OT: Technology and Geek Stuff Thread

[bimmer84]

i don't know. Redundancy is pretty cheap, so if you deal with enough data it has value on its own even if data security isn't a primary worry. Offsite data storage on the other hand is another thing altogether. It will either be not up to date, or your spending an arm and a leg for weekly updates. Even if the data is important a scenario where redundancy isn't enough for a consumer they probably have bigger worries than pc data.

For me it comes down to how important total loss of the data is to you. I never assumed it could not happen.

[Topweasel]

For me it comes down to how important total loss of the data is to you. I never assumed it could not happen.

I have about 10 TB worth of used space on my primary computer. I wouldn't cry a single drop if all that data was wiped out. So I don't even have a raid setup.

But lets say it was a work from home type setup and there were a lot of useful documents. But nothing earth shattering if it was lost. Raid takes care of 90% of the worry and if lets say the house burned down, I would think the person would have much more on their mind then TB's of documents they may or may not refer back to.

Honestly the trick would be to parse out information. Have a cloud sync of important directories and Archive to normal directories after a certain point. Keeping offline backups of gigs of data is cheap enough. But a decent backup system of TB's worth of data is prohibitively expensive on multiple angles. Storage space, data throughput, equipment costs if needed, media and backup systems if trying for an offline solution. The only thing that would really make sense is a single annual backup on a series of very large HDD's to store in a closet at a friend or families house. Otherwise your basically making car payments on your offsite data.

Edit: Maybe I have been out of the consumer loop for awhile. Backblaze has unlimited storage for $50 a year, there are a couple others as well. I don't know if it's a realistic option for 10+TB of data. But they offer to ship 4TB drives for data restore so they must expect that tons of data will be used. I just doubt the service is set up for multi tb's of data.

Edit: They say unlimited but between slowing uploads and the database systems they use, its doubtful people can take full use of "unlimited". Still would make more sense to treat these services for specific folder backups than doing a full storage backup solution.

[Topweasel]

F**k!

Just learned I have to reinstall the OS on my HP Envy TS 17 Notebook PC.

No problem saving my files but shortly after I purchased it, I purchased Microsoft Office that was delivered by download through Amazon. I went to get info on it so I can download it again after the installation only to find that Amazons data base was breached and they started everything fresh shortly after the purchse so it does not show up in my purchases.

Grrrrrrrrrr.

If the product code was in the order confirmation email they sent you, you should be able to get the installer from elsewhere. Also unless you deleted it the installer might still be in your downloads folder.

http://lifehacker.com/download-and-install-microsoft-office-2013-without-the-1565743827

[Malto Marko]

Hmmmmm.

I will have to check my download folder. I do not recall ever emptying that.

Edit: It appears the download folder only holds downloads for 1 year. I downloaded the program in April of '14.

[Topweasel]

Hmmmmm.

I will have to check my download folder. I do not recall ever emptying that.

Edit: It appears the download folder only holds downloads for 1 year. I downloaded the program in April of '14.

It shouldn't unless you run disk cleanup. My download folder holds stuff that I didn't even download on my current computer.

But Product code is more important. That link I put up has the information on getting the installer from MS.

[Malto Marko]

I found a way to do it through the link to microsoft office you provided, Top.

Thanks.

[Topweasel]

I found a way to do it through the link to microsoft office you provided, Top.

Thanks.

NP glad to help.

[SeattleLionsFan]

Wtf are you boys doing to get 10TB of data?

[Topweasel]

Wtf are you boys doing to get 10TB of data?

For me its being a digital pack rat. I always double up my storage when doing a new machine and carry the data over. Eventually I started splitting into different data for different drives. With as cheap as storage has been as a generality I don't see why I should delete anything.

[Trickalicious]

For me its being a digital pack rat. I always double up my storage when doing a new machine and carry the data over. Eventually I started splitting into different data for different drives. With as cheap as storage has been as a generality I don't see why I should delete anything.

Do you have to walk through a little path between file folders and over heaping piles of moldy bytes to get to the 48 cats (some alive, some not) that are stuck in your hard drive? Gawd, you just know that cloud smells like pee.

[bimmer84]

Wtf are you boys doing to get 10TB of data?

I'm keeping a log of all of Panoptes comments so that I can run the numbers on his claim of accuracy.

[SeattleLionsFan]

Lol!

[bimmer84]

Honestly the trick would be to parse out information. Have a cloud sync of important directories and Archive to normal directories after a certain point. Keeping offline backups of gigs of data is cheap enough. But a decent backup system of TB's worth of data is prohibitively expensive on multiple angles. Storage space, data throughput, equipment costs if needed, media and backup systems if trying for an offline solution. The only thing that would really make sense is a single annual backup on a series of very large HDD's to store in a closet at a friend or families house. Otherwise your basically making car payments on your offsite data.

Now you're talking. Figure out what is important and find a way to back it up. Put it in a fee based commercial cloud, on a backup portable drive, on a friends cloud device, etc.

[LionsFanInJapan]

Anyone have thoughts on Windows 10? I wonder how smooth things will be upgrading everything.

This laptop I use at work has Windows 7. I put Windows 8 on it before, but it screwed up a bunch of the touch screen functionality. I suppose Windows 10 will break it even more.

[Panoptes]

Anyone have thoughts on Windows 10? I wonder how smooth things will be upgrading everything.

This laptop I use at work has Windows 7. I put Windows 8 on it before, but it screwed up a bunch of the touch screen functionality. I suppose Windows 10 will break it even more.

'Free' Windows 10 Upgrades Kill Priceless Windows 8 And Windows 7 Features
Tempted by Windows 10? You should be.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/06/02/windows-10-features-removed-windows-7-windows-8/

I have been part of the Windows 10 beta program since day one and I've witnessed the evolution of an OS that blends the best aspects of Windows 7 and Windows 8. Unfortunately Microsoft has now also confirmed that Windows 10 will kill some of its predecessors'*most loved features...

Microsoft has confirmed this on its newly published Windows 10 specifications page under a section diplomatically called 'Feature deprecation'.

In fairness some 'feature deprecation' makes sense - not all features last forever - but the surprise is Microsoft has chosen fairly large features that may even cause some users to think twice about upgrading.

The full list is as follows:

? If you have Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8 Pro with Media Center, or Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center and you install Windows 10, Windows Media Center will be removed.

? Watching DVDs requires separate playback software

? Windows 7 desktop gadgets will be removed as part of installing Windows 10.

? Windows 10 Home users will have updates from Windows Update automatically available. Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise users will have the ability to defer updates.

? Solitaire, Minesweeper, and Hearts Games that come pre-installed on Windows 7 will be removed as part of installing the Windows 10 upgrade. Microsoft has released our version of Solitaire and Minesweeper called the "Microsoft Solitaire Collection" and "Microsoft Minesweeper."

? If you have a USB floppy drive, you will need to download the latest driver from Windows Update or from the manufacturer's website.

? If you have Windows Live Essentials installed on your system, the OneDrive application is removed and replaced with the inbox version of OneDrive.

Yes, that's some big stuff.

The most high profile removals are Windows Media Center, desktop gadgets and native driver support for USB drives, but the one that should really catch your eye is how desktop updates will be handled for Windows 10 Home users.