I need a strong and affordable backup solution

I fear data loss or corruption, sources such as:
- Bad sectors
- Hardware damage
- Malware, like ransomware

Also, I have recovery needs, such as:
- Accidental deletions and renames
- Need to revert a file/folder to a previous version

I need a backup solution that is affordable and can really protect my data...

I thought of using NAS, but data loss due to power outage can still happen (no UPS) and it is expensive to maintain and replace every 3-5 years; the cheapest I found was 13,000 EGP (Drivestor 2, 2-Bay)

Main question: What volume are you backing up?

 

My current backup setup also relates to my Filing System. For example. I have a Folder "z - Current Stuff" (with sub-Folders), usually well below 250MB,  in which everything resides for the first 6 months of its existence, or thereabouts, before being transferred to it's permanent Folders.

 

I have, including the Family Archive of photos, about 1.25+TB of stuff.

 

Daily Backups are handled by a WD 2/2TB NAS Drive, Raid 0, protected by an Anti Surge Socket. I also do a Weekly Incremental Backup on an External HDD, which is kept in a Fireproof container (as I have no handy off-site storage).

 

I also backup the "z - Current Stuff" folder to thumb drives, on the 1st, 11th, and 21st of each month, I have 3 - 1 for each day, which are kept by the door, so that, in the event of a fire, i can grab them on the way out.

Edited by wee-eddie, 24 March 2023 - 03:19 AM.

Main question: What volume are you backing up?

I want to backup many separate folders from various places, but my main folder is located in volume "D"...
 

Daily Backups are handled by a WD 2/2TB NAS Drive, Raid 0, protected by an Anti Surge Socket. I also do a Weekly Incremental Backup on an External HDD, which is kept in a Fireproof container (as I have no handy off-site storage).
 
I also backup the "z - Current Stuff" folder to thumb drives, on the 1st, 11th, and 21st of each month, I have 3 - 1 for each day, which are kept by the door, so that, in the event of a fire, i can grab them on the way out.

I'm currently synchronizing less than 50 GiB total (me only), mainly on MEGA, some on Google Drive, and few in other places

I need automation, i.e., that I didn't have to manage the backups periodically, also buying just the first NAS device would cost way more than the price of my current PC (excluding peripherals)...

Are there any affordable and reliable cloud backup solutions that offer high level of protection for data (and of course private and secure)? At least for 50 GiB?

Edited by AZeed, 24 March 2023 - 09:41 PM.

Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service), specifically Glacier Flexible Retrieval.  In the USA, storing 500 GB (ten backups of 50 GB) would cost you about $3. Retrieving a 50 GB backup twice, so 100GB total, would cost $9. 

 

https://calculator.aws/

 

I'm currently synchronizing less than 50 GiB total (me only), mainly on MEGA, some on Google Drive, and few in other places

Maybe I don't fully understand, but 50 gigs is a small backup amount. I assume that all your 50gigs is on one main drive (?).

If so, then making a single image backup of the entire drive will do what you need. If you use an app that allows real-time access of the image to retrieve individual data files, you are set.  Macrium Reflect will do that, and 50gigs will take very little time. Save your image to an exterior backup drive and disconnect it from the system afterwards and you have all the security you need.

[EDIT]: Ok, I see that you seem to have mostly cloud storage. Sorry about that., in that case my suggestion may not work. To simplify, why don't you just keep a local data and backup drive? Save money and simplify things greatly.

Edited by ranchhand_, 17 April 2023 - 08:37 PM.

I'm currently synchronizing less than 50 GiB total (me only), mainly on MEGA, some on Google Drive, and few in other places

Maybe I don't fully understand, but 50 gigs is a small backup amount. I assume that all your 50gigs is on one main drive (?).
If so, then making a single image backup of the entire drive will do what you need. If you use an app that allows real-time access of the image to retrieve individual data files, you are set.  Macrium Reflect will do that, and 50gigs will take very little time. Save your image to an exterior backup drive and disconnect it from the system afterwards and you have all the security you need.
[EDIT]: Ok, I see that you seem to have mostly cloud storage. Sorry about that., in that case my suggestion may not work. To simplify, why don't you just keep a local data and backup drive? Save money and simplify things greatly.

But how do I protect data from bad sectors that may happen without me knowing until all backups are overwritten with corrupted data? what if backups themselves get corrupted?
 
I heard about par2 files, but they aren't widely supported, and I don't think they are as reliable as I expected (based on what I understand from here)

Edited by AZeed, 18 April 2023 - 12:40 AM.

The totally safest, most dependable system is an image backup system. In fact, that is the only real protection against ransomware, which is a far more dangerous reality you face than failed HDD or corrupted partitions. That is exactly what happens when what you fear occurs: all backups / partitions are overwritten in a matter of a few seconds with encryption which can't be broken. Ransomware is so common there is a separate section just for ransomware on this website, and it is one of the most active. Read through it.

