Why Backup? Here Are NINE Good Reasons (and ANSWERS to YOUR backup questions) - Comments Page 2

I regularly do weekly backups - but much prefer using the "cloning" option of backup software. The cloning process takes a bit longer - but I do it at the end of my computing day and set the computer to automatically shut down when completed.

Cloning can be a better option in a number of ways:

- There is no need to create or update a "bootable recovery disk", since the clone is an exact copy of the original.

- Individual files are easily available on the cloned USB disk to be transferred to other offline computers for updating music, photo, or video files.

- Alternate backup software programs may be used without concerns about compatibility with different backup recovery disks or algorithms.

Despite the longer time required for cloning - these advantages work well for me!

@PeteFior Cloning is usually be a bad option in a number of ways:

-There is the time element already mentioned. This can become a huge issue when dealing with large volumes.

-Repeated cloning causes unnecessary writes, not a particularly large problem on an HDD but a huge one on SSDs since it will cause premature exhaustion of remaining TBWs (TeraByte Writes).

-If your data is segregated from your System (OS and programs) files (which it should be, even the computer has only one drive), a folder/file syncing program will give you what is essentially a clone of your data files on which you can access all your files, same as an actual clone. Since only new, changed, and deleted files are involved with folder/file syncing, updating a backup can be very fast with far fewer writes. Also, the better folder/file syncing programs have a feature called Versioning which will direct any files deleted from the backup drive to a user designated Versioning folder or drive. This protects you from accidental deletion, something cloning will not do.

-Making rescue media, even when making more than one for planned redundancy (having a spare or two in case one fails), takes only a few minutes instead of as much as a few hours. I use small, inexpensive USB flash drives from reputable manufacturers (Kingston is my favorite) and have yet to have one fail (still, I like being prepared). The drives take up very little drawer or laptop bag space.

-When imaging just the OS and programs (for this, the OS and programs need to be on their own drive or partition and data on a separate drive[s] or partition), the amount of room to store the image is 60-70% of the full size of the drive or partition thanks to compression. You can also keep several images on a drive so, if the last previous image is problematic, you can go back to an earlier one. In your scenario, let's say a virus sneaks in past your AV protection (it happens more often than you may think), say a week ago, the clone you made the day before (and every day for a week) will also be infected. Depending on the software used, restoring an image can be much faster than restoring a clone.

There are occasions where cloning would be appropriate. Drive duplication, such as when moving from an older drive to a newer one, is what cloning is intended to be used for.

I carry two backup drives with each of my notebook computers. Both are clones of the drive in the computer. My notebook drives are divided into four partitions: System Reserved, C:/, Data only, and the factory recovery partition. I carry clones so, if the drive in the computer goes belly up and cannot be restored, I can pull out the deceased drive and replace it with one of the clones (a bit of a chore but still doable, even when on the road).

For updating the backup clones, I use folder/file syncing to update the data drive. I keep images of the System Reserved and C:/ partitions on the data partition (which gets backed up on the backup drives). I don't worry about the factory recovery partition. Every once in a while I will reclone the system Reserved and C:/ partitions to the backup drives. This way, I keep writes to a minimum, critical since the computer drive and backup drives are SSDs (2TB in two of the notebooks; the other one still uses 500GB drives). It also saves me a huge amount of time.

The data on my notebooks are also on one of my desktop data drives so I do a two way sync between them using one of the notebook backup drives as a sneaker net (some folders on the desktop drive are excluded from the sync).

@Jeannie Your position critical of systematic cloning is appreciated - but our situations are quite different and unique for the following reasons:

1) The extra time element for cloning is not important to me, since I perform my clones at night before retiring and configure Acronis True Image 2013 to shut down my computer upon completion.

2) Acronis TI 2013 has an especially fast cloning feature (about 35 minutes) because it shuts down Windows and utilizes its own OS for its cloning function. Most newer backup utilities (including Acronis 2018) are extremely sloooow and take about 2 hours.

3) All my backup drives are HDD's - and either USB 3.0 or eSATA for maximum transfer speed - so unnecessary writes are no concern for me at all.

