Safe recommendations needed!

[Gozogozo]

Hi

Having had a back up disc crash out almost simultaneously with the pc where precious family photos were stored, I am now paranoid about backing up my backups, so apart from a new backup drive & cloud storage, I plan to keep another backup drive in a safe - but what safe?

Any recommendations on easy to use safes would be hugely appreciated!

[wowfudge]

How about giving it to a friend or relation to look after for you at their house instead?

If you were to have a house fire, safes are only fireproof for a certain length of time to certain temperatures. Even 'fire safes'.

If you were burgled then unless the burglars knew you had a safe then you would hope the contents would be safe - and they'd be more interested in cash, jewellery, etc anyway. I would just lock it in desk drawer or metal cash box if you are really that bothered.

[PigletInABlanketJohn]

off-site storage is best. It is in case your house burns down. If you have a safe somebody might think it is worth stealing, and it could still get damaged in a fire (or a burst pipe).

If you have a garden shed, or a separate garage, you can put your backups in there (sealed into a damp-proof box), or ask a friend to keep them, or leave them at work or in the boot of your car. DVDs hold a vast amount of data, or you can put it into a padded envelope and post it to yourself c/o someone who will keep it for you. You can keep a disk at home, for backing-up onto, and swap it with the one in your safe place once a month or so (once a day is better, but might be too much trouble).

If you have a safe somebody might think it is worth stealing, and it could still get damaged in a fire (or a burst pipe).

Moving away from the 1980's technology and into the 1990s, you can get online cloud storage free or at low cost. This will work unless you forget lose your password, get hacked, close your account, or peg out without telling your loved ones where to look.

[specialsubject]

...or the company concerned goes bust.

two backup drives, give one to someone else.

[Gozogozo]

Thank you all, that is a much simpler way of looking at things. I will leave a back up with v good local friends.