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Data Loss by Failing To Backup

re: RAID-0, RAID-1, RAID-4/RAID-5, RAID-10, RAID-6
re: backup

re: Dangerous Misconceptions (to your data) about Backup

Consult with Lloyd on how to build a cost-effective and straightforward backup setup.

Backup is not something to be deferred or shrugged-off. Drive failures and more are a matter not of “if”, but when a failure will occur. Or malware or a hacker or just a user mistake in getting something into the trash, or saving-over an important file by mistake (I’m quite adept at that last one).

RAID is not a backup. And fault tolerance is not a backup.

Data integrity is not a given, due to bit rot, malware, bugs, user error, erc. Use the only available cross-platform everything solution on the market today— diglloydTools IntegrityChecker.

Anon writes:

I need some urgent advice from you. I’ve been using a Samsung T5 external SSD drive to store original images from my Hasselbad X2D and Hasselblad X1D cameras, as well as related PSD files. Over the past month, the drive suddenly started slowing down, and it came down to a crawl last week.

Fast forward this week - it is refusing to mount any more and it is corrupted. I have tried everything on my MacBook Pro (M1), iMac (M1), and MacBook Air (M2). Nothing works. I fear all my data on it is lost. This is devastating for me. I believe I have the original RAW files backed up elsewhere, but all my PSDs are most likely gone. Is there any tool you’d recommend that could help recover data from my corrupted drive?

MPG: no backups is a harsh situation.

Here are the most basic things for a minimally adequate backup :

  • At least two (2) full clone backups, stored safely away from the computer—not connected, not plugged into a power outlet (surges can destroy stuff), not in the same room, ideally not in the same building or even city. Because if you have only one backup, then it becomes one (1) original when you actually need it. Which pretty much means that Murphy’s law will give you a very bad day.
  • At least one clone backup and/or Time Machine backup, preferably both. These backups are always attached or quickly available and are for daily (or multiple times per day) backups.
  • Consider (in addition) cloud-based backup.
  • Never have all your originals and backups in the same place at the same time.

Data recovery

I onced worked with a consulting client who spent nearly $10K recovering lost data. Stress aside, it’s a lot cheaper to do proper backups.

I haven't ever used data recovery software, because it is a terrible proposition compared to backups—with good backup hygiene, there should never be any need to recover data. This outfit kept asking me to review their data recovery software, but I never got to it as I had no good use case for it or a corrupted drive to try it with: Stellar Data Recovery Professional.

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