Mods: Not sure where the best place for this post would be. It's a mixture of Mac Basics and Help, Mac Accessories and Mac Apps and Mac App Store. Please move if not in the right area.
Hello MacRumors community,
Long post, I apologize. The first 5 paragraphs can be skipped.
During the summer, the MacBook 7,1 I have started showing signs of what I believe to be hard drive failure. I'm not 'tech savvy' and have never experienced hard drive failure before mind you, though the machine's performance has dramatically decreased and there's been abnormal noises coming from the location where the hard drive is located.
I suddenly became worried about losing the contents on the MacBook. For the past 6 years, I've always been unorganized in regards to these contents. I had attempted to organize these contents throughout the years by copying and moving, etc. File structures were unorganized, etc.
I created a file and began creating a organized file structure. I realized that overtime I had created a duplicate, triple, quadruple, etc. of the same content. One by one, I sorted and organized everything in a file into seperate files. Financial, Employment, College, etc. Then further breaking it down to banks, employers, etc. into seperate files. I even learned how to create an encrypted file (basic to most) to store sensitive information such as tax returns, W2s, etc.
I then learned about iCloud (I promise, I'm not a caveman). Though I wanted everything on iCloud, but couldn't put the file in the iCloud folder. So I learned about creating an alias (no longer an issue with Sierra). I'm not your average Apple consumer, but I've always admired the OS for the ecosystem.
However, iCloud really has made me more responsible in terms of the personal data I keep. I've even scanned and uploaded the majority of the file cabinet documents I had and allowed me to shred these documents. I also learned about Hazel and it has allowed me to download retirement statements, pay stubs and other documents from the source to the file of choice with ease.
Though after becoming organized and using iCloud as a backup, I began learning that iCloud should not be considered as a 'backup' but more as a 'syncing' tool. Furthermore, I've learned that there should be 2 backups.
I then began researching, but in the meantime I had put that file on a flash drive. I believe the 10 GB SanDisk is 12 years old (which is worrisome and doesn't include photos). Yes, you read that correctly. I only have 4 GB of content between the MacBook and iPhone. Now that I have ordered a 2016 MacBook with Touch Bar and Touch ID, I would prefer to have this in place when I receive it.
I don't use Time Machine, but would be open to using it. I have only deleted or lost content on a few occasions, but each occasion was while writing a paper for college and I'm sure this issue could have been prevented using a setting on Pages and/or Word. Time Machine's full back up could prevent this I'm sure. However, I do not feel comfortable having a back-up of something older than a week (if that makes sense?). I would prefer that if something was deleted, then a week later it is deleted.
I don't use File Vault, though I would prefer to use this once receiving the MacBook Pro. I'm unsure how this would effect Time Machine or the back-up methods I choose.
NAS: If I were to use a NAS, it would be Apple's Time Capsule only. Simply because of the ecosystem. Though for someone with only 4 GB of content, I find it difficult to justify Apple's Time Capsule that starts at 2 TB. Furthermore, I'm not sure if I feel comfortable with the content being on a hard drive. Even more, the MacBook is at home 90% of the time. So if theft, fire, flood, tornado, etc. we're to occur, both the MacBook and NAS could be destroyed. However, it could be backed-up more often.
External Hard Drive: If I were to use an external hard drive, I would be able to place this outside of home. I believe it would be placed in a relatives home who is 6 miles from home. I could also open a safe deposit box at the bank I'm employed at and place it there, which is 7 miles from home. I don't feel comfortable keeping this in my workstation at the bank. This is due to the information I have access to and would prefer not to have this in my possession to avoid any possible repercussion. Either in a relatives home or safe deposit box, I would not back up the content more than once a month as it's inconvenient. I would need the information encrypted and would keep the external hard drive in a sealed container to avoid any harmful elements.
Cloud: I would really prefer to have all contents backed-up between two other providers (technically, not including iCloud) and avoiding a NAS or external hard drive. I haven't seen any negatives in regards to this, but could see internet being the only negative (which would be a rarity of itself).
