Permanent Archiving?

[ready2switch]

Once I receive my new computer, I am going to be wiping my current and giving it to a family member. While I know I can migrate my files to my new computer, there are many files on my current machine which I don't necessarily want on my laptop, yet don't necessarily want to wipe.

I'm picturing a full backup of the machine that I can easily store away and later retrieve on the off chance that I need something in the future. (Current HD is 40gig, so actual content would be less.)

What would be the best way to archive these files? Is there a "compress and archive" option/software/etc that I should check into? Am I looking at a data DVD (or multiple DVDs) or some other type of media? Thanks!

 

[balamw]

Easiest solution IMHO: pick up an external HDD and create on it a DMG (disk image) of your current machine's drive. For less than $100 you'll have something much easier to deal with than any optical media. Spend a bit more and get a larger drive so you can continue to back up your new Mac...

B

 

[fivetoadsloth]

Easiest solution IMHO: pick up an external HDD and create on it a DMG (disk image) of your current machine's drive. For less than $100 you'll have something much easier to deal with than any optical media. Spend a bit more and get a larger drive so you can continue to back up your new Mac...

B

Yes this would proabably be the best/easiest method.

 

[ready2switch]

Easiest solution IMHO: pick up an external HDD and create on it a DMG (disk image) of your current machine's drive. For less than $100 you'll have something much easier to deal with than any optical media. Spend a bit more and get a larger drive so you can continue to back up your new Mac...

B

I'm currently on a windows box, and I'd rather not 1) buy an external HDD just to save those files or 2)partition an external HDD/format it for windows

I will look at home tonight at the exact capacity, but I was hoping I could hook up my current HD to my new mac and then burn it to a DVD. Again, I really doubt I will need these files again, but I'd rather have them and not need them.

 

[balamw]

Then, I'd suggest simply buying a $15 external enclosure and put the drive itself on the shelf. Have your relative buy their own new fresh drive for the box.

An internal 80GB PATA drive is only $50 from Newegg.

Don't forget that the external drive as suggested was in part to give you a backup solution for the new Mac.

B

 

[ready2switch]

Then, I'd suggest simply buying a $15 external enclosure and put the drive itself on the shelf. Have your relative buy their own new fresh drive for the box.

An internal 80GB PATA drive is only $50 from Newegg.

Don't forget that the external drive as suggested was in part to give you a backup solution for the new Mac.

B

Thanks. I'm already planning on getting an external for my new mac (I have no external right now. I don't back up ). I'll let you know what I figure out.

 

[Sesshi]

It depends on how often you'll be using this, how much the hard disk you'll be using has already been used and how often you need to access the disk in the future.

It's not unknown for contaminants around the spindle mechanism to cause the spindle to seize sufficiently so that the HDD can't start up in cases where previously regularly used HDD's have been kept in storage for a long time.

Your safest bet for actual long-term archival is high-grade DVD-R's.

 

[ready2switch]

It depends on how often you'll be using this, how much the hard disk you'll be using has already been used and how often you need to access the disk in the future.

It's not unknown for contaminants around the spindle mechanism to cause the spindle to seize sufficiently so that the HDD can't start up in cases where previously regularly used HDD's have been kept in storage for a long time.

Your safest bet for actual long-term archival is high-grade DVD-R's.

For my "archived" files, I don't really expect to be using it at all. It's one of those things where I will probably just end up putting in a box, but don't want to get rid of it "just in case".

 

[Macky-Mac]

For my "archived" files, I don't really expect to be using it at all. It's one of those things where I will probably just end up putting in a box, but don't want to get rid of it "just in case".

make duplicate copies of those "permanent archives".....it would be a shame to go looking for a file several years from now only to find that your only copy was on a disk your dog had chewed up, or something

 

[TheAnswer]

I'd make DVD-R archives of the files now. Then put them on your external backup HD later, only if you find you are needing them more often than you thought.

 

[After G]

I'd recommend DVD-R's. I've had funny things happen with HDs in storage. And if you don't mess with them, they are much more likely to survive than a hard drive. Just use good quality media (I use TDK or Verbatim). HDs make your files too easy to wipe with a format.