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/r/DataHoarder @r_OpenDirectories [electroxexual] @r_channels @reddit2telegram
Tips for long-term storage of computer files?
Hi,
I plan on getting Google Drive 2TB data and at least 2 other methods of backing up my computer files.
I mainly want to back up my photos, word documents, shows, art, and digital teacher resources I’ve paid for.
I was just wondering what would be best to purchase for this purpose? I’m willing to spend on the higher end if it’s worth it. Is 2TB enough?
I used to only use 1 backup method, 1 external hard drive, and it got corrupted. I lost my 2020 photos and my organized teacher files so I don’t want that happening again.
Thanks!
https://redd.it/1xrvc5u
@r_DataHoarder
What do you actually use to browse a collection once it passes ~100k images?
Storage is the easy part. I have the drives, the backups, the naming scheme. What I don't have is a way to actually *browse* the thing.
Past a certain size every viewer I've tried starts to hurt in the same way — thumbnails regenerate forever, scrolling stutters, the app takes a minute to open, or it just stops responding while it indexes.
So, concretely:
* Roughly how many images are you sitting on?
* What do you actually open to browse them?
* Does it slow down, and do you remember roughly what size it started?
Curious whether there's a size where everyone hits the same wall, or whether some of you have found something that genuinely scales.
Fair warning: I'm poking at building something in this space, so I'm asking partly for that — no link, nothing to sell yet.
https://redd.it/1xrphm1
@r_DataHoarder
A 2.5' SSD enclosure that is powered through Type C?
I currently own a 2'5' SSD enclosure that is powered by DC cable. The type C connects to my device, and the DC cable is used to provide extra power. I was trying to see if there was such a device that has two type c ports, where one can be used to power the SSD. I couldn't seem to find one when I looked, and would love support or insight here.
The device in question isn't a computer, and isn't able to power the SSD alone through USB.
So far the best I can find is an NVME enclosure that does have a dedicated type C port for power, but I have a 2.5' SSD so it's not really for me :/
https://redd.it/1xskrgu
@r_DataHoarder
Long term ODD plan
I have a lot of videos, around 500GB total, that are very important for me to preserve for a very long time, so i want to create copies of them on M Discs. This is where i ran into a problem.
I have an old internal disc driver(LG GH24NSB0) which cant burn M discs. New discs drivers that can, seem to be costing way too much(from my understanding because they stopped making them). So i'm unsure what to do espeacially considering long term usability.
This youtube video was very helpful on the subject(https://youtu.be/OX2SPQEPlk8?si=0OUM4QnxtUc6khLC) and it suggested having 2 drives.
On one hand my current driver is old and pretty standard, so i'm not sure how much i can trust it to hold long term.
On another hand new internal drives(like LG WH16NS40) costs a lot. And on ebay, resellers market as "new" and while having good reviews the bad ones do mention getting used and worn out items.
And on a third hand having 2 new slim drives doesnt seem like a great option either as the video i mentioned said they are not as robust as internal drives.
Any suggestions on what to do? Sorry if i'm inaccurate with the terms i'm new to this.
https://redd.it/1xsirbz
@r_DataHoarder
Archiving Photorealistic Mode Aerial LiDAR Mesh with Image Texture from Google Earth?
Disregard if this has already been done or there is a documented method to do this. I would like to export the geospatial? textured 3D meshes of buildings and trees that are streamed to my Google Earth client. I want to be able to load them into an open source 3D modeling software like Blender using a stable, standard file format.
To be clear, I am not talking about the base high-res satellite imagery, which are sourced from the likes of MAXAR. Nor high-res elevation data, which is freely available to download. I specifically want the lowest level 3D LiDAR mesh with the image texture like it appears in Google Earth. I am pretty worn out tonight, so please excuse possible incorrect terminology.
I searched this sub for "archive google earth data" and honestly surprised more people aren't looking to do this. I watched a video by Bilawal Sidhu where he speaks about Google "improving" 3D building imagery in dense cities via generative AI hallucination instead of better input imagery.
I remember when they color-graded all the satellite imagery featured in Google Earth to not look like a patchwork of different images. This was done in the background and then the imagery streamed was updated one day. I fully expect them (not just Google), to AI "enhance" the satellite imagery across the planet and one day start streaming this slop to you like they did with the color grading.
If there was a time to hoard data featured in Google Earth, this time where I am writing this post is it.
https://redd.it/1xsd861
@r_DataHoarder
Cablemod Classic ModFlex - Custom SATA Power cables - a good choice?
Define 7XL storage mode, Corsair RM1000x PSU, many EXOS drives. Stock SATA corsair PSU power cables can work, but gets messy quick.
Any concerns with Cablemod custom Quad SATA power cables with 50mm spacing between the SATA plugs? Do they come recommended? I was looking at several customs. (Plus, EPS and 24 pin to get something more flexible and with a little more length for routing than the shorter/stiff/bulky stock corsair cables).
I want to make sure these are reliable cables and not a long term safety issue with the way they crimp the sata connectors, vs say original Corsair cables or another option such as MODDIY.
What does the community here say?
https://redd.it/1xsehlv
@r_DataHoarder
Looking to digitize old family VHS tapes
Hello,
I don't have any capture devices anymore, I sold them years ago. They were only okay ones anyways. What I am looking for is something that will capture the VHS imagery and sound without much loss in quality.
I have have very recently set up OBS on my computer and it seems like that is something I would probably be needing to use.
I also, if I want to not buy anything, have an old Composite to DVD writer. I'd prefer to not have to use that, but if it would produce something that is lossless, then I will jump through that hoop. My computer has two DVD drives still for a reason. (They get used maybe a few times a year, but I like hear the sound of the two drives power up everytime)
Money is an object, but my grandfather was planning on using a service for a collection of his family videos, but I am sure that he'd help pay for a capture card.
I am coming here asking for suggestions because I am feeling overwhelmed with the amount of options available right now, and I want to make a good decision. I am open to variety of options.
I also would maybe also consider it to capture game footage of old games that I have, maybe.
https://redd.it/1xscz7g
@r_DataHoarder
What does any of this mean?
https://redd.it/1xqbbdl
@r_DataHoarder
Anyone heard from GoHardDrive lately?
Has anyone been able to get in touch with GoHardDrive’s customer support lately?
I opened an RMA request at rma.goharddrive.com (which no longer resolves oddly enough) and sent back a drive 2 weeks ago. I’ve tried calling and emailing since then but haven’t been able to reach anyone so I’m wondering if there’s something going on with them. Thanks
https://redd.it/1xs4v8f
@r_DataHoarder
Ideas on how to gift video archive to family?
I am currently archiving all my family's tapes (100-ish with a mix of VHS, VHS-C, and 8mm (Sony MP8s)) and don't really need archiving advice, but rather gift advice.
I'd like to gift the archives back for them to watch and the thought of just handing over a flash drive or god forbid sending a link feels underwhelming. I'm just not a visually creative person so I don't have any good ideas on how to present the archives. I was thinking some kind of photo album or something but I don't know what that would look like.
If anyone has any ideas I'd appreciate it.
https://redd.it/1xs41jv
@r_DataHoarder
What are some better, easier, maybe lesser-known, S3 cold/archive storage providers? (PAYG, <100GB)
I'm looking for two cold storage providers for "backup of my backups" with no min. TB cost.
My needs are tiny from r/datahoarder standards – only ≈70 GB (as of now) per provider. It will be long-term, personal data, recurring, no public access (I hope even I don't need to access it). So, I need true PAYG. I won't want to use services like Wasabi that have minimum storage buys (borgbase, rsync.net don't work either).
I tried AWS, but their whole interface, KYC, hard-coded region, and IAM setup etc were an absolute nightmare (have requested a/c closure after KYC). I also tried OVH, but I've been waiting three days for account approval with no word.
I use B2 and R2 as my primary backup destinations (these are the backups that will be copied/appended to those cold archives), so I'm looking for different providers and also cheaper than those two. Any suggestions?
https://redd.it/1xqpoqi
@r_DataHoarder
Are Verbatim Certified Refurbished HDDs good?
https://redd.it/1xqivi1
@r_DataHoarder
Is there a good alternative to Video Download Helper?
Do you know some extension, program that can download Dash, HLS, MPD, ...?
I find that some links can only be detected and scraped by DownloadHelper, and I cannot find any other alternatives.
Do you have any idea?
https://redd.it/1xrut9b
@r_DataHoarder
Has anyone archived TikTok Stories from random users?
Hey everyone,
Has anyone here been collecting or archiving TikTok Stories from various users?
I'm particularly interested in collections that are organized by username, ideally stored in the cloud or on a large drive.
Does anyone have such an archive and would be willing to share it or provide access to it?
https://redd.it/1xrdch6
@r_DataHoarder
Insane deal at a local pawn shop! It’s still sealed!
https://redd.it/1xqfhkv
@r_DataHoarder
Scribd download limits
What limits does Scribd have for a subscription plan?
I found no advice on their site. It seems like I'll need a custom script to download my files.
https://redd.it/1xsc84r
@r_DataHoarder
Technical Inquiry: Session recovery workflow and state rebuilding post-daemon config purge
Hey everyone,
Running into an edge-case management scenario following a hard config purge and session reset on a local BitTorrent client (specifically migrating/re-indexing out of an external mount bottleneck).
