[list] [ale] Need advice on home back-up solution

[Geoffrey]

Sean Kilpatrick wrote:
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> On Monday 29 September 2003 04:54 pm, Bob Toxen wrote:
> |  Most tapes should be good for 5-20 years.
> 
> But when the hardware dies five or ten years from now,
> can it be replaced? I gave up on tape backups because
> of this _minor_ problem. I was using one of the cheaper
> tape drives and when it died I discovered that the
> newer/replacement drives couldn't read my data -- 
> formatting problems. I was not amused.

You must migrate.  I've got things that I orginally backed up on 5.25 
drive.  It's now on a cd, although I can still read the 5.25.

> 
> By way of example, I suspect it would be non-trivial to
> find a working 5.25 floppy drive and get it to work on
> a modern computer.

Uh, I've got one in my current box, works fine.  I picked up a box of 
500 5.25 disks a long while back.  Don't use either much anymore, but it 
works fine.  No big deal, the kernel deals with it fine.

I suspect finding a working 8" floppy
> drive and getting it to read data would be even more so.

I couldn't address that one.

> 
> What I am trying to say is that the rapidly changing world
> of small computers makes it very difficult to predict what
> sort of storage media will still be readable in 20 years.
> I store my photos on CDs, but I am confident that at some
> point in the next five years or so I am going to have to
> copy them _all_ to some other sort of backup media.

Agreed.

> 
> Look at audio cassette tapes for example. In the space of 18
> months the pre-recorded ones completely disappeared from
> the market.  They were on dealer shelves in June, 2001,
> but were gone by October, 2002.

You sure about that?  I swear I spotted prerecord tapes the last time I 
was in Cracker Barrel...

In another year or so I
> doubt you will even be able to purchase a combo radio/
> cassette player for your car.

You interested in a used 8-track?

Same thing goes for video
> tape players.  I'd be surprised if parts are available to
> repair them in another three or four years. I already am
> prepared (mentally anyway) for the day when I will have to
> copy my video tape library over to DVD or lose it because I
> can't replace a dead tape player.

You'd be surprised.  I just ordered a new stylus for my Kenwood turntable...

I've got to finish burning all those lps to cds...

-- 
Until later, Geoffrey	esoteric at 3times25.net

Building secure systems inspite of Microsoft