Wich filesystem should I use for a backup hdd?

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#1

Hi everybody.

I’m gonna buy a 1.5 TB HDD to put there backups, videos, and stuff like that, and i was wondering what Filesystem should i put there considering that it will be used for backups (mostly) and I must count with that drive in case of something going wrong.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

#2

First thing that comes to my mind is to not use Ext4 as I don’t think there is a plug-in to allow Windows systems to read them (while there is something to allow Windows accessing Ext3).

Do you have a Linux-only environment needing to access this (like to backup up onto)?

#3

Well right now I have all my files and work in Linux, all in a Ext4 partition. I only use Windows from time to time in a VirtualBox machine.

#4

Ext3 then …

#5

If you don’t need windu access to the drive I’d suggest ext4. I would not use winders tools to access linux partitions for writing, there have been some reports on file system corruption caused by windu programs to write on ext3 in these and other forums.
If you do need windu writing access, I’d simply create an NTFS partition as well, and store the windu stuff there, have ext4 for all the linux stuff.

#6

Well, like i say i dont need “windu” access to the drive :wink: y only work with linux (openSUSE of course).

I’m thinking on making a Ext4 filesystem to that drive, the only thing that i want is to fully trust in that I will count with that drive and the filesystem not getting corrupted. :X

#7

If you you find a files system that meet the spec of “not getting corrupted”, please let us all know. Any file system can get borked for any number of reasons.

For what it is worth the ext4 system has been very stable here. Even through unexpected power failures.

#8

Then, Ext4 will be :wink:

Thanks! :slight_smile:

#9

Don’t forget that you can also lose your data for reasons not related to the backup disk. E.g. your apartment burns down, or a water pipe bursts and ruins your hardware. If you really care about your data, you should also have some off-site storage. One way I do off-site storage is to send DVD copies of stuff like my travel photos, which I’m have no objection to my relatives sharing and enjoying. For personal stuff, I write them to a DVD encrypted and swap with a friend doing the same thing.

And of course this forum is great for backing up my shell scripts. lol!

#10

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

How do you make encrypted DVD’s/CD’s???

VampirD

Microsoft Windows is like air conditioning
Stops working when you open a window.
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Version: GnuPG v2.0.12 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/

iEYEARECAAYFAkv/8C4ACgkQJQ+0ABWtaVnNFgCgzlZYx5UTkar9GVZ8EjWh0i+Q
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#11

Create an ISO image, then encrypt with gpg and burn. And don’t forget the passphrase. :slight_smile:

#12

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

but, the result is a DVD that ask for a password when you try to mount
it or a DVD with an iso file encrypted?

VampirD

Microsoft Windows is like air conditioning
Stops working when you open a window.
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v2.0.12 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/

iEYEARECAAYFAkv/+a4ACgkQJQ+0ABWtaVmG2wCdFDNq1B0B9Y4IJhXB0aBYcQZD
xgwAn1zxmWxlPpZChOLTIp9Jabg8ZpWn
=qLSn
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#13

It’s a standard data DVD but it contains one encrypted file which ISO image which you have to decrypt to loop mount. Since hopefully you won’t be doing this even once, it’s acceptable that there are some manual steps.