other unless there's some better way to do this, but largely the answers I seek. I'll leave the thread open at least for tomorrow for the sake of seeing what else I can learn, but thanks!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
W

weberdarren97

Glorious
Aug 10, 2015
8,137
6
45,615
I noticed you're keeping both copies local. One's inside the machine and the other is external?

Here's my checklist to make sure your backups don't become lost in the event of a system failure.
1) Have at least one copy of everything not connected to the computer's power supply. If the power supply takes a crap, you don't want it to destroy both copies, right?
2) Have a surge protector between at least one of the backup drives (you're only using one) and the outlet. If lightning strikes a telephone pole, this will help to protect your equipment.
3) Disconnect the backup drives from everything when they're not in use. If something happens and your surge protector fails to protect your gear, you had better hope your backup drive wasn't plugged in.

I always recommend unplugging your equipment during severe storms, although I have noticed that the power grid has become much more stable in the past 10 years (at least in my area).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
H

hammer326

Distinguished
Nov 29, 2012
98
0
18,630



You are correct in that assumption, one internal HDD, one external HDD.

Great advice if a little excessive, I've never had any component die on account of a power outage. Hell on my last build when I was real stupid I was cutting or splicing a wire while it was on or something (idk either) and jammed a knife in there and suddenly the rig shut down lmao, everytihing booted back up fine. Anecdotal information aside, I appreciate the tips.

On to the actual issue: I've followed the rest of the above to the letter, I know have a successful windows backup of the contents of the internal on the external. I'm still not sure this is my best bet though, allow me to further clarify::

The main reason I set things up this way initially have to do with most of the files I store. While most is extraneous pictures, videos, etc. that can sit in a folder unmolested for 8 years for all I care, the far more important files are things like photoshop and video editor files. Were I to open one of, say, the former, edit it a bit and resave, I would save it to one folder manually, then the other, just as basic redundant backup.

The initial backup took hours last night. For that specific above purpose of photoshop file storage, is wndows backup really the best bet? If I change one file over the course of this week, do I really have to save it to drive A, and then run backup of the WHOLE FOLDER AGAIN and waste all this time compared to the old system? Or does backup automatically detect that NOTHING else about the contents changed short of that one file and finished in like 5 minutes?

Again, my ideal scenario is simple: A shortcut to a folder on my desktop which opens a window that is actually showing me an identical folder on two drives which I can then drag and drop things into to save them, which then begins them being saved on both drives. Is there really no way to do that, to...in simpler terms...slave or daisy chain two drives to each other, perhaps even such that only one icon shows up in my computer? I'm sorry, I'm still very ignorant of all of this but to ask again, isn't either a RAID or a group of cloned hard drives literally that verbatim?


Thank you so much again.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
H

hammer326

Distinguished
Nov 29, 2012
98
0
18,630
Not to necropost, but solution picked, I've long since simply used windows backup to achieve what I want to, and while I've not yet actually attempted to restore from said backup, it's exactly the size of the main folder so I have no evidence that it's dysfunctional. Great help, thanks!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom