Keeping your data safe

[toblix]

So, a while back I started to fear data loss as a result of a disk failing. I thought I should at least keep them on a RAID, so that a single disk failure wouldn't disappear a TB or two of my files. However, I didn't want to have a RAID running in my computer, as I was aiming for a computer with as few disks as possible, due to the noise and heat they create. So, I decided to have a separate file server, and at first I wanted to build one myself and use Linux with software RAID. In fact, I was encouraged to do this by colleagues.

But then I didn't. I bought a Seagate NAS instead. It's quite sleek, and its not much bigger than the four disks it contains. I've used it for almost half a year now, and have been quite satisfi--

HOLY FUCKING CUNTING MOTHERFUCKING COCKSUCKING FUCKARONI I JUST LOST ALL THE DATA ON MY NAS!!!!

That's right, all my precious files. Gone. It says: Volume: Failed. And the word "Failed" is a link, so for a second I thought maybe I could recover it by clicking on the link, but doing so only opened a little window that said "Volume failed".

So now I have this box that has tons of storage capacity, and I don't trust it at all. So now I'll probably... I don't know what I'll do.

Anyway, back up your files, people.

[toblix]

Okay, it's been about ten minutes since this happened. If only I could bottle my state of mind right, and have a sip every time I thought I didn't really need backups. Half my brain is currently going through all the files I've lost, and the consequences. For example, I don't have my music anymore, which I've spent so much time acquiring. All my digital photos, documents...

I think this is what it feels like right after you've murdered a man. Your mind is racing, trying to identify the most critical consequences of what just happened. I also feel that I'm bracing myself for all the moments to come, where I realize that I no longer have those files. For example, the next time I want to listen to music, or when someone asks me to see those photographs I took on that holiday trip. I'm currently sure that I'm in no physical danger, and it hasn't affected my job.

[toblix]

I'll just start life over. It's like a fresh start. It's the best thing that could ever happen to me. Seriously.

[toblix]

I mean, if any of those files were that important to me, I would've made backups, right?

[toblix]

(Sorry about this whole thread, just delete it)

Now I think I'm starting to experience the inner peace of those monks who can have no (or only few) worldy possessions. Before I was worried about what could happen to my files. Now there's nothing to worry about. I have nothing to lose, just like an action hero.

[Sombre]

As someone who's lost over a TB of data when my drive failed, I really do feel you Tobilx. Stay strong, it'll all get better!

[Nappi]

I have never lost anything significant in a hard drive failure, but when the Time Machine failed on my network drive some time ago (like it apparently does for fucking everyone), I realized that I wouldn't enjoy loosing all the files I have on my computer and started worrying a bit. Now I have all the important stuff on my computer, usb drive (Time Machined) and network storage. Some of the less important stuff is only on two of those. The files I consider extremely important are also kept on my usb stick and network storage at work.

Also, I don't have TBs of data so it's pretty easy for me to actually keep that many backups.

I have nothing to lose, just like an action hero.

Do you have multiple destinies or just one?

[Patters]

I feel for you. I have lost a fuckton of photos, music, et al with HDD failures.

[monkeyarmada]

Blix, that really sucks, we've been dicked over a couple of times at work with these big 'all in one' raid drives failing (Lacie you fucks, you'll pay I swear, one day... )

I have to admit to being really blasé about backing up my data, I think I might have issues about self worth and that my stuff is of no value anyway, it's all dumped onto one hard drive, but I know I really should backup the backup... The only thing I care about is my phone contacts but Google looks after that for me.

If it helps, you can have the run of my mp3 collection, copy what you want, just don't take the piss out of my musical taste. That's the only help I can offer...

[Erkki]

Sorry to hear this happen to you, Toblix. I have lost some things to hard drive crashes, but nothing too big. I should really start doing regular backups.

I had most of my movies on a Linux box with software RAID (the same server that Ziggy ran on), but after I decided to do a distro upgrade (that'll teach me not to do that without a really good reason), it won't boot up any more, as it finds a lot of errors on the hard drives. Also had all of my music there, but most of it is on my desktop PC as well, except for the FLACs ripped from CDs.

Maybe I can still somehow get that data, haven't had time to try yet.

[syntheticgerbil]

Toblix, if you have any geeky friends, it's possible you still may be able to recover your drive's data. I can't say for sure as I've never been through this (yet!), but I would keep the thing around just in case.

I hear there are services in the United States on this technology radio show I listen to locally that charge hundreds of bucks to recover data, but I don't know if they are available to you outside of the US?

Maybe there's some services you can afford in your country?

