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Do not put more than two USB/SD adapters and one USB hub on top of each other and avoid cheap, low-quality USB hubs and adapters!

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Online E-Mail services are essentially clouds. Check their retention policies/settings and keep an offline (local) backup.

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Only use copies of data inside a vehicle.

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Story Losing data because I thought the files were included in the backup. They weren't. (2014)

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Additional temporary backups

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Story That time a damaged Hama USB stick could still be read by boombox radios but not by the computer. (FAT32)

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Thr majority of data losses can be prevented by simply storing everything twice.

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Software tab list for 🦊 Firefox – Exports list of all open tabs into URL list text

315

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Story Better store backups on separate data storage and avoid storing backups on the same data storage as an operating system.

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If you don't know where you put a backup or the original, create another backup!

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Bad sectors on flash storage that do not report them could be detected by a reading delay.

553

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Story MicroSD file system repaired by simple unmounting

630

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Story Faulty SD-to-USB adapters can be fatal. Better create a temporary disk image or file system header backup first.

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Understanding Life Expectancy of Flash Storage - National Instruments

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PSA: Dropbox Shouldn't Be Your Sole Backup for Your Files

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Franklin Veaux's answer to When you store data in the cloud, do you keep a copy on a hard drive at your house as well?

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The Truth About SSD Data Retention

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On physical media, only carry around copies of data.

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When writing longer texts in any online form, make sure it is mirrored offline (using text editor).

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Backup tip: Avoid proprietary formats or risk vendor lock-in.

523

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Story I typed in `of=/dev/sdp` instead of `of=/dev/sdo` in `dd`. USB stick file system beheaded.

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Observation: In hot weather, CDs in slot disc drives of car radios tend to get stuck. Risk of disc damage.

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A messy and incomplete backup is better than none. - The paranoid data hoarder stigma

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Software GNU ddrescue - Data recovery and backup tool based on “dd”.

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Create a disk image prior to file system surgery (e.g. running “ChkDsk”/“fsck” and modifying partitions).

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/s/DataLossPrevention

created ago

About this sub

For discussion and sharing tips on how to prevent data loss and about file management.

Feel free to share your stories of data loss.
Preferably, add the “Story” flair afterwards.

Resources

^{(Unfinished yet)}

The A.K.B.S.-principle:

Always Keep Backups, Stupid!

^{Parody of “Keep it simple, stupid!”.}

S.E.T.

Store Everything (at least) Twice!

^{It's already worth the liberating sense of assurance.}