What is the optimal method for backing up your computer in 2022?
What is the optimal method for backing up your computer in 2022?
I also avoid relying heavily on automation, using Macrium images only occasionally. When I need a significant update, I usually create backups.
The main gaming computer receives less focus because most of it is protected by cloud saves and similar methods. (I recently lost a local Diablo II Resurrected character after the main drive failed, which was just a few days of play—mostly my first attempt at the new version). I have snapshots of some older PC configurations, but it’s hard to access anything beyond them. The ease of tools like GoG helps fill this gap, and for most other games I still have copies on discs or can easily obtain through piracy. (I’m confident in my physical copies as long as I own them; discs are inconvenient, but I’ve converted many old games to ISO files.)
The laptop is stored on its original 1TB hard drive, though it only has a 256GB SSD. (This should be upgraded to an external SSD soon. The drive is aging rapidly.)
The HTPC boot disk is saved on a brand-new 4TB internal drive. Every few months, I transfer important folders to a set of 3TB loose drives that include various snapshots. Even older data lives on a 1.5 TB drive.
Small files are also backed up to 32GB flash drives, which I refresh every year. (The older ones are converted into bootable OSes, installation media, or recovery tools.)
Eventually, I plan to convert one of my systems into a NAS. I briefly tried FreeNAS, but it proved unstable for reasons I never fully understood. It would frequently disconnect from the network and make my Windows PCs panic whenever you approached the root of the file explorer, often leaving them inaccessible.
The positive aspect of this discussion is that individuals are considering data backups and taking action.
A significant portion of the issues we encounter would be easily resolved with proper backups.