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Storage: Is a 4.5 year old hard drive too old to use for backup?
Is a 4.5 year old hard drive too old to use for backup?
by mitts2010 - 5/8/08 3:24 PMI bought a new laptop, and I am really trying to have the best backup system I can. So right now I have my documents (excel files, essays, etc.) and my most important family pictures backing up to Mozy every night. But that only gives me 2gb. But that's enough for the most crucial files.
And then I took the 40gb drive out of my old laptop and put it into an external enclosure and back everything up to that (I only have 16gb of files, I try to delete/burn to DVD things that can be replaced or I will never use again). But that is 4.5 years old. Is that too old to use? Or should I just replace it when it fails, because what are the chances both drives will fail at the same time?
It's a copy. Not backup.
by R. Proffitt
- 5/8/08 3:35 PM
In reply to: Is a 4.5 year old hard drive too old to use for backup? by mitts2010
To qualify as backup we need a write protect switch at the very least.
Yes, a fine thing to copy stuff to.
Bob
...
by mitts2010 - 5/8/08 3:41 PM In reply to: It's a copy. Not backup. by R. Proffitt
Well every few months I burn a DVD set and place put it in the bank at a different city. So I won't loose that much data if something happens.
old hard drive
by kbwphoto - 5/9/08 8:03 PM In reply to: It's a copy. Not backup. by R. Proffitt
I tried that and lost it all so i would say a 4.5 year old hard drive is out dated " western digital told me thatmost Hard drives only have like a 5 year life span "
4.5 yrs. is dated
by Willy - 5/9/08 7:24 AM In reply to: Is a 4.5 year old hard drive too old to use for backup? by mitts2010If data is that important that you DVD save it and then place in a bank box, well what is a few more $ for a new HD. Let's be honest, a new HD really isn't that costly when your data is considered. But, to answer your question, a used HD is just that, used but in what condition and form was it used in. Being laptop model, etc., suggests it maybe robust and if it works, go for it. HD drives do fail but rarely at the same time unless prone to power issues. All in all its up to you, though still continue you're DVD saving scheme.
tada -----Willy 
Drive Life
by ronjon - 5/9/08 8:48 PM In reply to: Is a 4.5 year old hard drive too old to use for backup? by mitts2010If you check out the literature on the various technical sites, you will see that a hard drive, after its initial bedding down period, is expected to have a service life of between 3 and 5 years; why do you think most consumer level HD's have a three year warranty?
However, for the ordinary user, one has to consider how heavily it was used during its life in a laptop, and how frequently it suffered environmental extremes of heat/cold etc. In addition in its current usage, it is more likely to suffer higher forces when it is moved around, dropped on a desk, etc, than would be expected when used protected inside a laptop.
Given that any copy/backup is better than none, I would consider using and old laptop drive like this a false economy, given the low price of storage these days, and I think for you on-line storage may well be the best solution, ensuring that it is refreshed on a regular basis.
While backing up to DVD's seems a reasonable step, it would be wise to remember that the longevity of DVD's as an archival storage medium has yet to be proven; again, these should be refreshed/replaced on a regular basis if you wish to ensure the possibility of data retrieval at some future time.
Answer
by skmshaffer - 5/9/08 9:15 PM In reply to: Is a 4.5 year old hard drive too old to use for backup? by mitts2010No it is not too old it will work just fine
Yes if....
by Bullseyestrat - 5/9/08 9:39 PM In reply to: Answer by skmshafferIts still in good shape and you haven't had any problems with it. I have a number of hard drives ranging from 1 year to over 13 years old and they still work.
Four and one half years, letg it rest in peace.
by msgale - 5/9/08 9:51 PM In reply to: Yes if.... by BullseyestratI too have some old drive, the oldest are still working are 11 years old. The are way beyond the useful life expenency , and therefore I do not use them for anything important. Old drives are old technology IDE v: SATA or SCSI v: SAS, 4,200 or 5,400 RPM v: 7,200 or 10,000 RPM. Also, with the price of new disks so low, I would buy a new disk.
...
by mitts2010 - 5/9/08 11:17 PM In reply to: Four and one half years, letg it rest in peace. by msgaleI also have a 10 year old hard drive that is still in working condition, I don't use it for anything, but it works. So I don't know if I should trust this one. But I guess when it fails I just go buy a new one and click the "run" but in Synctoy and everything is back the way it was in 20 minutes.
I do
by Dango517 - 5/10/08 3:16 AM In reply to: Is a 4.5 year old hard drive too old to use for backup? by mitts2010but I don't keep to many important items on this PC except photos and these I triple backup to two drives and USB, some photos I upload to a photographic web site as well.
I have Vista installed on two drives and manually move those files I wish to save using a 512MB memory stick. (from C:, to memory stick, to D:) The second drive is seldom used so it should last a very long time, in fact not being used often enough is perhaps this method of backups greatest weakness. Things that sit rust and become corroded.
As was mentioned, if this data is important enough to store in a safety deposit box then a new drive is a small price to pay for its' safety. In fact you might want a second computer to back it up to, on or off site. There are online companies that can backup the entire contents of your computer, OS and all for a fee. Enhanced security practices would need to be used to insure there safety, encryption and maybe a pipe. The vendor would assist you with the needed information/procedures for transporting these files.
Usage, not age, matters
by Rick75230 - 5/10/08 3:26 AM In reply to: Is a 4.5 year old hard drive too old to use for backup? by mitts2010The issue is not the age of the drive but the usage. For instance, I do not leave my computers running constantly. Therefore, my office computer runs about 45 hours per week and my home computer runs maybe 25. Manufacturers expect a hard disk to last about 3 years of CONTINUOUS use, which is about 26,280 hours. So, for instance, in my case the hard disk at my office could be expected to last about 584 weeks, which is about 11 years.
You say you took the disk out of your old laptop--chances are that that computer was turned off most of the time, unlike many desktops.
Also, many computers are set to power down the hard disk after a certain time of not being accessed, which means there is no physical wear from spinning during that time.
Age of Hard Drive for Backup Data
by margsi2 - 5/10/08 6:45 AM In reply to: Usage, not age, matters by Rick75230I have a WD 100 G I have been using for 10 years and it shows no signs of slowing or breaking down. I do, however, also keep USB backups of my most important files in case of catastrophy.
Backup solution
by pain_viande - 5/10/08 9:25 AM In reply to: Is a 4.5 year old hard drive too old to use for backup? by mitts2010Your best way, is to buy yourself a 10GB USB GiGA BANK portable Hard Drive. I have a 4GB for me, and i am more than satisfy with a Backup program that i have, because i don't have to much stuff to backup on my USB Portable Hard Drive. Hope it will answer your question. Thank you.
And I say cycles matter not time
by msgale - 5/10/08 2:55 PM In reply to: Backup solution by pain_viandeMost if not all disk failures of seal disks drives I have encountered occured at startup, no during operation. Although I have owned less than two dozen disks, in one of my other lives I was a system administrator on UNIX (HP, SUN, and SGI), DEC (VAX) and CDC computers. During that time I have either replaced or had replaced many disk drives, most if not all of which failed on startup.
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