Data (personal/finance/photo/music) protection

[Enna_Solven]

This is a follow-up to the discussion we had in the facebook thread in the lounge forum. I am starting a new thread here. I can do a write-up describing the general practices that I follow to protect my personal data in my computer. These include personal correspondence with family, friends, financial data, memories in the form of photos/videos and of course music.

I cannot afford to lose any of the above and I use various software and methods to keep them safe in multiple locations under my control. I do not recall any such discussion in the past.

If there is interest I can share my methods. I mostly use open-source software, so it is easy to do if someone want to adapt it. Others can share their tips. One thing I don't do is backup data at some online 'cloud'. What is in the cloud belongs to varunA and is in the control of vAyu bhagwAn and not yours!

Let me know.

[VK RAMAN]

Please do share with us

[mohan]

One thing I don't do is backup data at some online 'cloud'. .

Yes we can upload all our photos to Facebook!

Only kidding

[venkatakailasam]

Shri. Enna_Solven:

Kindly share. There should not be any hesitation in sharing useful matters.
Knowledge and music-if they are not shared lose their value!!
Even though Contents more often go to the back seat!!
venkatakailasam

[Enna_Solven]

In three parts. I might revise when I revisit the topic.

These are the general outlines of my methods. If anyone wants to install and/or has any questions about, I will answer in detail (as much as I know. I have a suspicion that there are other more techy guys lurking in the forum...)

Part 1 : Data protection against hard disk crashes, viruses, natural hazards, burglary:

Backup at three places:
1. External hard drive, connect once or twice weekly, back up, and disconnect. This is stored in the same computer desk, in the same wooden house. Not good.
2. External hard disk: Backed up monthly and stored at my workplace (glass & steel building)
3. About once a year, with my relative about 1500 miles away

1. Create Synchronicity - Open source Backup Software: http://synchronicity.sourceforge.net/.
Once I started to use this, I forgot about other ones. It is simple, fast. Separate jobs, command line backup fro one-click backup. "Create Synchronicity is especially light: zipped, it weights about 180 kB (that's 20 times less than an average MP3 file). It makes the backup process extremely easy, while remaining fully customizable."

Sample command line that I added to a windows shortcut, that runs all five jobs and create html log files to inspect: "C:\Program Files\Tools2\Synchronicity\Create Synchronicity.exe" /quiet /run "1Docs|2others|3Photos|4Video|5Music"
The 1 to 5 backup jobs are defined by me inside the program.

2. TrueCrypt - Protecting personal/financial data with encryption: http://www.truecrypt.org/ ; Free and Open-source software.
I create, say, a 1GB file with this software, it encrypts it and mounts it as drive volume. I store sensitive personal info there. When the computer boots up, it asks for encryption password (and a keyfile, if needed, see below) and mounts it as a drive (say X:). I create files and save inside this new volume. It just behaves like a normal disk volume, like C:, D:, etc. When I am done dealing with sensitive data, I dismount the drive. The huge 1GB file goes back to a jumble of 1's and 0's. I use a combination of AES and two-fish algorithms. There are no known methods to break this encryption. Disadvantage of using this: forget password, the data CANNOT be recovered, period.

Keyfile is a file whose content is combined with a password. Until the correct keyfile is provided, no volume that uses the keyfile can be mounted. Provides protection against keystroke loggers (even if an adversary captures your password using a keystroke logger, he will not be able to mount the volume without your keyfile).

3. KeePass - Websites password management: I have to use passwords for so many things: from forums to banks to online purchase. All user ID are different and do not have any similarity. The passwords I use cannot be remembered (for example: ) These are generated by this program using random mouse movements, and maintained by it in encrypted form. I remember only one ridiculously long password to open this password store. I Click & drag various userID/password combinations into website id/password boxes. No typing. When I am done, I lock the store. It goes to back an encrypted file in the encrypted Truecrypt volume.

http://keepass.info/ free and open-source software.
"What is KeePass?
Today you need to remember many passwords. You need a password for the Windows network logon, your e-mail account, your website's FTP password, online passwords (like website member account), etc. etc. etc. The list is endless. Also, you should use different passwords for each account. Because if you use only one password everywhere and someone gets this password you have a problem... A serious problem. "

4. CleanUp! - Clean up junk from computer with: http://cleanup.stevengould.org/
A simple program that I have been using for many years. Free and simple to configure.

