Best way to store important items on a PC?

Apreciar

Gratis wrote: »

The cloud whose security I trust most is Wuala.

It's based in Switzerland.

The first 5 GB of storage is free.

Information and a review here.

I agree, the most secure part is that the data is encrypted before storage and no one has your password, data is split over a number of locations making it even more secure.

victor2

retiredin2011 wrote: »

What happens if you want to retrieve your files when the internet is down?


My internet goes down if there is a power cut.

You're presumably not accessing your documents daily. You could go somewhere else to get an internet connection. Its the sort of document you'd need access to if the original has been lost or destroyed, as in your house has burnt down.

Andy_L wrote: »

What are you hoping to achieve with a scanned copy of the documents?

Most places will want the original copies for verification & if you loose them then replacemnts are avaliable from the issuer eg the DVLA

If you can provide the original details, such as driving licence number, it makes it easier to get the replacement sorted out.


Having said that, I still favour storing vital information, password protected, on some media you leave in a different location to where the original documents/main computer normally is.

cookie365

If it's stuff you only need occasional access to, just put it in a password protected zip file.

Then it won't matter if the cloud storage service messes up their security, so long as the password isn't password

esuhl

retiredin2011 wrote: »

What happens if you want to retrieve your files when the internet is down?


My internet goes down if there is a power cut.

Well... my computer goes down if there's a power cut! Not much point worrying about no network access if you can't turn the PC on!

Anyway, Dropbox (et al) keeps a copy of your files stored locally.

ballyblack

Cloud storage comparisons



http://lifehacker.com/five-best-cloud-storage-providers-614393607

Gratis

esuhl wrote: »

Well... my computer goes down if there's a power cut! Not much point worrying about no network access if you can't turn the PC on!

Anyway, Dropbox (et al) keeps a copy of your files stored locally.

I’m not sure whether I’m allowed to mention this – it’s all very hush-hush at the moment – but I’m writing this on a secret new device called a “laptop”. It’s a computer which contains a battery! So, it keeps going during power-cuts. Dashed clever, that.

I also have an experimental device called a UPS (an acronym for Uninterruptible Power Supply) which is due for announcement sometime in mid 20th Century. It protects my desktop computer. modem. router. switches and powers those through power-cuts, too.

We live in exciting times: technology is really racing ahead, isn’t it? Can’t wait for somebody to invent the wheel.

geek84

Less of the sarcastic remarks please Gratis.

Gratis

geek84 wrote: »

Less of the sarcastic remarks please Gratis.

Forgive me, I didn’t realise you’ve undergone a sense of humour triple-bypass.

:idea: Perhaps you should declare it in your signature?


I’ve answered your question (well) in Post #9 and it was commended in Post #12.

Perhaps you should consider actually summoning the courtesy to thank me for doing so, instead of berating me for making a harmless jibe at esuhl and explaining to retired in 2011 how to maintain an Internet connection during a power cut.

Or does graciousness elude you entirely?

Lighten up. There was no malice in what I posted. Just good advice.

geek84

Hi Gratis

Thanks for your reply.

I am indeed thankful for your suggestion in post #9.

I guess I haven't got much of a sense of humour !! I apologise for that.

Gratis

geek84 wrote: »

Hi Gratis

Thanks for your reply.

I am indeed thankful for your suggestion in post #9.

I guess I haven't got much of a sense of humour !! I apologise for that.

Your apology is indeed gracious and it is accepted without reservation. Thank you.


It's a good idea to save things on several clouds (free).

When Apple closed down MobileMe last year, I investigated all the alternatives and have been using and comparing them.
.
I've found :A SugarSync :A and (rather to my surprise) Box the best two for routine stuff (synching files across several Macs and a PC) and Wuala the best for confidential stuff.

SpiderOak is OK but it's fiddly, fussy and clunky in an irritating Microsoft sort of way. (Well, it is on Macs, anyway.)

My own needs are modest (mostly documents, spreadsheets and photographs) so a combination of free ones works fine, for me.

You should also use external hard drives (and DVDs, for some things).

The key to protection is to store your files on several different platforms and keep them up to date.