Sorry though, that sucks. If anything, you have helped as all to remember to back up again. I guess I'll have to make some copies of my data pretty soon here.

[Xeneth]

I feel for you man- It's a rotten ephemeral digital crap world we live in sometimes...

A couple of weeks ago my C: drive died on me, so I've been reinstalling program-related crap for days and days, even though the drives with the important stuff continue unabated.

[Roderick]

That really sucks. I guess everyone has to experience this once, after which they actually do do backups. At this point in my life, I always have two backups of everything. Two on different computers and one on an external hard drive. It would take the finger of god to make me accidentally lose all three at the same time.

[Kolzig]

I had a similar, but microscopic insident compared to you last week when my 16GB Kingston USB memory card just when to RAW format suddenly and I lost all my files.

I checked through the internet to try to find some way to get all my precious files back from the bit heaven. I found several programs that can be used for data recovery and finally I was able to do exactly that. Most programs cost a lot of money, but they work.

In the end I got all my lost files back.

Handy Recovery was the name of one of the good, but costly programs. One other was some Getor or Gator or something like that.

I think I lost a few nights of good sleep to check this crap out...

[toblix]

I've decided to build a new Linux based server, as was my plan initially. I'll use the disks from the NAS-box in that, which leaves me with an empty NAS-box which I paid probably just as much for as I did the disks. I'll use the empty NAS for pissing in.

[toblix]

Yeah, it was totally stupid of me to buy the NAS in the first place. When you buy a NAS you're really trusting all your data to this closed system that's meant to be user-friendly. That's all well and good, but when everything turns to shit, there's not much help in user-friendly anymore. If this had been a Linux box, there would be tons of tools for diagnosing and restoring the array. If I hadn't figured it out myself, I could get some geek to do it for me. With this Seagate piece of crap, there's just the web interface, and I can't really do anything but push the buttons. I mean, most likely the NAS is a Linux box running software RAID, but that doesn't mean much when they've closed off everything.

[toblix]

So, just to chronicle my adventures for posteriority, after the data loss I went looking for a data recovery tool, since I figured I could scan all my old discarded hard drives for some of the lost files. Now, googling for this kind of stuff is like googling for video converters or internet accelerators -- it seems like someone's made a crapware generator. Anyway, I finally ended up at Ontrack Easyrecovery being the best choice. I was at the point of considering buying it (the cheapest version is $89), but then I found a second app, Piriform Recuva. Now, immediately looking at the web page I thought, great, another mac app, but not only is it for the PC, and not only is it being updated regularly (already certified for Win7), it's totally free. And it's awesome. I used it to scan all my disks, and I was able to recover all my lost photos, most of my music, and a bunch of other crap. So, if you ever need to recover files, try this first.

Also, today I ordered parts for my new self-built NAS. Hopefully this will fare better than the Seagate CrapArmor.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Wow, that sucks. Glad it had a (sort of) happy ending, though.

[syntheticgerbil]

Fuck yes! A HAPPY ENDING!

But seriously, I hate when I look around on forums through google links for help with whatever problem I'm having and the person with the initial problem almost always disappears with no update on whether anything is resolved or not.

So now, you, Toblix, are someone posting the satisfactory resolution for people to dig up on Google years from now who are searching frantically on whatever software they should use to get their lost files back.

[toblix]

Yeah, I should probably add some helpful tags too.

[JonCole]

Piriform is generally a pretty legit brand, I use CCleaner and Defraggler all the time. Clearly superior to their built-in Windows counterparts.

[Kolzig]

Awesome news Toblix, sorry I forgot to mention about Recuva. That was the first program my friends told me about when I had the Kingston USB problem a weeks ago.

It didn't help me with my case as it can't handle RAW file systems when a USB has gone to hell, but I tried it anyway and even then it looked like a really efficient program for normal file loss situations.

Great to hear that you got almost everything back!

[Chris]

BACK UP YOUR VALUABLE FAHLS WITH MOZY

[toblix]

Okay, update. My NAS running FreeNAS is now up and running, and it's working perfectly. A bit more nerding around to set up shares, etc., but it performs tons better. Also, the UI (based on m0n0wall) is a million times better than the horrible mess BlackArmor used.

Also, I've replaced my horrible crappy D-Link router with a small box running pfSense. This also has a much better UI, gives tons more stats, performs better and doesn't reset willy-nilly.

So, if you're looking to get an end-all solution to either your network storage or internet connection needs, look no further than this thread.

[toblix]

Also, CDs and DVDs sometimes fail, but it's easier to make multiple backups I guess.