[Enna_Solven]

Part 2: Online Safety

1. Browser - FireFox 4.0
No IE - too risky with ActiveX nonsense
Chrome - Google will remember me after I am long gone. I don't fancy that.
I use only FireFox with the following extensions:
AdBlock Plus - ads are yesterday
Sanitisminau - one click cleanup all browsing (history, cookies, etc. You may find it convenient to have history lying around but many companies track you around, across websites using third party cookies. I don't like it)
BetterPrivacy - to get rid persistent, Adobe Flash cookies.
FireGestures - Most useful addon, no more clicking back/forward buttons. It is all in the mouse!
NoScript: This completely blocks javascript for all websites wexcept the ones I allowed. It became too much of a nuisance as most sites use scripting.
I disable microsoft .net framework Assistant, that windows update adds.

With FireFox itself these are the settings: keeps cookies only as long as the browser is open, don't remember history, do not accept third party cookies, block reported attack sites, block reported web forgeries

All these make me sign in to Rasikas each time, but I use the FireFox's built in password handler to take care of it. I don't use FireFox to monitor/store any of my sensitive passwords. For that I use Keepass as mentioned above.

2. Avast - Anti-virus: http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download
I find it simpler, not too intrusive. My computers are behind a NAT router with port-scanning blocked (no open/close acknowledgement). I used to have a software firewall to monitor outgoing connections but since I do not have suspicious software other than MicroSoft I got rid of it. It became too much of a chore to maintain it and to resolve Operating System/Firewall conflicts across my internal home network among family members' computers.

3. Paranoia: Unplug router very week or so, so that my ISP give it a new IP number to make it harder for folks like Google to follow me around the web.

With all this am I safe online? Most probably no, but I am safer and I have a recovery plan.

Tidbit: The latest organized computer crime attack: Trojan encrypts all the data on user's computer and asks him to pay up using pre-paid credit cards (no more Western Union transfers!). No money, no data. The security researcher who reported this claimed that the encryption is virtually unbreakable (some combination of AES and PGP). He also reported some people have paid to get their computers back

[Enna_Solven]

Part 3 Music Management:

All but GoldWave are free software.

1. MediaMonkey - Database & Music Player: http://www.mediamonkey.com (free version is good)
Nothing is there to beat this program. I have done a fair amount of scripting in it. It serves me up concert after concert, either single or multi-artists in the same concert. All in traditional format, no TMK style varnam main

2. Mp3Tag - mp3/flac files tagging: http://www.mp3tag.de/en/
Ultimate and free tag editor. Conforms to tagging Standards. Tags written by it is read without error by all players. More importantly, it has not spoilt a single of my mp3 files

3. Music mp3 file noise clean-up: GoldWave (50$) and Audacity (open-source, free). Both very easy to use, but needs a sensitive ear and headphones to filter out external noise while cleaning up. I can offer guidelines, if anyone wants. For noise clean up Goldwave is significantly superior. It offers various method to file out and fine-tune controls.

4. Format converter: BonkEnc (now fre:ac) - http://www.bonkenc.org/
Simple program with splendid bit-rate controls to convert between flac-mp3-wav and other formats. It also rips CDs, though I prefer EAC to do that. http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/

5. Rename master - File renamer: http://www.joejoesoft.com/cms/showpage.php?cid=108
A very nice utility that I use to rename files to fit my naming convention (standardized names used in rasikas.org/sangeethapriya for krithis/ragams/composers names) for semi-automated tagging.

6. Mp3 volume leveling: MP3Gain - http://mp3gain.sourceforge.net/ (not related to Mp3Gain Pro)
I run this program on all my neww additions from sangeethapriya to level the volume. It does apretty good job.
"Tired of reaching for your volume knob every time your mp3 player changes to a new song?
MP3Gain analyzes and adjusts mp3 files so that they have the same volume.
MP3Gain does not just do peak normalization, as many normalizers do. Instead, it does some statistical analysis to determine how loud the file actually sounds to the human ear.
Also, the changes MP3Gain makes are completely lossless. There is no quality lost in the change because the program adjusts the mp3 file directly, without decoding and re-encoding."

[mohan]

Good stuff Enna_solven

The problem I have is choosing what to back up. While I try to store most of my required files in a set folder, at times other programs will save things in their own particular places eg in a Downlaod directory, under 'My Music' etc, etc. Its sometimes hard to keep track of where all your personal data is kept on your PC.

[kartik]

Mohan, you can use Google Desktop to search files.

[Nick H]

Its sometimes hard to keep track of where all your personal data is kept on your PC.

I am the messiest person in the world. Well, up there in the top million, or so, anyway! But I have always kept computers tidier than my desk, office or house. If you really have scattered your data around your disc, then step one is to collect it all together!

I guess, though, that you may be referring to the data that some programs might keep, like your browser's bookmarks, or your email contacts, that might be somewhere a bit less obvious than "My Documents". It is important to track this down and make sure that it does get backed up.