I know I have a unique situation (small storage) which is why I wanted opinions and suggestions.
Thank you, Gixene
Hello MacRumors community,
Long post, I apologize. The first 5 paragraphs can be skipped.
During the summer, the MacBook 7,1 I have started showing signs of what I believe to be hard drive failure. I'm not 'tech savvy' and have never experienced hard drive failure before mind you, though the machine's performance has dramatically decreased and there's been abnormal noises coming from the location where the hard drive is located.
I suddenly became worried about losing the contents on the MacBook. For the past 6 years, I've always been unorganized in regards to these contents. I had attempted to organize these contents throughout the years by copying and moving, etc. File structures were unorganized, etc.
I created a file and began creating a organized file structure. I realized that overtime I had created a duplicate, triple, quadruple, etc. of the same content. One by one, I sorted and organized everything in a file into seperate files. Financial, Employment, College, etc. Then further breaking it down to banks, employers, etc. into seperate files. I even learned how to create an encrypted file (basic to most) to store sensitive information such as tax returns, W2s, etc.
I then learned about iCloud (I promise, I'm not a caveman). Though I wanted everything on iCloud, but couldn't put the file in the iCloud folder. So I learned about creating an alias (no longer an issue with Sierra). I'm not your average Apple consumer, but I've always admired the OS for the ecosystem.
However, iCloud really has made me more responsible in terms of the personal data I keep. I've even scanned and uploaded the majority of the file cabinet documents I had and allowed me to shred these documents. I also learned about Hazel and it has allowed me to download retirement statements, pay stubs and other documents from the source to the file of choice with ease.
Though after becoming organized and using iCloud as a backup, I began learning that iCloud should not be considered as a 'backup' but more as a 'syncing' tool. Furthermore, I've learned that there should be 2 backups.
I then began researching, but in the meantime I had put that file on a flash drive. I believe the 10 GB SanDisk is 12 years old (which is worrisome and doesn't include photos). Yes, you read that correctly. I only have 4 GB of content between the MacBook and iPhone. Now that I have ordered a 2016 MacBook with Touch Bar and Touch ID, I would prefer to have this in place when I receive it.
I don't use Time Machine, but would be open to using it. I have only deleted or lost content on a few occasions, but each occasion was while writing a paper for college and I'm sure this issue could have been prevented using a setting on Pages and/or Word. Time Machine's full back up could prevent this I'm sure. However, I do not feel comfortable having a back-up of something older than a week (if that makes sense?). I would prefer that if something was deleted, then a week later it is deleted.
I don't use File Vault, though I would prefer to use this once receiving the MacBook Pro. I'm unsure how this would effect Time Machine or the back-up methods I choose.
NAS: If I were to use a NAS, it would be Apple's Time Capsule only. Simply because of the ecosystem. Though for someone with only 4 GB of content, I find it difficult to justify Apple's Time Capsule that starts at 2 TB. Furthermore, I'm not sure if I feel comfortable with the content being on a hard drive. Even more, the MacBook is at home 90% of the time. So if theft, fire, flood, tornado, etc. we're to occur, both the MacBook and NAS could be destroyed. However, it could be backed-up more often.
External Hard Drive: If I were to use an external hard drive, I would be able to place this outside of home. I believe it would be placed in a relatives home who is 6 miles from home. I could also open a safe deposit box at the bank I'm employed at and place it there, which is 7 miles from home. I don't feel comfortable keeping this in my workstation at the bank. This is due to the information I have access to and would prefer not to have this in my possession to avoid any possible repercussion. Either in a relatives home or safe deposit box, I would not back up the content more than once a month as it's inconvenient. I would need the information encrypted and would keep the external hard drive in a sealed container to avoid any harmful elements.
Cloud: I would really prefer to have all contents backed-up between two other providers (technically, not including iCloud) and avoiding a NAS or external hard drive. I haven't seen any negatives in regards to this, but could see internet being the only negative (which would be a rarity of itself).
I know I have a unique situation (small storage) which is why I wanted opinions and suggestions.
Thank you, Gixene
