Back Up Your Files.

[little blue choo]

After reading on here about members who loose all their files due to a computer crashing I just have to wonder with Memory sticks so cheep it's hard for me to understand why people don't keep their files backed up. All of my files are in my computer and on 2 different memory sticks. It takes less than 15 seconds to save them on to both sticks. If you're not backing them up you need to start now. I use 32GB sticks and have thousands of files on them and have used less than 1GB. I even back up my G code cut files. Food for thought. GO SAVE.

Rick

[motoguy]

I keep my files on a memory stick, which I move between my regular (drawing) computer, and my table computer. I back that flash drive up to Dropbox when I'm done with a drawing. I will (randomly, it seems) copy my Sheetcam and Mach settings/folders to the flash drive, and upload those as well.

When I go to CommandCNC, and I can leave the table computer connected to the internet, I may do away with the flash drive completely, and just link to my Dropbox account t.

[Marty]

I have auto back and sync to Sugar Sync in the cloud.....I have 2 desktop PCs, a Surface Pro Tablet and my cell phone all synced...if I change or create a file, that change is mirrored to all 4 devices. There are many cloud backup services, I find Sugar Sync to be the most user friendly, at least for me ALSO I use Macrium Reflect backup software, so an image of my entire Main desktop PC ( including all installed programs and Windows) is backed up to a local 1TB hard drive. No need to plug in sticks, or lose them. Or forget tocopy to the stick.... For instance, I can create a dxf file and G Code file on my home office PC, then access those files via the cloud at my shop PC which runs the table....easy peazy.....

[DXF]

I transfer my files from the computer I design on using a memory stick and they can go bad right before your eyes. Don't trust 1000's of hour of work to them. My files are stored on 2 computers.....should be good. And I back up all my files on dvds occasionally.

Dave Hanks

[abmetal]

Wifey uses two computers and backs up all her files on a portable hard drive.

Allen

[steel 35]

Files are easy, but in those files have you included the tools (That one got me Thanks P.S. for the lessons); & MACH profiles, that include motor tuning, axis setting's, pins and switches? I would rather have all these then the files I have, because I do one offs that won't be used again, or I can always get them from here again for another 20.00$
I use Win 7 on four computers that are on a homegroup one has no Internet and a secure wireless network to the machine so when I save a dxf for the machine I don't walk back and forth with a stick you now where

[gamble]

I save all my files to dropbox so it's accessible from both of my computers

[little blue choo]

I also use a 1TB external back up on both of my computers along with flash drives which I use mostly to transport from one computer to the other since my shop computer is not on the net. I was just saying with all the options why would people loose their files. I've seen on here where several have lost everything and a flash drive is cheep. As far as people saying flash drives fail a lot. I call bullshit. I have been using them in my photography business since they came out in 2000 and have never had one to fail and I have a lot of them, boy do I have a lot o them. LOL

Rick

[steel 35]

I have a flash drive that went though the wash and still use it.

[beefy]

As reliable as any form of backup may be, I think it's best to act defensively, and expect gear to fail when you most don't want it to.

I regularly synchronise my 2 computers, then mirror the PC hard disk data files to an external drive. I consider that a minimum and may soon be setting up a paid cloud account where I'll also synchronise all my data files.

[SeanP]

I don't think you can beat the cloud services, dropbox or google, instant backup and the choice of restoring a previous version which is very useful as well.
It's just so useful having computers synced.

[ovrrdrive]

Also using drop box here.

[acourtjester]

I prefer to have the backup under my control like a backup disc or a Memory Stick at me location.
I have used the Google drive and it is very handy for something but it is not a permanent storage device for a long term. I have uploaded files that are to large for emailing and passed on the link for others to download them. Works great but I have found that after time the files go away and need to be reloaded if I want to send them.

[Gamelord]

https://www.carbonite.com/en/cp/cons/pers/dg/pers-buy/

Carbonite is excellent. About 5 bucks a month and it automatically backs up everything on the fly. No need to remember to do anything, no need to put in memory disks or to remember to drag and drop files from one to the other, it is 100% SECURE and you can access it from anywhere, even on your smart phone. Download a file and within minutes, it's backed up automatically. Do a drwaing, once saved it is backed up instantly. Power goes out right after finishing a drawing, it's already backed up for you.

No need for reminders, no need for worrying, no need for any additional hardware or software or storage of your extra drives or disks.

Download, click to install and you're done. It does everything automatically in the background. You never even realize it is working.

Oh, and did I mention it is only about 5 bucks a month for 100% UNLIMITED SPACE backup?

[tcaudle]

I Don't worry about a backup. I just connect my computer to the Internet and the Russians and NSA have all my files

Any Windows or Linux PC can be connected to an internal network or computer(s) via either an Ethernet channel or via a WiFi adapter to a cheap Wifi router. There are tons of free scheduled backup apps for both Windows and LINUX.

[AndrewMawson]

I run a Win7 home network with several PC's attached - two are vital and each have 1 Tbyte external disks, and back up each other every week. These PC's are located in different buildings 50 yards apart. My Plasma Table PC is NOT connected to the network. I have full disk images of it on each of the aforementioned PC's, and cut files are transferred to it by stick, the originals being on one of the regularly backed up PCs.

I steer clear of 'the cloud' and Facebook type set ups.

I think I've covered all bases

[boodog710]

I have to agree with Gamelord. Carbonite does all the work. I don't have to remember to back up anything. Not just drawing files but everything else on my computer. Plus it is stored off site. If you have a fire, storm, flood or thief then you could loose your backup along with the computer.