An "Image" of your C-Drive (for Windows users) is an invaluable form of backup. If you think this is getting too "techie," let me assure you that restoring your image is a lot less "techie" than re-installing Windows, followed by all the software that you use, followed by getting all the settings in Windows and software back to what you need/want. It is a hugely preferable experience! I use Drive Image XML --- it is relatively simple and easy --- and free.

[sridhar]

backing up entire drive or even using microsoft's settings and transfer wizard is no fun. Takes good amount of time while computer becomes unusable. If you are looking for shortcuts, yo can use microsoft's SyncToy (free) to keep folders sync'd between C: and an external drive. First time it takes a long time but afterwards, it only copies new/modified files.

I am looking for a free (or nearly free) program to convert tapes to mp3. I have an old version of Music Match Juke box on an old XP PC that I use but I would love to get one for my windows7 PC. I ususllay use MMJ followed up by MP3 trackmaker for splitting up / joining files. I have also used the MP3 gain in the past for leveling the volume.

[Enna_Solven]

If you are looking for shortcuts, yo can use microsoft's SyncToy (free) to keep folders sync'd between C: and an external drive. First time it takes a long time but afterwards, it only copies new/modified files.

I have used SyncToy but it is slow even for incremental backups compared to Karen's Replicator and Synchronicity. It takes quite long deciding what to backup. Its actual copy time is slower too compared to the other two. I get about 40Mbytes/sec copying to my external eSATA hard disk with Synchronicity, about the same with Replicator and about 30MBytes/sec with SyncToy. I stopped using that. However, it is an advanced Toy and very powerful for bi-directional updates.
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp - Freeware

I am looking for a free (or nearly free) program to convert tapes to mp3. I have an old version of Music Match Juke box on an old XP PC that I use but I would love to get one for my windows7 PC. I ususllay use MMJ followed up by MP3 trackmaker for splitting up / joining files. I have also used the MP3 gain in the past for leveling the volume.

I did this with Audacity.
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php? ... uter_or_CD

[Enna_Solven]

Good stuff Enna_solven

The problem I have is choosing what to back up. While I try to store most of my required files in a set folder, at times other programs will save things in their own particular places eg in a Downlaod directory, under 'My Music' etc, etc. Its sometimes hard to keep track of where all your personal data is kept on your PC.

This is under your control:
FireFox - Tools -> Options -> General -> Save Files to (choose directory) or Always ask me where to Save Files

Internet Exploder - Always has to be different and pesky. You can change the default location next time when you download an item or use this more involved registry edit:

Code: Select all

You may want to specify the default download directory in Internet Explorer. This is useful for those who always perform download using Internet Explorer. Just follow the steps below and you will set the default download directory for Internet Explorer:-

    Go to Start -> Run -> type regedit and enter
    Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft\ Internet Explorer
    Create a new String value with key Download Directory and set the value to a valid directory (ex: C:\Download) * if this key already exists, just modify the value
    Congratulation! You have just specify your Internet Explorer default download directory

To take immediate effect of your default download directory, logoff or restart your windows.

    Important Note: This tutorial teach you how to modify the ms windows registry. Modifying the registry can cause serious problems to your computer. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. If problem happen you need to know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. Use this tutorial at your own risk. 

[vasanthakokilam]

Good set of procedures and advice E_S. You sure practice what you preach.

>Disadvantage of using this: forget password, the data CANNOT be recovered, period.

Agreed. I need not tell you this but as general info for others, make sure you have given that password to at least one person who you trust. You do not want to end up as a single point of failure for that all important password!!

[Nick H]

backing up entire drive or even using microsoft's settings and transfer wizard is no fun. Takes good amount of time while computer becomes unusable. If you are looking for shortcuts, yo can use microsoft's SyncToy (free) to keep folders sync'd between C: and an external drive. First time it takes a long time but afterwards, it only copies new/modified files.

I am looking for a free (or nearly free) program to convert tapes to mp3. I have an old version of Music Match Juke box on an old XP PC that I use but I would love to get one for my windows7 PC. I ususllay use MMJ followed up by MP3 trackmaker for splitting up / joining files. I have also used the MP3 gain in the past for leveling the volume.

Have you got all your data on C: drive? Better to partition your drive and leave C for Windows and programs. Only an image will make re-installation of WIndows and programs simple in the case of a dead or corrupted drive --- but not in the case of an entirely dead machine, as WIndows will only work on the machine it was installed on.

Audacity is probably the best there is in the free-software world (and probably just as good as much that you might pay for too) for digitising tapes or vinyl. Please consider saving your tapes as WAV (uncompressed) or FLAC (compressed but lossless) rather than MP3. You can always make MP3 files for your portable player, but if you keep your archives as MP3 then you have thrown away part of your music.