While the raw payload data files are completely intact on the underlying block storage, the active session states and `.torrent` metadata caches were entirely wiped. Re-adding and hashing large catalogs manually via GUI one-by-one is less than ideal.
Looking to optimize the recovery workflow:
1. What are the cleanest, most efficient methods for bulk-exporting or fetching historical snatch metadata from user profile state so they can be re-imported into a fresh daemon instance?
2. Are there standard automation hooks, API endpoints, or user scripts commonly relied upon for pulling historical .torrent files in bulk to map against existing directory trees and kick off a verification hash check?
Would appreciate any insights on streamlined workflows or scripts for handling bulk re-indexing under these conditions. Cheers.
https://redd.it/1xshd99
@r_DataHoarder
Black Friday deals in Europe?
My main seedbox HDD died at under 5 years of age and I'm looking for a replacement. Everything I've seen starts at 28eur per TB.
Do you think any stores will go under this cost during BF campaigns based on previous years' experience?
Thanks.
https://redd.it/1xsjvtl
@r_DataHoarder
I built a Chrome extension to download full resolution images from IIIF museum viewers. Looking for beta testers
I've been working on a Chrome extension that makes downloading high resolution images from IIIF based viewers much easier.
If you've ever tried saving an image from a museum, digital library, or archive and ended up with a low resolution preview or hundreds of individual image tiles, you probably know the frustration.
The extension is designed to detect IIIF image resources and help download the highest resolution available from the server, without manually inspecting network requests or reconstructing tiles.
I'm currently refining the interface and testing compatibility across different institutions.
I'm looking for people who regularly work with digital archives, museum collections, historical photographs, manuscripts, or other high resolution image resources.
I'd particularly appreciate feedback on:
Museums or archives where the extension doesn't work
Unusual IIIF implementations
Download reliability and image quality
Features that would make it more useful for research or archiving
The goal is to make accessing publicly available IIIF images more straightforward, while respecting institutional access permissions and licensing.
If anyone is interested in testing it, I'd be happy to share the current beta.
Feedback is very welcome!
https://redd.it/1xshv8o
@r_DataHoarder
Onyx Path Publish forum is shutting down January of 2027
https://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/onyx-path-announcements/1565126-forum-closure
In just two months the forum will be down. Most of it seems to be on the way back machine but not all is there any way to archive it?
https://redd.it/1xsayqu
@r_DataHoarder
Floppy disk image analyzer
This tool might be useful for media archivists to analyze floppy images and extract files.
https://github.com/0ldStaph/FloppoScope
https://redd.it/1xsadqc
@r_DataHoarder
Got this Synology DS418j for $30
https://redd.it/1xsbdbu
@r_DataHoarder
Looking for reliable data storage solution
TL;DR: I'm looking for a redundant 2TB external drive, reliable automatic backup system, and reliable DVD burning capability for my office who uses Windows 11
Background: My employer has an interview recording system which as it, stands now, saves the recordings to the system drive, then we manually copy the recording to an external HDD and burn it to a DVD.
The data on the DVDs are reviewed, copied, or sent off to another office, and after a year or so the DVDs are sent off-site to be archived, and are stored in physical folder until then.
We've run into issues with the DVD/burner reliability and have had to make copies before, prior to them being archived, which is a pain due to our information protection/documentation requirements
This external HDD uses USB 3.0 micro b and the cable is starting to fail. Further it's been recommended by the vendor to not save any recordings directly to the system, as it can run into issues.
I'm the unofficial tech guy in the office and I pitched the idea of purchasing some equipment to offer some better redundancy/reliability of our saved data.
My current plan is to replace the external HDD with a Sabrent DS-2BCR with 2x2TB WD Blue HDDs in RAID 1.
What I haven't been able to address yet are the DVDs and backups.
DVDs:
1. Are the reliability issues we're having likely an issue with our disks, the drives we burn them with, the technology, or some combination?
We do not have the ability to use another media type, and have to use the what our DVD-Rs with a "30 year data integrity guarantee". We store them in disc sleeves once they are burned, but I've run into issues where I've had to burn 2 or 3 DVDs before one of them would work. And a decent number of these burners have failed entirely.
2. What is a good DVD-R burner to keep at the recording system, and what is a good one to use on our laptops when we need to reference them?
Backups:
I'd like to get the capability to automatically back up our External HDD setup (Either the Sabrent I mentioned earlier, or whatever else we go with).
However, there are some caveats:
Off-site/cloud backups are not an option the system is air-gapped. And yes, I'm aware of the 3-2-1 rule, it's a non-starter.
I am tech literate and am more than happy to learn unfamiliar/complicated procedures, my coworkers are not, and I'll only be here for 1 more hear. Just looking for a solution to take the data from the RAID array to another device, ideally automatically.
