Computer Crashes Needn't be Fatal

Newsweek ^ | November 29, 2008 | Daniel Lions

[smokingfrog]

Backing up data is a pain in the neck. The only way to make people do it is to automate the process. Mozy does that.

Many of us have suffered a data-destroying computer crash. But some stories are better than others. Josh Diulio, a marketing exec from Monroe, Mich., left his HP laptop sitting on a ledge on the balcony of his apartment building while he ran inside to get a drink. When he came back a crow was perched on the open laptop. The crow, startled by Diulio, leaped up and away, tipping the laptop just enough that it fell seven stories to the street below—where, just for good luck, it was run over by passing cars. Then there's the tale of Duncan Mowatt, a graphic designer in Seattle, who was having trouble with an external hard drive. The cause was a mystery until one day Mowatt's girlfriend picked up the drive and saw thousands of ants and ant larvae pouring out of it. She freaked out (as one might) and threw the drive across the room, where it smashed into Mowatt's laptop and wiped out its hard drive, too.

[smokingfrog]

Do you have a strange, humorous, or fateful story about a computer failure or data loss? Post them here.

[djf]

Some company in eastern Washington state makes laptops for like FBI and Treasury.

Showed a demo of a fellow. He turns it on, then holds it out at arms length.
Then drops it.

It has built in power down in case of shock, so he picks it up and hits the power button. Starts right up. No problems at all.

[raybbr]

ping

[goldstategop]

I have Rollback RX installed on my computer. A power outage hosed most of my windows snapshots. Fortunately, I was able to boot back with the original. Much better than Windows Restore.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[ShadowAce]

[Still Thinking]

Many of us have suffered a data-destroying computer crash. But some stories are better than others. Josh Diulio, a marketing exec from Monroe, Mich., left his HP laptop sitting on a ledge on the balcony of his apartment building while he ran inside to get a drink. When he came back a crow was perched on the open laptop. The crow, startled by Diulio, leaped up and away, tipping the laptop just enough that it fell seven stories to the street below—where, just for good luck, it was run over by passing cars.

This sounds more like something that would happen in a movie than real life. OTOH, what kind of retard sets a device containing irreplaceable data on a 7th floor balcony ledge?

[smokingfrog]

RollBack RX sounds good. Let's give them a plug.

[Still Thinking]

	Online	External drive/Home server
Better Cost		x
Less Potential for data being used against your interests		x
Less potential for having your data held hostage		x
Less potential for temporary loss of access to data		x

Yep, can't imagine why we aren't ALL backing up online!

[JoeProBono]

[Still Thinking]

Wow, he’s so cute I almost wouldn’t beat him if he did that!

[JSteff]

“what kind of retard sets a device containing irreplaceable data on a 7th floor balcony ledge? “

The same one, who as the article says, was headed inside to get a drink. Just guessing but the drink was probably a refill of another drink (adult beverage) and he never gave this another thought.

Hey, everyone when drinking thinks it is okay to leave a laptop on a 7 story balcony ledge, right?

Just my guess, but...

[Still Thinking]

I don’t know....I’ve been so full of adult beverages I passed out, but it never would have occurred to me to put something irreplaceable on a 7th floor balcony.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

what kind of retard sets a device containing irreplaceable data on a 7th floor balcony ledge?

Obama voter?

[Still Thinking]

I’d lay money on it, actually.

[TSgt]

[MediaMole]

Jungledisk is another great backup option. It uses Amazon's S3 service for data storage.

You can use it as a live online network disk (it looks like a hard drive to Windows/Mac) or for backup.

The Jungledisk program is only $20 and Amazon charges very little for the online storage. I use several gigs of storage and pay about $2/month.

If you are really cheap, just set up a Gmail account and email files to yourself. Gmail is up 7 gigs of free storage.

[MediaMole]

Since I misinterpreted your post, here’s a good reason for online backup.

Fire.

That said, I use multiple home backups — DVDs and external hard drives as well as online storage.

[JoeProBono]

sorry

[Still Thinking]

No, fire is not a good reason (or not a good enough reason) for online data storage. Offsite storage of backups, yes. Online storage, no.

[Still Thinking]

At least not for me. But then I won't have credit cards with RF chips in them either. I tend to be a little paranoid. Question is, am I paranoid enough? ;-)