External Storage options HDD
Discussion
Hoping someone can give some advice on storage options.
I've been a Dropbox user for years and love that it's integrated and looks like the Windows storage folders on my PC.
I can drag and drop files, it is very easy to use and zero hassle.
The only files that do go onto my own PC's storage is if I click download, which goes to 'Downloads', if I ned to save it I move across to the appropriate Dropbox folder and rename, Same with printer scans.
The main thing it holds, and main benefit was my photo uploads (as phones years back has much less storage). I have auto upload from my phone so every image I've created it dutifully saved online without hassle.
I have several spreadsheets I use on a daily basis, mainly personal accounting, this accounts for around 40MB
Current Dropbox capacity is 283GB and the cost is around £100 per year. I've spent around £900 so far with another £100 due soon.
Options
1. PC is dual partition which I dislike but C: is 40GB free and D: is 1.71TB free. I could just move everything to PC but risk of losing if it goes kaput.
2. I'm an Android user so pestered to backup to Google Photos (£95pa). I could use that service as a more up to date type of software. I think it offered Google Drive for Documents but I'm not practically comfortable with that. I like my own Excel.
3. I could buy an external HDD and copy everything over. Assume I can just USB plug in my phone and cop over any photos every 6 months or so.
Any thoughts? I meant to ask this years ago but always comes around to subscription time and I just auto renew.
I've been a Dropbox user for years and love that it's integrated and looks like the Windows storage folders on my PC.
I can drag and drop files, it is very easy to use and zero hassle.
The only files that do go onto my own PC's storage is if I click download, which goes to 'Downloads', if I ned to save it I move across to the appropriate Dropbox folder and rename, Same with printer scans.
The main thing it holds, and main benefit was my photo uploads (as phones years back has much less storage). I have auto upload from my phone so every image I've created it dutifully saved online without hassle.
I have several spreadsheets I use on a daily basis, mainly personal accounting, this accounts for around 40MB
Current Dropbox capacity is 283GB and the cost is around £100 per year. I've spent around £900 so far with another £100 due soon.
Options
1. PC is dual partition which I dislike but C: is 40GB free and D: is 1.71TB free. I could just move everything to PC but risk of losing if it goes kaput.
2. I'm an Android user so pestered to backup to Google Photos (£95pa). I could use that service as a more up to date type of software. I think it offered Google Drive for Documents but I'm not practically comfortable with that. I like my own Excel.
3. I could buy an external HDD and copy everything over. Assume I can just USB plug in my phone and cop over any photos every 6 months or so.
Any thoughts? I meant to ask this years ago but always comes around to subscription time and I just auto renew.
I just bought the cheapest 4Tb thing in Currys.
When you say it's just £100 a year, it doesn't sound much but it adds up. £900?!
At least with Microsoft you get access to the latest software suite which may be useful for some.
The downside with these hardware options is that they can fail and then you're stuffed. Mind you, the only reason I got a 1Tb after my 300Gb one (10 years old) was because I was running out of space. And then the 4Tb after the 1Tb one (2 years old). Maybe I need to think about getting a replacement every 3 years and selling the old one?
When you say it's just £100 a year, it doesn't sound much but it adds up. £900?!
At least with Microsoft you get access to the latest software suite which may be useful for some.
The downside with these hardware options is that they can fail and then you're stuffed. Mind you, the only reason I got a 1Tb after my 300Gb one (10 years old) was because I was running out of space. And then the 4Tb after the 1Tb one (2 years old). Maybe I need to think about getting a replacement every 3 years and selling the old one?
Edited by Hoofy on Friday 3rd January 11:20
I'm leaning towards moving everything over to PC from now, working from that and cancelling the Dropbox.
Then source a HDD or SSD, I'm not sure which is best/most reliable and putting a copy of everything on there as backup.
Most of the phone camera pics these days are rubbish so I guess I can select the important ones and somehow work out a way to get them onto PC and subsequently backed up.
Then source a HDD or SSD, I'm not sure which is best/most reliable and putting a copy of everything on there as backup.
Most of the phone camera pics these days are rubbish so I guess I can select the important ones and somehow work out a way to get them onto PC and subsequently backed up.
