Completely Unrelated To Smoking

[old sarge]

Earlier this year, my 11 year old iMac started acting rather quirky.  Safari would quit unexpectedly and repeatedly. The system was too old for an OS upgrade. The hard drive was dying. But I figured reinstalling the original OS that came with the system might work and then I could just update back to where I was. No go. The iMac functioned pretty well for a while with an 11 year old OS. But all my files were gone. Bought a new iMac in Feb and to make sure I had a backup, I also purchased an 8 TB LaCie 2big with thunderbolt 3.  Well, sitting at home courtesy of the virus I finally installed the new drive as my back-up and using time machine.  I set it up as a raid 1 so I have two 4 terabyte  drives running.  If one dies, the other is a mirror image so I should not lose anything. All is well. The system backs up automatically and the LaCie is very quiet.

Also received an email from AdGuard. 40% off their premium version of the ad blocker program. I have used it and Malwarebytes for a couple of years. 

Well, that is enough non smoking related chatter.  Stay safe everyone!

• Tweet
• 

[barelfly]

We were using an external HD in the same fashion, at least I think we were doing what you are doing. I’m not the best with PCs and such. But it was an automatic backup anytime there was a change made to a document/file.etc.

But, our external HD died years back, where it doesn’t power on. we still have it, hoping that one day we will take it somewhere to see if files can be retrieved - thousands and thousands of pictures, is really what we are after.

Do you know if that is possible with an external HD? Just thought I’d ask, perhaps you are more familiar with this stuff than me.

Sorry for the question and not trying to derail the thread, but your post reminded me of this.

I appreciate you posting this though, makes me think of finding another source to backup our current PC, either a cloud or something like what you are using.

[Metrakay]

I had to buy a new Mac last fall, I managed to wait until the MacBook Pro 16 came out, it’s my third Mac.  I use it with Parallels to run Windows and “it just works”.   My others would still work except I need to be able to run the most recent OSes for work purposes. 

You may be able to get a new power supply for your external hd— check eBay?  I have had to do that a few times.  You might consider getting a solid state one next time — I firmly believe no moving parts will last longer than moving parts. 

The previous MacBook was the first one with an ssdhd and it was fantastic.  The parallels program is hard on the boot sector and the previous Mac had to have the hd replaced twice over ?8 years.  The one with the solid state drive needed nothing replaced, and is still a great machine, just can’t do the next os. 

[old sarge]

I am no expert on this stuff. I always figured dead is dead unless one can send the drive to the FBI or the NSA.  So when I was looking for a backup drive to save files and photos, I went with the system I mentioned.  5 year warranty and data recovery.  Since then, (20/20 hind site) I have found several solutions for recovering data from crashed drives.  You could contact the hard drive manufacturer and see what they can do and how much they charge.  The drives in the LaCie are Seagate.  For the do it your seller, here is a link to a recovery program.  There are others.  Sorry I cannot be of more help:

https://www.cleverfiles.com/howto/crashed-hard-drive-recovery.html

[old sarge]

I had to buy a new Mac last fall, I managed to wait until the MacBook Pro 16 came out, it’s my third Mac.  I use it with Parallels to run Windows and “it just works”.   My others would still work except I need to be able to run the most recent OSes for work purposes. 

You may be able to get a new power supply for your external hd— check eBay?  I have had to do that a few times.  You might consider getting a solid state one next time — I firmly believe no moving parts will last longer than moving parts. 

The previous MacBook was the first one with an ssdhd and it was fantastic.  The parallels program is hard on the boot sector and the previous Mac had to have the hd replaced twice over ?8 years.  The one with the solid state drive needed nothing replaced, and is still a great machine, just can’t do the next os.

I am in complete agreement about SSD.  But they are expensive.  I looked at them and to get the storage I needed/wanted and to stay within budget I went with the hard disk drives. No other choice.

[barelfly]

Thanks for replies, appreciate the suggestions!

[prudentsmoker]

8 TB for home use!!! I knew the guy that was head of IS for the largest hospital in KS a few years ago and every employee and patient record, every purchase order, every doctor's orders, every piece of data they had fit on 1/2 TB.

[old sarge]

As with a smoker, you don't have to use all of it but it is nice when you need it. Actually, it is two separate 4TB drives.  Set as a raid 1, I have two back up drives; if the iMac internal drive fails (4TB), and one of the 4TB fails, I still have a full back up.  Call it paranoia.

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/HLL72ZM/A/lacie-8tb-2big-dock-thunderbolt-3-raid-storage?fnode=5f

[UpNSmoke]

Having owned and operated PC's, Mac's, and LINUX, I'm now typing this from the best 'puter I've ever owned - iMac Retina 5K, 27", late 2014 vintage. Rock solid, *stable*, reliable, and the thing just plain works. Not looking to start the age-old PC vs Mac argument. Trust me, having been stuck using PC's & LINUX for many years while in my professional career, now retired, and having owned PC's in my home, there is not a single strand of any argument to dissuade me from the fact that Mac is the finest made. Oh, yeah, they're more expensive. Yup. And a McLaren Senna is more expensive than a new Challenger too. Glad you're happy with your Mac. We love ours.

[old sarge]

I am running paid versions of Malware Bytes and AdGuard on mine.  Just because!