4) I do keep all my data on separate partitions, as you suggest, but I do not use a laptop, tablet, or smartphone - and I only have my main desktop connected to the router/internet/network so a folder/file syncing program is not called for in my situation.

5) I do have a few offline "vintage" desktops which I use mainly for music and video - which can easily be updated by copying data folders from my online computer backup HDD. I can also use these computers for occasional full data backups.

6) Finally, I am retired and not as sophisticated a computer user as you - so simplicity is of primary importance to me - and my cloning system is about as simple as it gets! Thanks for your excellent suggestions for all Bob's "feedback" readers and the additional knowledge given to me, as well.

@PeteFior

3. Even though excessive writes are not nearly as critical for HDDs as they are for SSDs, they still can cause premature failure.

4. Methinks you are misunderstanding the purpose for folder/file syncing. It's not only for syncing between computers. It can also be used for syncing between a computer drive and a backup drive.

For backing up data, when set for Mirror mode (not the same as RAID 1) the folder/file syncing program will compare data on the source drive with the data on the backup drive. Any new or changed data that is on the source drive but is not on the backup drive will be copied from the source drive to the backup drive. Any data that is on the backup drive but isn't on the source drive will be deleted from the source drive.

The result will essentially be a clone of the source drive on the backup drive. The biggest differences, however, is, with folder/file syncing you can pick and choose which folders you are going to backup, the amount of time required (which you feel is not an issue for you which is fine), and, with clones, any files you may have accidentally deleted will be permanently lost.

The better folder/file syncing programs have a feature called Versioning, which, when enabled, will send files deleted from the backup drive to a user designated versioning drive or folder. This protects against accidentally deleted files.

5. A folder/file syncing program will simplify that job.

6. I'm also a retiree pushing 70 and not as computer sophisticated as you seem to believe. I will grant you that simple cloning is as simple as it gets but, once set up, folder file syncing and imaging are just as simple to use, are far more versatile, and are faster.

Keep in mind that your clones only backup your computer as it was for the day you made the clone. If a virus crept in or you got a bad program or OS update, two days before, you could be out of luck because you clone also backed that up.

With images of just the OS and programs only, you can keep several of them so you can go back as far as you need. That has saved me at least twice that I can think of.

You have your computer set to turn off after the clone is finished but what about the drive the clone was put onto? If it's still powered up overnight, a power surge could take it out. If it runs 24/7, it will be connected to your computer again the next time you fire it up, making it vulnerable to viruses and other malware.

For a backup drive to a true backup drive, it MUST be kept powered down and disconnected from the computer and stored away from the computer except while updating a backup.

I just save all my personal files on Microsoft OneDrive. Like Bob said, files stored on the cloud is MUCH safer than storing them on a hard drive. No work, no hassle making backups. Windows 10 comes with OneDrive included, and you get 5GB free storage.

A couple of years ago, my laptop hard drive crashed. I got it replaced with a new SSD hard drive with Windows 10. All I had to do was boot up, log into my OneDrive account, and that's it, all my files were there.

I don't know why others don't do the same. It's so easy.

Famous last words:

"You can trust the 'cloud'". It has 256 bit encryption, halon fire extinguishers, armed guards and barbed wire,etc.

Bob, really, you don't think the NSA has a foot thick cable running into each 'cloud' server SUCKING up every last bit and byte?

I trust NO ONE! And when you mention google and microsoft, my God man, they're the most untrustworthy orgs on the planet.

Happily purchased your Backup ebook but was surprised not to find any reference to backing up a Linux computer.
I remember in you being one of the gurus in my earlier use of linux. Now I am fully into Linux and would have liked some input into backups from you. Is there a hidden reference to Linux backup somewhere in your many articles?

@Errol When and where did you buy the e-book? Mr. Rankin appears to have dropped off the planet. His last article back on the 18th had promised another article the next day but, so far, I have yet to see any articles since the 18th, let alone an announcement of his new e-book on backups.

EDITOR'S NOTE: So sorry you missed all my recent messages! Yahoo is pretty bad when it comes to filtering out lots of legit messages.