Mirror external Hard Drives
I want to set up my 2 external hard drives so that the second one is an exact mirror of the other. I don't want to the computer to see these as the same drive:
Do I need to set these up as a RAID configuration, and if so, how do I do it?
Do I need to set these up as a RAID configuration, and if so, how do I do it?
ASKER
I just want the second drive to be exactly the same as the first drive so that when I back up my data I don't have to copy the exact same files twice. They are not boot drives. I just thought that some type of RAID would be the solution for this, but I don't know exactly what it consists of or how to set it up.
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Why are two backups of value in this situation?
I understand redundancy.
But I'd be very concerned about things like fire and theft being the problem.
Also, ransomware.
Have you considered things like Carbonite or SugarSync?
I understand redundancy.
But I'd be very concerned about things like fire and theft being the problem.
Also, ransomware.
Have you considered things like Carbonite or SugarSync?
It would be very easy to overwrite two backup locations with a corrupt/encrypted file.
ASKER
Expert Comment
by:nobus
ID: 42541895
2d
here they discuss the use of free file sync : https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-sync-two-external-hard-drives-automatically
is that what you want?
I tried this software, but it is putting all the copied files from the first drive into a folder on the second drive and I would like to avoid this.
by:nobus
ID: 42541895
2d
here they discuss the use of free file sync : https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-sync-two-external-hard-drives-automatically
is that what you want?
I tried this software, but it is putting all the copied files from the first drive into a folder on the second drive and I would like to avoid this.
ASKER
Expert Comment
by:Fred Marshall
Schedule LIVE session
Principal
ID: 42541913
2d
Why are two backups of value in this situation?
I understand redundancy.
But I'd be very concerned about things like fire and theft being the problem.
Also, ransomware.
Have you considered things like Carbonite or SugarSync?
I like to have 2 external hard drives as some of the files that I use are not on the internal hard drive, so the second hard drive is for backup only. I already use google drive, but I only use less than 15 GB per month as I do not want to pay for more.
by:Fred Marshall
Schedule LIVE session
Principal
ID: 42541913
2d
Why are two backups of value in this situation?
I understand redundancy.
But I'd be very concerned about things like fire and theft being the problem.
Also, ransomware.
Have you considered things like Carbonite or SugarSync?
I like to have 2 external hard drives as some of the files that I use are not on the internal hard drive, so the second hard drive is for backup only. I already use google drive, but I only use less than 15 GB per month as I do not want to pay for more.
One data point is that there don't seem to be any ready off-the-shelf products that already look like what you describe.
Another data point is that this wouldn't appear to meet the need of many of us: protect data from fire or theft - as the drives are in the same location, right? So that's why I ask about your own motivation here.
Making one drive look like the other is pretty much RAID 1. But, as soon as you say "RAID" then there are all manner of other things that fall into that meaning. One can effectively "mirror" data drives but that's not the same as mirroring BOOT drives. ... and so forth.