Specific Backup Needs

I'm a photographer, just built a new computer and feel I need to review my backup needs and solutions.

I had a hard disk go bad on my old system (first ever SMART errors) and my backup software didn't see some pictures in some bad sectors and wiped them from my backup drive. I managed to recover them and think I could have prevented it with different settings.

I'm running Windows 7 and have 2x1tb drives and 2x2tb drives in the case. I've also got a mix of external drives. What I think I want to do is clone the 1tb drive which will have OS all programs and about 500gig of images. If the drive fails I want to be able to change the boot sequence and keep working. The 2tb drive(s) I'd like to do file based incremental backups on. I want scheduled backups (copies really) to be 2 way without the software removing any files from the backup. Periodically I will manually scrub my deleted pictures from the backup.

I've been using Syncback which I think will do the second part for me if I get the settings correct but I've also been looking at EASUS and Macrium and am about to see what Synctoy will do.

Oh, I also suppose I need a bootable cd/dvd.

 

Oops. I've also been thinking about partitioning the 1tb with 500 gig for OS and programs and 500gig for images. OS is already installed but no programs.

 

If you have a lot of irreplaceable photos, documents, etc., I highly recommend adding an online backup service (such as Carbonite) to your backup regiment.

Even with RAID and on-site backups, you are still exposed to risk based on all the media stored at one location.

Fire? Flood? Tornado? Theft? Ooops. :cry

Think it can't happen? Think again. I do freelance ad work. Two years ago my house was broken in to; the a--holes stole both my main PC (RAID 1) and external backup drive. Without the Carbonite backup, I would have lost over 10 years of work.

Carbonite is one of the better deals out there. You get unlimited backup of one internal drive for $55/year (although Carbonite has recently added a clause that backups in excess of 200GB per account may be "throttled"). Although an initial backup of 100+ GB may take days to complete depending on your upload speeds, it will backup new files automatically. In addition, it gives you remote secure access to all backed-up files.

(...and no, I do not work for Carbonite. I'm just sharing the importance of off-site/online backups based on actual experience. )