What's the Best Way to Back Up Your Data Using a Thumb Drive?

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Discussion Overview

The thread explores various methods participants use for backing up their data, particularly focusing on thumb drives and other storage options. Participants share their personal experiences and preferences regarding backup frequency and types of storage devices used.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based

Main Points Raised

  • One participant mentions backing up to a thumb drive and a hard drive, with additional backups to a desktop by their spouse.
  • Another participant shares their experience of backing up to both a CD and a thumb drive, expressing concern about losing information.
  • Several users mention using external hard drives for backups, with one noting that it comes with software for weekly backups.
  • One participant identifies as a consultant and states that backups take very little space, suggesting a 1GB flash drive is sufficient for most users.
  • Another participant shares their practice of backing up to a flash drive weekly.
  • One participant discusses the importance of safely removing the flash drive from the computer to avoid data corruption.
  • Another participant recounts a recent experience where having a backup saved them from losing important files after a power surge.
  • One participant mentions backing up a large folder containing many subfolders to a flash drive once a month.
  • Another participant expresses uncertainty about the terminology, asking if a memory stick is the same as a thumb drive.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ on the best backup methods and frequency, with no clear consensus emerging on a single preferred approach.

Contextual Notes

Participants share a variety of personal experiences and preferences regarding data backup, highlighting the importance of having multiple backups and the different types of storage devices available.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants looking for insights into data backup practices and experiences shared by peers in the community may find this discussion relevant.

babywings76
babywings76
Gold Member
Messages
7,266
What method do you use to make your back-ups?
 
I back them up to a thumb drive...
 
I back up to my hard drive and then once a month I back up to a thumb drive.

Then every so often my DH backs my computer up to the desktop.
 
I back-up to a cd & a thumb drive and I keep my last 5 back-ups.....I'm a little paranoid about losing my info, can ya tell?
 
  • Thread starter
  • #5
I don't know what a thumb drive is. How much room does the program take up on a CD? How big should it be? Do you use a Rewritable (sp?) one?
 
I just got an external hard drive for this. It had software with it that does my backups weekly.
 
Back ups take very little space. Yes, you can use a CD-RW, but a flash drive is my weapon of choice.

Not quite as paranoid as Linda, I keep 2, in case one gets corrupted. I also would suggest keeping one in a VERY safe place (a firesafe box, etc).

Thumb drives and flash drives are the same. Unless you have thousands of shows, you will be fine with a 1gb flash drive ($9.99 on sale). The program puts it into a "zip" file which makes it smaller that it would normally be -- kind of like a "mini-me".

One very important thing with Flash Drives, though, make sure that you close all the programs and if you are using Windows, click on the "safely remove hardware" icon on the bottom taskbar before removing it from your computer. This will ensure that everything is closed and you are not pulling it out in the middle of saving something (which will make it unusable).
 
jwpamp said:
Back ups take very little space. Yes, you can use a CD-RW, but a flash drive is my weapon of choice.

Not quite as paranoid as Linda, I keep 2, in case one gets corrupted. I also would suggest keeping one in a VERY safe place (a firesafe box, etc).

Thumb drives and flash drives are the same. Unless you have thousands of shows, you will be fine with a 1gb flash drive ($9.99 on sale). The program puts it into a "zip" file which makes it smaller that it would normally be -- kind of like a "mini-me".

One very important thing with Flash Drives, though, make sure that you close all the programs and if you are using Windows, click on the "safely remove hardware" icon on the bottom taskbar before removing it from your computer. This will ensure that everything is closed and you are not pulling it out in the middle of saving something (which will make it unusable).
Click to expand...

:eek: I've never done that. Where is that icon?? I don't see it - don't know where to look.
 
I use an external hard drive.
 
BethCooks4U said:
:eek: I've never done that. Where is that icon?? I don't see it - don't know where to look.
Click to expand...

If you have it, you should see it pop up on the lower right hand corner of the screen in the blue taskbar (bottom of the screen). If you don't see one, make sure that you have completed all work and have closed the Flash Drive's window before removing it.
 
During the last week of May, we had a power surge that hit my power supply and mother board. I am SO thankful that I had a current back up of my PC Stuff. However, I did not have backups of my WORD files and had to pay dearly to get those retrieved. BACK UP ... OFTEN... sometimes when you are busy in PP3 do it daily. I cannot urge you stronly enough. And Beth... I have multiple backups as well since I've had a flash drive and cd's get corrupted. It's worth the peace of mind to do a few different types. I know now never to trust my hard drive as a source of backup. Since you all mentioned this... I'm backing up right now! :)
 
I back up on a flash drive once a week.
 
I use a memory stick---not sure if thats the same as a thumb drive....LOL
 
I back up to my C drive every day and onto my flash drive every few days. I also have an external harddrive that we back things up onto a few times a year. I need to get in the habit of backing up to that thing more frequently - I just haven't quite got the hang of it yet.
 
I, too, use a thumb drive for P3. May I ask a really embarassing question? How does one back up Word without having to back up each individual doc or folder?
 
Hmmm....I have one LARGE folder call "Pampered Chef" in which there are MANY subfolders (probably 50 or so). When I back that up, I just back up the whole MAIN folder "Pampered Chef".

It's large, uses the whole 4gb Flash Drive, and I only do that once a month.
 
thumb drive = flash drive = usb drive = usb key = memory stick = usb memory stick
There are about a million names for them. It's a small device that plugs into the USB port on your computer (the rectangular port) and stores data.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a thumb drive and how does it work for data backup?

A thumb drive, also known as a USB flash drive, is a portable storage device that connects to a computer via a USB port. It uses flash memory to store data, making it a convenient option for backing up files. To use it for data backup, simply plug the thumb drive into the USB port, copy the files you want to back up, and paste them onto the drive.

How do I properly format my thumb drive before backing up data?

Before backing up data, it's a good idea to format your thumb drive to ensure it's ready for use. To format it, insert the drive into your computer, open 'This PC' or 'My Computer', right-click on the drive, and select 'Format'. Choose the file system (usually FAT32 or exFAT for compatibility), and click 'Start'. This will erase all data on the drive, so make sure to back up any important files first.

What types of files can I back up on a thumb drive?

You can back up a wide variety of file types on a thumb drive, including documents, photos, videos, music, and software applications. However, keep in mind that the total size of the files must not exceed the storage capacity of the thumb drive.

How do I ensure my data is safely backed up on the thumb drive?

To ensure your data is safely backed up, always eject the thumb drive properly after transferring files. This prevents data corruption. Additionally, consider creating multiple copies of important files on different thumb drives or using a combination of cloud storage and physical backups for extra security.

What should I do if my thumb drive is not recognized by my computer?

If your thumb drive is not recognized, try the following steps: check if the USB port is functioning by testing it with another device, try using a different USB port, or connect the thumb drive to another computer. If it still doesn't work, the drive may be damaged, and you might need to use data recovery software or consult a professional.

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