That sounds like a lot of photos... Is it a one way thing, where every photo you take gets uploaded, but stays in dropbox when you delete it on your phone? If so that sounds excessive. I have just done a quick check on my iCloud account, where I have 7,000 photos, since getting an iPhone in 2008, but that only takes up 23GB - and is already a pain to find what I want. I would not want 10x that volume.
With regards to HDD vs SSD, I would go for HDD for capacity and SDD for speed, so if it is just going to be a copy of your PC, I'd go HDD. Personally I would go for 2 HDDs and keep one offsite, so that if your house floods/burns down you at least have a copy elsewhere.
With regards to HDD vs SSD, I would go for HDD for capacity and SDD for speed, so if it is just going to be a copy of your PC, I'd go HDD. Personally I would go for 2 HDDs and keep one offsite, so that if your house floods/burns down you at least have a copy elsewhere.
Yes correct, every photo for 10 years, plus copied over what I had stored locally previously. Was useful when kids were younger and phone storage was much more restricted.
Much less now, or what there is isn't as important. Annoying if I lost it but just that, annoying.
If anyone can recommend a HDD or SDD that would be a great help. Don't mind paying a bit extra for quality, speed and reliability.
Much less now, or what there is isn't as important. Annoying if I lost it but just that, annoying.
If anyone can recommend a HDD or SDD that would be a great help. Don't mind paying a bit extra for quality, speed and reliability.
If going for local (ie non-Cloud) storage, bear in mind the rule of three: that is unless there's three copies of the data (main copy + 2 backups) you can't rely on it being there when you need it.
And to be extra cautious, one of the backups should be stored in a different location.
Not difficult, but each layer of security implies more involvement by the user.
And finally, it's prudent to check that you can actually read the back up copies!
And to be extra cautious, one of the backups should be stored in a different location.
Not difficult, but each layer of security implies more involvement by the user.
And finally, it's prudent to check that you can actually read the back up copies!
I had a similar issue, I had a 1tb BT Cloud account that they have now closed, and a Dropbox account that was just not big enough so did some investigations and downloaded FolderSync Pro that allows me to automate my Picture backups to a local Nas drive, there are loads of parameters like use WiFi only and only backup when charging and a multitude of other, bit of a bargain for £5.99 I think...
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hstewie said:
hstewie said: When the hard drive breaks or you make a mistake that £100 will seem like a bargain.
Yep, depends on how much you need the files.I think my files are moderately important but if the S hits the fan, the only files that really matter are my accounts. Maybe I need to double back them up.
OPer, what about 2x 4Tb drives. It's only about £150 for two drives. Keep one next to the PC and the other somewhere else if you really want to play it safe!
Edit: oops, someone already said this. Anyway, I agree with them.
Edited by Hoofy on Saturday 4th January 10:49
Take the point about the importance of the files.
Not specific to Dropbox but as a general comment have a read of this.
Dropbox Security Whitepaper
Ask yourself how close you can get to that with a couple of hard drives.
They have their place but it might provoke some thoughts
Not specific to Dropbox but as a general comment have a read of this.
Dropbox Security Whitepaper
Ask yourself how close you can get to that with a couple of hard drives.
They have their place but it might provoke some thoughts
Keypad said:
If going for local (ie non-Cloud) storage, bear in mind the rule of three: that is unless there's three copies of the data (main copy + 2 backups) you can't rely on it being there when you need it.
And to be extra cautious, one of the backups should be stored in a different location.
Not difficult, but each layer of security implies more involvement by the user.
And finally, it's prudent to check that you can actually read the back up copies!
What he said.And to be extra cautious, one of the backups should be stored in a different location.
Not difficult, but each layer of security implies more involvement by the user.
And finally, it's prudent to check that you can actually read the back up copies!
I use WD HDD drives, SSD will be overkill for backups. I would get 2, keep one of them off site and swap them every week or so if possible.
Well, that's it all moved back onto PC. Took and age due to slow transfer rate but it's done, all 280GB, 47133 files!
Dropbox emptied and subscription cancelled.
Ordered WD 1TB Elements portable external hard drive, USB 3.0 interface, portable external storage, Plug-and-Play, SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1. £52.
