Storage forum: Flash Drives for Backup ?

That's what I was considering but hadn't done it before on such a large scale...seems plausible...so thanks for the feedback.

You can use norton Ghost to apply an Image Backup, it backups all the data you need including the OS of course.

The business of updating a CD-RW is a *** any way you do it and they can - and do - become unreadable. The flash disc is a boon - well, it is if you buy a good one. Sadly . . . So don't use one big one, better four smaller ones. I suspect the only safe way to back up is to use a second hard disc. But I'm amazed at Windows (aren't we all?) still trying to inveigle you into putting your documents on the C: drive with the OS. NEVER do this - partition off a drive and put all your docs in that one. If you have to re-format it's a pound to a penny it'll only be your C: drive that needs to be done. I have never had to re-format my documents drive. Put a short-cut from "My Documents" (childish name)to get to it easily.

depending on the data this may not be enough. Redundancy is the key here, several (2,3, even 4)workable methods are best. For family photos I use USB flash drives and a second hard drive. I drag and drop my files to the second drive using a mount point on D: drive/second drive. (I do not create large files on this PC.) Keep in mind you can always make hard copies/paper copies to backup text documents as well. CD/DVD backups in my experience have been unreliable. I did use Acronis for a while but also abandoned it for simpler methods. I have not used RAID 1 mirrored drives but this it what the professionals use on servers. These require two identical drives, a controller card or RAID software or if you like you can do this using Windows dynamic disks but expect little if any support using the last method.

(because his reply went with the deletion of an ad he replied to).

" Sure you can....but is that the best, safest alternative ? Got to say a hearty NO to that."

Kees