next step after cloning

theyoungwag said:

Hi RolandJS, learnt my lesson, got a 2tb external usb hd, and now set to back-up on auto every 2 weeks. I thank you very much for you help and advice, it restores my faith a little in human nature. Have a nice time at Christmas.

In a nutshell, data isn't reasonably safe unless it exists in three places, such as on the computer, on an onsite backup drive, and on an offsite backup of some kind. Getting that backup drive was a great beginning and is much, much better than no backups at all but, if and when your budget can stand it, you should get a second one to keep offsite somewhere so you won't lose all your data if the worst should happen, such as a house fire that destroys your computer and you onsite backup.

I normally do not recommend using automatic backups since they normally require the backup drive to be kept connected to the computer at all times. An exception would be an external backup drive with automatic backup software that starts up whenever you connect the drive to the computer. However, for a drive to be a true backup, it should be kept powered down and disconnected from the computer and stored somewhere out of sight of the computer, such as in a drawer (preferably in another room but that's not always practical). Otherwise, it will susceptible to loss from malware, power outages, etc. the same as the data in your computer.

Keep in mind that any data that hasn't been backed up on the backup drive will be lost if it gets lost in the computer so frequent backups are imperative. Backing up on a schedule is fine but you should also run a backup whenever you add important data you don't want to lose to your computer.

theyoungwag said:

...Lady F, the old adage is "your mother is ALWAYS right ". did you forget that?...

Nope. Mama was always right, no matter how wrong she was. I was once young and stupid (now I'm old and a little less stupid).

theyoungwag said:

...Iso files seem as if they may be a minefield, proceed with care...

Actually, they aren't but the software I recommended, although easy to use once you know how, is intimidating to use the first time because of the lousy (in my opinion, I still a little stupid, remember?) instructions. They are a gold mine for backing up program discs. The software for directly reading .ISO files is as easy to use as the drive normally used to access a program disc.

theyoungwag said:

...The back-up has now been changed to manual, thanks for that snippet, the external hd unplugged and put away...

Good move! Just keep in mind that data that hasn't been backed up cannot be recovered so be sure to backup frequently. How frequently depends how often you add or change data and how critical that data is so it will vary from person to person. How often may even vary from time to time.

theyoungwag said:

...This " in the cloud " thing, good idea no doubt, but I am a bit wary of something that I cannot see, must be the age.
I am reminded of the sayings " can of worms " and " Pandoras box "...

Granted, "the cloud" has some pitfalls but those are easily avoided as long as you know what they are. Then the cloud can be an excellent alternative for an offsite backup.

The advantages include the ease of keeping your offsite backup up to date with no effort on your part and limited versioning.

The disadvantages can include a long initial upload (that depends upon how much data you are uploading), it's a monthly or yearly expense (depending on the plan) instead of a one time buy (such as for an external HDD), there are some file size and type restrictions (which can be mitigated by spending more money), a long download time if you need to recover all your data, and a lack of security if you choose the wrong kind of cloud service.

One thing to keep in mind is cloud backup services are not the same as cloud storage sites. Cloud storage sites merely store your data. You have to manually upload the data. Security and reliability can be issues, especially with the free and inexpensive sites since, unless you encrypt it yourself, the data isn't encrypted and hackers can access it. The free sites and inexpensive sites are also notorious for disappearing with little or no warning.

On the other hand, a good, paid cloud backup service will put software on your computer that monitors for any new, changed, or deleted software, then encrypts that data before it is sent from your computer to the backup service's servers via the cloud (aka internet). Paid backup servers will usually have better backup systems, such as backup generators and air conditioning systems (servers make good furnaces), and better onsite physical security (better guards and meaner dogs?).

The two cloud backup services I currently recommend are Carbonite and Backblaze.

Again, backups are better discussed in a separate thread dedicated to the subject rather than in a thread dedicated to cloning (btw, cloning, while great for duplicating a drive or making an initial backup, is not the best choice for updating a backup).

theyoungwag said:

...Oh, one other thing, about " threads ", am I doing wrong, should I have started a new one every time?...

Technically, you have nothing wrong (in fact, your willingness to learn is everything right). I suggested moving new topics to new threads because it makes it easier for others to find that information and also learn from what you are learning. So, you're just fine.

For example, the backups I've suggested for you are only the simplest and safest for most users. Others can have more complex needs. You would probably blanch (most people do) at how extreme and complex (aka OCD and paranoid) a scheme I use involving a set of four backup drives for each data drive in my computer (currently, four; that will increase in the not too distant future) and a hybrid of cloud backups and offsite SSDs for my offsite backups. I normally will not recommend that extreme a scheme for most people; they simply do not need it.

"...extreme and complex (aka OCD and paranoid) a scheme I use involving a set of four backup drives for each data drive in my computer..." -- hey, I resemble that! -- Roland Dangerfield

Actually, I have 2 usb ext HDs for each of my two laptops and a few spares for replacing the ones that go out or wear out.