Size is fine and by the time I'm at capacity We'll be on newer tech.
cheers all.
Dropbox emptied and subscription cancelled.
Ordered WD 1TB Elements portable external hard drive, USB 3.0 interface, portable external storage, Plug-and-Play, SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1. £52.
Size is fine and by the time I'm at capacity We'll be on newer tech.
cheers all.
I just got a SanDisk G-Drive. SanDisk/WD are the only spinning drives I will use.
I had a previous one for 5 years without issue. But I need a bigger one now.
https://www.scan.co.uk/products/6tb-sandisk-profes...
I had a previous one for 5 years without issue. But I need a bigger one now.
https://www.scan.co.uk/products/6tb-sandisk-profes...
If you have a Family Office 365 subscription for £79/year, you get 6TB of OneDrive across 6 users. Works the same way as Dropbox and will backup any folders you indicate on your PC plus photos from your phone - and does this for all the family.
I turn off Google Photo backup on my phone as I'm not paying for that as well.
I also have a Synology NAS that gets copies up all PCs, Laptops and phone Photos - backing to the spare Office Accounts as well.
I turn off Google Photo backup on my phone as I'm not paying for that as well.
I also have a Synology NAS that gets copies up all PCs, Laptops and phone Photos - backing to the spare Office Accounts as well.
If you have a lot of data then get 2x large capacity external USB3 HDDs.
Choose one as the 'main' disk for your data and designate the other as a your backup. Then use some sort of sync tool to regularly sync the main to the backup. Synctoy in Windows power toys works quite well or if you are using a Linux distro then rsync is pretty good and built in to the system (though it won't handle deletions).
I've been using a small low powered box with an internal SSD for the OS plus workspace and an external 8TB USB3 drive for all the data, as a home fileserver for years. I run an rsync to a second USB3 drive anything from 1-3 times a week. Works great. If the main drive was to ever die I could be back in business (minus whatever had been added since my last sync) in minutes. Right now the main box is a Raspberry Pi 4 as I wanted to have a play with that and it works just as well as the old x86 NUC style box I had been using for years. The Pi works off a USB power supply and sips power. The disk in the main 8TB HDD caddy is set to power down after 15mins of non-access and is only consuming 6-7W of power when fully active anyway. It's a great file and media server solution and also pulls duty as a proxy server for when I'm away and usenet downloader.
Choose one as the 'main' disk for your data and designate the other as a your backup. Then use some sort of sync tool to regularly sync the main to the backup. Synctoy in Windows power toys works quite well or if you are using a Linux distro then rsync is pretty good and built in to the system (though it won't handle deletions).
I've been using a small low powered box with an internal SSD for the OS plus workspace and an external 8TB USB3 drive for all the data, as a home fileserver for years. I run an rsync to a second USB3 drive anything from 1-3 times a week. Works great. If the main drive was to ever die I could be back in business (minus whatever had been added since my last sync) in minutes. Right now the main box is a Raspberry Pi 4 as I wanted to have a play with that and it works just as well as the old x86 NUC style box I had been using for years. The Pi works off a USB power supply and sips power. The disk in the main 8TB HDD caddy is set to power down after 15mins of non-access and is only consuming 6-7W of power when fully active anyway. It's a great file and media server solution and also pulls duty as a proxy server for when I'm away and usenet downloader.
I have Google drive / photos and pay for it out of my google rewards money. Upload some receipts occasionally, earn money via google rewards and that pays for my modest 200gb storage. I wish they would do something between 200gb and 2tb offering. something like 500gb but not happening. I won't ever need to pay for 2TB, but a bit more would be nice!
jesusbuiltmycar said:
Be careful with WD - they now mark their RED (NAS drives) drives as ‘Warning’ as soon as they reach 3 years of age - regardless of whether their is actually a problem … built in obsolescence at its worst.
Also Sandisk pebble SSDs should also be avoided
I get this with My MyCloudMirror and the Red drives in that. Says it's failing but it's actually fine. Am looking at a different NAS solution as it's so slow too and I want a lot more storage. Will probably be Synology but it's £££. Also Sandisk pebble SSDs should also be avoided
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