Is it as simple as using the the native Backup and Restore (Windows 7) feature.
On the topic of tech illiterate coworkers, is detecting a failure and rebuilding in RAID array I mentioned as simple as swapping the drive out? I can write clear and concise tech procedures, but I'd like to avoid having them use 3rd party utilities when I'm not around.
This isn't how I do it at home, but it's what I've come up with given our limitations here.
https://redd.it/1xs2o8x
@r_DataHoarder
Gegen das Löschen: Backup Sachsen-Anhalt
https://fragdenstaat.de/artikel/aktion/2026/11/backup-sachsen-anhalt/
https://redd.it/1xs6l8d
@r_DataHoarder
Advice on backup strategy - Laptop to PC with 3 HDDs
I've just moved from a Windows laptop to Macbook and I also have a Windows PC which has 3 1TB HDDs that I use for backups.
I usually do a backup every 6 months or so as I don't produce all that much data other than photos and an updated Lightroom catalogue. Maybe 50GB of data maximum in that period.
My current strategy is very long-winded:
Copy laptop files to a portable SSD
Plug into the PC
Connect to my PC from the laptop using Moonlight
Move files onto the HDDs one by one
Can anyone advise a less painful process I can try going forwards?
https://redd.it/1xs2rs5
@r_DataHoarder
Oyen Enclosure Shipped in Shoddy Packaging
I just got an Oyen Digital Enclosure for a single drive. It came in the retail box, which was placed inside a much bigger fedex envelope with minimal padding. The contents rattle around in the box when I rotate it. This really doesn't inspire much confidence. I'm surprised Oyen, a reputable manufacturer, would ship their product in such shabby packaging. The irony is that I just bought the same item from Amazon and returned it cuz it shipped in the retail box WITHOUT putting it in a bag. My ever-reliable bot tells me not to trust this and find a seller that knows how to package properly. I don't know if one exists !! What should I do?
https://redd.it/1xrzcyy
@r_DataHoarder
Best solution for two homeservers
https://redd.it/1xr1jqg
@r_DataHoarder
Only Floss The Teeth You Want to Keep
https://redd.it/1xrdxfc
@r_DataHoarder
2 Drive Failure NOTIFICATION While Repairing Synology 923+ NAS Volume - Could One Be False Positive, Caused By the Failure of the First?
I have a 923+ Synology NAS, bought several years ago, used as a media server with Infuse and Plex (music only). I began with 4 8TB WD Red Drives. 17 months ago I replaced 2 drives with Toshiba 20TB MG series. No issues.
Since prices have tripled, I just bought another "open box" Toshiba 20TB, from a reputable ebay seller (accepts returns) who claimed 0 hours and included perfect CrystalDiskInfo screenshots. My NAS verified this and it passed the Synology Extended SMART test.
While repairing the volume overnight (I use SHR), I awoke to the 20TB open box Toshiba AND the remaining 8TB WD Red (30,000 hours) in "critical" status. The volume is in "read only" mode.
Luckily, I still have access to all my files through DSM (7.4.1). I bought 2 WD Elements 16TB drives and am currently backing up my media (yeah, I know).
My question is this: Since the old 8TB WD Red failed, could that be the reason the NAS is showing the Toshiba 20GB as "critical" also? A chain reaction type of failure notification that was caused by the aging WD Red, and the open box Toshiba is really OK?
I still have the 2 8TB WD Red drives that I replaced the original 2 Toshibas with, and they have much less run time.
I'm thinking of trying the open box again, and running another Extended Smart test on it. Is this type of false positive possible with a NAS, or should I return the open box Toshiba and treat the "critical" status as gospel truth? I'm obviously no expert, but my gut tells me this could be a possibility.
I use a Mac, and although I bought a HDD docking station planning on testing the "critical" Toshiba with it, it seems like just using the NAS might be my best bet. I'm not comfortable using the terminal, and not sure if paying $20 for DriveDX will be any better than just trying again.
AI, which has been its usual both helpful and sometimes absurdly wrong self during this frustrating ordeal, responded with this:
"When a Synology RAID volume rebuild fails, the NAS reads every single sector of the remaining drives to reconstruct the data onto the new drive. If your older 8TB WD Red hit an unreadable bad sector during this intensive process, the NAS would instantly abort the rebuild and flag a volume crash. To the software, it looks like the new Toshiba failed, but in reality, the 8TB WD Red dropped the ball"
Does that make sense? I want to believe it does. Since I have no experience with failing drives, or failing drive notifications, I'm here looking for counsel. Thanks in advance.
https://redd.it/1xr2svr
@r_DataHoarder
The Future of Hosting
https://gateway.c0mpute.com/s/53021d6e8d5a0e1aac48/
https://redd.it/1xro9a2
@r_DataHoarder