On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 12:48 PM Javier Perez <pepebuho(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Hi
I have my /home partition on a 2TB HDD drive about half full. Should be doing regular
backups but not in the habit.
What is better?
A. Purchase a second 2TB to create a Raid1 mirror or
B. Purchase a second 4TB drive for backup purposes.
If you care about the data at all, then B is the top priority.
If case B, should I get a USB3.0 adapter or similar so that I could
just plug the HDD, let it do the backup and unplug and store it? Or is it better to
install it on another networked pc and do it through the network?
Whichever is more reliably/consistently connected or available for
doing backups.
The network solution is a bit more complicated, but overall I find it
more convenient. USB enclosures are notoriously flaky with the myriad
bridge chipsets floating about; and even name brand USB bus support
doesn't help. I advise getting a good USB hub. Don't expect that a
direct connection between USB drive enclosure and the computer
provides a more reliable connection. I have a dyconn USB hub with a
power supply providing 2.5A, which for a 4-port hub. If you look at
the specs for laptop hard drives, all want upwards of 1A for spinup
and around 0.35A during use. So there's a power aspect to making sure
the drives have the power they need, without wigging out, and there's
a data stream rewrite aspect to the hub that in a sense "cleans up"
the flaky communication between host and device.
--
Chris Murphy