Re: More info: was 'Backing up files."

Phil wrote:
Hi again:

The reason for my asking about backing up files is due to some
sad news. Two days ago I lost my dog to illness. She was my best
friend for 12 1/2 years, and all of the photos that I have of her are
stored on the computer. I can not lose these files.

[...]

I really don't know what to do just now. I am not able to think real
clearly, obviously. Money is super tight right now (unemployed) but
I am freaking a bit thinking I might lose these files. I will have to
step back for a bit and give my head some time to clear.

How about CDs with a universal format? They're cheap enough to make multiple copies to keep in multiple locations. I don't know what kind of CDs last the longest or what's the best way to store them.

Camera cards with a USB reader seem like another good way to archive. I have an MP3 player with more than a gB to spare where I could archive some files, and the format could be used by different computers. I don't know if camera cards, flash cards, and MP3 players can go bad in a desk drawer.

One trick I've used is to plug an old drive (too small and slow for regular use) into a USB enclosure, load it with archives, and remove the drive from the enclosure to store in a drawer. I don't know how reliable that is because I don't know how likely it is "aging" could kill a drive sitting in a drawer.
.