External HDD problem

[#1]

I did that using Ubuntu Live CD and copied the files over the network to another computer

The fact that the disk needed to be mounted in read only just complicated it https://community.plus.net/t5/Tech-Help-Software-Hardware-etc/Unmountable-Disc-Volume-Windows-10/m-p...

[#2]

Why not buy a 1TB in a caddy, format it and boot up from a USB key (or CD) into Linux and:-

Copy your important files to the Caddy.

Ubuntu has a file manager that allows copy and paste etc...

When you eventually sort out your PC you can use the caddy as a backup device, if you don't already have a backup device.

Linux has some extra features to speed this up - but you don't need these.

[#3]

Thanks for all the advice, will have to wait until the HDD arrives before proceeding further.

Knowing what external HDD to get was not easy, they vary in price and feedback on Amazon irrespective of drive choosen include a number of 1 to 3 star ratings.

Cost of getting a SSD is out of the question so have gone for a fairly cheap Seagate Drive 1TB, should it fail at some future date and providing I no longer use the failing drive other than to transfer everything my data should still be safe if I ever need to transfer the data again on to another drive.

[#4]

I would also recommend getting a Blu Ray burner and discs, as an additional backup. Just in case.

Depends if you're using a desktop computer or laptop.

From memory I think mine cost about £80 from Maplin, can't remember how much the discs were but not much. Depends on whether you can afford it.

Also I used free software called ImgBurn which worked fine, and is free 

[#5]

Will Linux play nicely with NTFS or will the new drive need to be formatted exFAT?

[#6]

yes it does as the thread I linked to had an NTFS formatted disk

[#7]

Windows tries to read the disk/volume format and gives up completely when it cannot.  Does anyone understand how Linux manages to work around this problem?  

[#8]

There is a thread on superuser that has some answers.

http://superuser.com/questions/586666/why-can-linux-systems-sometime-recover-data-windows-cant-any-c...

[#9]

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@Alex wrote:

I would also recommend getting a Blu Ray burner and discs, as an additional backup. Just in case.

Depends if you're using a desktop computer or laptop.

From memory I think mine cost about £80 from Maplin, can't remember how much the discs were but not much. Depends on whether you can afford it.

Also I used free software called ImgBurn which worked fine, and is free 

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But is it not better to have 2 external drives keeping a copy of everything on each drive as it's highly unlikely both drives would fail at the same time ? Say the cost of an extra external drive is £ 60 to £ 70 would that not be a cheaper option ?

[#10]

Slightly cheaper, but that is not much. It's an option but I would prefer the Blu Ray approach.

If you wanted to be really adventurous you could get 4 disks, and set them up as a RAID 5 array. 

I had that on my old HP Microserver but I think the Mobo has died now. Shame as I do miss it. Luckily the only thing I care about is my photos and I have them all now.

[#11]

I have an external hard drive that I copy all my data on to and I follow up with dvd's, 

the problem with drives is the most likely things to kill an unused external drive is fire or static discharge .... if that occurs having two external drives in the same property is just as useless as having none... 

your best bet is to have something like the Microsoft onedrive account (storage as large as you pay for, but the first terabyte is free with an office subscription) as well as an external drive in your home

the external drive you just mirror everything off your main drive that you keep inside your pc... the onedrive or whatever you set up similarly as a mirror copy of everything, this gives you offsite and onsite backup,  for a belt and braces approach you can also store anything important on dvd's a friend or relatives place (this can be a reciprocal arrangement) 

using drives is more convenient than discs because of storage space and the ability to simply clone the backups, but there susceptible to a blown powersupply or electricity failure just like the drive in the pc is.. so I also put it all on physical media as an analogue copy which will take a lot longer to reload but its definably safer than online or drive backups particularly if its also on a remote site ....

as for cost of drives, you can get 1tb external drives from about £40 and they do the exact same job as more expensive versions, plus if your only using them once a week as a ready backup should your pc drive die then your not loosing anything but I would still be creating the dvd's for anything important

[#12]

Having had trouble with an on-line backup company recently, I would use them as a backup of a backup (if you know what I mean), but I would never solely rely on one.

Mind you, you'd think a big name like Microsoft would be better than the company I used. Though I guess you could fall into that trap assuming so, and find it isn't when you need it.

[#13]

yeah that's why you should in my view utilise multiple options, online spare disk locally and another medium that's not susceptible to the same flaws, dvd (or blu rays) are not prone to the same problems of ESD that disk drives are, although they are susceptible to fire, which makes them the  perfect option for stashing elsewhere, not least of which is because you can just write a new disc and add it to the stash as required..... if I had anything that valuable though I would use a safety deposit box for storing them in... but someone house that's at least a few streets away (if not further) is just as good for more general stuff...

as we used to say "belt n braces", which back in the day was copy In the safe in another building on site, copy in a safe in a different site, 3 networked sites with a copy each, a local network copy and a ready to upload copy in the office.... was a nuisance to have to put the copies in the two safes though every Friday... but at least we had them for when required (and iirc we did need them twice at one unit and thrice at another due to network failures as well as storage corruptions and a transformer overload)  but the ability to get back up and running in under 12 hours without loss of data was a godsend (otherwise it would of been a case of sitting down after replacing the hardware and typing everything in from the paper backups that were printed daily) 

I guess you do as you require though, last time I had a drive fail I was able to swap it out and reload the data off an external hard drive in under 40 minutes....doesn't mean next time will be so easy /

[#14]

The ideal is to have two PC's & do a network backup over your LAN.

Another possibility is to do incremental backups where you do a full backup, followed by daily backups of the differences...

[#15]

Yes exactly, and I can't pass judgement because I don't practise what I preach, so to say:

• If it is an external company, what is to stop them from shutting down? Obviously less likely with Microsoft, Apple et al, but I think you know what I mean. For the subscription you may as well do the job yourself.
• Recordable media can fail. I should burn multiple copies and keep them at different locations. For example my house and my parents. Yes it's a pain to keep them updated, but for the cost of the blanks it is not much. Then backup when you feel needed. e.g. If since the last backup there is nothing else needed don't bother, if you've just come back from holiday/event and taken more photos then do.
• I was a bit jokey about the RAID suggestion, but with Ransomware and having not very nice people write it (I would say that in one word but better not!), now people have worked out they can write Malware, to not only screw your computer up and now make money out of it too, it will continue and no doubt become more sophisticated.