You asked:

 

what if backups themselves get corrupted?

That does not happen because after you create your image backup to your exterior backup drive, even a flash drive if you want, you disconnect that drive from the whole system. Virus and ransomware cannot infect what they cannot access. In the event of an infection, or even if suddenly your main drive fails, you simply connect your backup drive, boot into a virtual restore program from a DVD or USB pen drive (which you have prepared in advance) and restore your system. In a few minutes your main drive (or new replacement drive) is overwritten with an exact duplicate (aka: image) of your present system, and you are back up and running like nothing happened. It will work every time.

In fact, one technique of installing your system on a brand new drive is exactly that process: you install the new drive, and restore your system image onto it and you are done. You have exactly the same system, programs, all data, and all configurations on the new drive and away you go. I have converted several HDD drives to SSD drives that way. Works every time.

As a bonus,  images (I use Macrium Reflect) are accessible to retrieve individual file & folders; just drag & drop them onto your Windows desktop, no matter how old the image is. That is why I keep at least three image files on my backup drive going back 3 months.

It's all pluses and no minuses.

 

Alright, but I find not much people talking about preventing corruption due to disk issues (like bad sectors), I mean if part of the image is corrupted, I think it would be corrupted as a whole

The thing is, at least if ransomware has infected my PC, I would know that, but I may never know if some files were corrupted by bad sectors until it's too late and they are gone from all remaining backups

Edited by AZeed, 18 April 2023 - 04:17 PM.

Ok...let's take this one point at a time. First, you still don't have a clear idea what a disk image is. Go HERE and review.

 

Corrupted partitions: If you have a corrupted operating system you won't even be able to boot with it. OR you may get the dreaded BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death). You definitely will know if you have a corrupted partition.  This is a SOFTWARE problem.

Bad Sectors: this refers refers to your drive. Certain parts of the drive may get damaged. This is a MECHANICAL problem, not an operating system (aka Windows) software problem. You will not know if you have bad sectors until you scan your drive with a scanner, such as Seatools (free). You can have bad sectors but your operating system is still operable. If Windows detects a bad sector, it will skip that sector and save data to a good sector.

Failed Drive: this is a MECHANICAL, fatal failure of the drive itself and you must purchase a new one.

 

If you have a corrupted partition (operating system) you will know it. You will have problems booting, and if you should somehow actually get Windows to boot, it probably will crash eventually. Why would you make an image backup of this?? Of course, you wouldn't. What you do is whip out your most recent backup of the good system, and re-image back onto the drive. That might fix it, except you better make it top priority to find out why your system corrupted.

If the drive failed ("broke") you purchase a new drive. Whip out your most recent image and restore to that drive and in a few minutes you are up & running with your good system and data.

 

 

I may never know if some files were corrupted by bad sectors until it's too late

Files do not get corrupted by bad sectors. As I explained above, Windows marks those sectors on the partition and doesn't use them. Your data is safe.

Read this:  https://www.howtogeek.com/173463/bad-sectors-explained-why-hard-drives-get-bad-sectors-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/

 

That is why you always do a drive image backup whenever you add new data. That is the cardinal rule. Doing that is the only complete safeguard safety-net for your system/data. All the experienced, regular members of this forum use image backups on a regular basis.

AZeed: There is no answer to your problem, because you keep moving the goalposts.

 

If you had taken the time to research the Subject of Back-ups, you would know that it is recommended the you keep a minimum of 3 copies of every piece of data that you have.

 

Some people accept that the Copy that you have on your PC is one of the 3. Others suggest that you should have 3 copies, as well as the copy on your PC.

 

Whereas, the likelihood of one failing is, for example, once in 10 years is fairly slim (I have been running PCs for over 30 years and not had a failure yet). The likelihood of 2 failing, at the same time, is longer than the odds at Roulette and, of all 3 failing at the same time, similar to the odds on a major lottery win.

 

On the same basis, the odds on the same files being corrupted on all 3 back-ups, is vanishingly small.

I use Acronis True Image. Works fine for me.

What sort of back-up you do matters rather less than that you do do back-ups. I use two 2TB external hard drives for data back-ups and have two other 1TB drives for cloning my C:\ drive which is a 1TB SSD. Currently a 2TB USB 3 external HD costs £60 - £70 in the UK, 1TB a little cheaper, 4TB about 50% more (your local mileage may vary !).

 

Cloning is good !  It has saved my bacon twice, once due to a drive failure and once due to me doing something incredibly stupid !  I am not going to say what I did in case any one is tempted to try it themselves but it wrecked my OS.

 

I keep all my own work in a folder on my C:\ drive called 'work file' which makes copying it to an external just a matter of copying one folder, music and photos are treated separately. I back this up about once a month. Clones I make whenever a major feature update comes along unless I have some other reason to do it.

 

Remember that your own data is the only irreplaceable stuff on your computer. If it is not backed up and you suffer a major drive failure it is gone.

 

Chris Cosgrove