Backup options.

[Gorgon]

Is there anything out there like a non google drive version of google drive or similar. 

 

I have a laptop, a desktop, and two portable drives. What I would prefer is to have specific folders automatically synchronized every time I connect a portable drive. 

 

Automated backups already in windows would let me do that but only with one device. My backups of folders on my laptop can't be used to synchronize with a folder on my desktop. Not automated anyway, they don't want to compete with their own cloud service after all. 

 

Second option is a NATS, does anyone have experience with that. The goal is automated backup/synchronization of specific folders, but I don't know that I want to spend a whole bunch of money on it. 

 

Just backing up whenever I feel like it is obviously not enough, I lost a bunch of work recently because of a BIOS update that made my PIN number sign in useless, instead reverting to password mode, which I had used once and then forgotten about entirely when I found out I could use four digits instead. Tried a couple of workarounds, none worked, didn't have a microsoft account set up on that computer... Effectively I was locked out of my laptop with no recourse but to reinstall windows and lose all my files. Not a good day. 

 

Anyway made me realise that I should probably stop just thinking about it and do something instead. 

[Bartimaeus]

Assuming the laptop drive is not actually encrypted, create a bootable flash drive for your laptop (either Windows or Linux will do - Linux is the easier of the two because Microsoft very specifically tried to prevent people from formatting flash drives with Windows, though it is still possible), and extract the files that way, as you'll now have access to your laptop's hard drive from inside of the flash drive's OS. I have a bootable Linux flash drive for exactly this reason - though some newer laptops may have protections against booting removable drive OSes, not entirely sure.

Edited January 4, 2018 by Bartimaeus

[Gorgon]

Too late now, but that's pretty clever. Why didn't I think of that. 

 

I say laptop, but it's a windows tablet with a touch screen. There is no option to enter the bios during boot. Not that I have been able to discover. 

 

Delete, F keys, nothing breaks the boot sequence. It's like the keyboard doesn't initialise before you get to the log on screen. Maybe it's because I have to use a USB C to USB B converter if I want a wired keyboard connection. The tablet only has USB C ports. 

 

I never tried connecting a bootable usb stick though, that might still work. Hell, it probably would have. 

[Bartimaeus]

Ah...yes, a tablet is a little more tricky. I don't think Windows tablets run standard copies of Windows (I think they run Windows RT, which is ARM-only). I don't know if there are any operating systems you could do what I suggested with if it is indeed an ARM tablet.

 

(e): Seems like Ubuntu may work with ARM-based tablets? Maybe? Your mileage will probably vary with the specific model...

Edited January 4, 2018 by Bartimaeus