Thanks, tech guys...this is what I went with:

[Fawks]

Since Fel has been distracted by computer parts, does this mean that another chapter is a long way away?

[gnume]

for optical archiving check out m-disc and archival grade writable dvds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-DISC

Interesting. I'll look into a Blu-ray burner capable of it the next time I get one.

most mid end to high end LG burners are capable of it. i have one

[Spec8472]

Install everything except bulk-data on the SSD that you can fit.

SSDs tend to have a short lifespan, but that comes with the territory and doesn't matter too much about your typical write-load.

All our servers at work are SSD based, except for the archival/backup ones. Even the big-arse reporting/data-warehouse servers are SSD based (and in a couple of instances - we've got [FusionIO SSD cards](http://www.fusionio.com/products/)).

Those servers see a *lot* more traffic than your computer ever will, and it's sustained - day in, day out, they're dealing with hundreds of MB/sec read/write individually. The drives either die early, or they live until their write-cycle count is up.

The motto is: Backups. Backups backups backups backups. You've got backups, right?

The first thing you should do after installing the OS is hit ninite.com to install all your apps. The second, while waiting for ninite to grab all that, is install/configure your backup software.

Don't wait. Do it. Now. Crashplan. Backblaze. Carbonite. Mozy. Acronis. Whatever it is - install backup softare. Configure it for automatic backups to another machine at the very least. Off-site is better.

[Wolfee]

Don't wait. Do it. Now. Crashplan. Backblaze. Carbonite. Mozy. Acronis. Whatever it is - install backup softare. Configure it for automatic backups to another machine at the very least. Off-site is better.

Totally and resoundingly AGREE!! I'd avoid Paragon as a backup software provider. I like Macrium Reflect for backups and or making a image of your entire HDD. Acrnois is good, very easy to use and make your own boot media, its just slow to make an image. If you have the space you can make a new image of your machine very month or two, in addition to doing your backups.

And as Spec8472 said... Do you have your back? Do you have the back up before your backup? Do you have the last 5-10 backups? Where are they? Are they off site? Are they safe and secure? Oh did I ask you... DO YOU HAVE YOUR DATA BACKED UP YET??????

DO. IT. NOW.... NO. DELAYS! DO. IT. NOW.....NOPE! I. DON'T. WANT. TO. HEAR. IT! JUST. DO IT!! NOW!

[bjeane]

Delay long enough to post the next chapter, please.

[Fawks]

The motto is: Backups. Backups backups backups backups. You've got backups, right?

The first thing you should do after installing the OS is hit ninite.com to install all your apps. The second, while waiting for ninite to grab all that, is install/configure your backup software.

Don't wait. Do it. Now. Crashplan. Backblaze. Carbonite. Mozy. Acronis. Whatever it is - install backup softare. Configure it for automatic backups to another machine at the very least. Off-site is better.

That is why I like my Winders Home Server 2011. Nightly backups of the desktop and laptop (When said comps are running). 20TB of disk space for backups, ripping music CD's, Blu-ray & DVD's.

Oh yeah... I also have an online backup service.

[ettoren]

Having worked in End user Consumer Tech support for a Non-Windows based computer company and hearing the horror stories of people who don't even have simple backups of their Doctorate Thesis I'll parrot the...


HAVE YOU BACKED UP YOUR DATA YET?!?!



So I answered a call at said job and this guy was like, my computer wont turn on. I'm in the finishing stages of doing my Doctorate Thesis and I need to turn in my Rough Draft on it by Friday. (it's Wednesday at time of call) During the basic trouble shooting I determine that his Platter HD has crashed. I advise him of the cost of repair via our storefront and give him the option of self repair (install a new HD and then load the OS on it!) and he starts freaking out.

Apparently said person working on his Doctorate Thesis had never backed up the 9 months he had been working on it. No copies in emails, no copies on a thumb drive, no copies in a backup, no copies turned in to the teacher, no copies onto another computer. Nada. zip zero zilch for backups of his 9 months of work. Needless to say, He totally lost it. I think he had a nervous breakdown right there on the phone with me.

So let me reiterate...


HAVE YOU BACKED UP YOUR DATA YET?

During the remaining time I had at that job I made sure to advise all of the customers of the Built in backup software included with the OS and gave them links to locations to purchase an external HD to Backup their data.

Me Personally I have all of my important data (pictures, books, saved games, contacts, tax documents ect...) stored in a google drive, a Dropbox, copies zipped up and emailed to myself at multiple addresses, and copies on a 2nd HD on my computer, copied to my GF's computer, copied to my Daughters computer, and on a couple of Thumb Drives. The data on my computer changes so often that using a traditional backup software/ext HD solution doesn't work for me. I've crashed 7 ext HD's. My backup is done manually any time I have updated data that needs it.

[Quinn31]

Ya I'm basicly wait for my W2 so I can get my taxes done so I can build another computer since mine finally died after 5yrs of abuse and hard use. The bios chip is what did it. I'm looking at spending 600.00 total for what I'm needing gotta love the CPU/combo deals from new egg or tigerdrirect. The one I'm looking at is from new egg is the i5 4670K haswell MSI G65 gaming mobo 8gigs of G.skill sniper ram. With the cooler master V8 GTS CPU heatsink. Then I'll drive to Fry's and get the cooler master HAF XB EVO case.

Tablets are fine but my fat fingers hate the keyboards. Lol