Solid State Sata Drive for Data Storage?

[bikeman25]

Hello All

 

Currently using a Western Digital 4TB drive for data Storage (Documents, Music, Videos, Pictures, and Downloads)    is it fine to use a Solid state Drive for that type of stuff,  or would it end up being way too many writes, and drive dying in about a year or twos time.     

Originally the WD 4TB HDD drive was gonna be external storage in enclosure,  but then i was notified i won Seagate 8TB drive from 2019 Twitter Contest, so plans changed a bit, and it ended up internal in Main Desktop.        Its kinda louder than my old WD 1TB HDD though, so kinda was thinking discontinuing internal use of the 4TB, and replacing with a  1TB WD Black HDD,  as i'm highly unsure on SSD lifespan and way i use my system if it would be a good or very very bad idea

 

 

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

Look at LTT, on YouTube. They have 2 servers with NVME SSD's. That they use for their current projects (video editing)

The important thing about backups, you want them in 3 places. One on your HDD/SSD, 2nd on the cloud, and 3rd, somewhere away from your house. That is always my philosophy.

@BudMancan explain this better than me. As for SSD, I'm not 100% sure..

[bikeman25]

Yes i make sure backups stored 1 local drive, cloud, and the Seagate 8tb rotated from close by relatives monthly

System has no more NvMe space, so would have to be Sata ssd if I go that way

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

On 12/02/2023 at 11:50, bikeman25 said:

Yes i make sure backups stored 1 local drive, cloud, and the Seagate 8tb rotated from close by relatives monthly

System has no more NvMe space, so would have to be Sata ssd if I go that way

You could use your PCI-E slots, too. (unless you have a Mini ITX and only one is taken by the GFX) Looked at your board. You can use the PCI-E X slots.

You can always use USB HDD/SSD enclosures.

[bikeman25]

Well no more accessible PCi-e slots with this Micro ATX motherboard,   Video card top 2 slots, blocking 1 Pcie-x1 slot,   second x1 slot in use by Wifi/Bluetooth card 

 

I could look into though USB HDD/SSD enclosure though.      

 

Shop didn't give a me a choice between any other boards but this one when i got my Intel 10700 bundle in 2020,   Just said at the time we got this Gigabyte b460M board and Intel 10700,  as i originally picked on there Price list another bundle lol--so i was like i'll take it lol.     

 

Main thing is harder to decide what the heck to get with birthday gift card this year than any other, but i got a week to fully decide haha.       Did get an offer for Nero Platinum Suite Unlimited License, but for $74.95,  don't know if i wanna spend almost the entire card if its a $100.00 card for that lol

 

 

[spaceelf]

I use SSDs for literally everything.  They're not indestructible but they're a lot better than any HD.

Unless you're buying the cheapest stuff on the market I wouldn't worry about them at all.

[bikeman25]

No i wouldn't buy the cheapest stuff on the market.   Most likely if i do buy one will be a Samsung Evo 870 or such,  possibly 1TB size,  as on the 4TB hard drive currently internal only using like 316GB of the space lol.   

 

Though i do tend to worry alot when maybe i shouldn't even have to

 

[freedonX]

If it's only used 316GB, just get a 1TB enclosure. Also paired with cloud and you're set.

Would this enclosure be on 24/7 or would you manually connect/turn in to start the backing up process each time?

[bikeman25]

Would be turned on when needed  to perform the backups do think, as typically smaller files are backed up to Onedrives 1TB storage,  and bigger backups of say purchased music, typically once a month as don't usually purchase too much unlike i used to when Microsoft had Music on Windows Store, and back then i bought a ton, plus 30 Free Albums i got when i had a Windows phone

 

 

 

[Michael Scrip]

The 1TB Samsung Evo 870 has an endurance rating of 600TBW for 5 years.

Basically it's rated for you to fill, and empty, and fill the drive again 600 times in 5 years.

In other words... you'd have to write and delete 328GB of data *every single day* to reach these numbers.

You'll be fine to use an SSD as a storage drive.  I've been SSD-only in my machines for a decade... for both boot drives and general storage.

As always... keep good backups.

😛 

[bikeman25]

Oh i definitely will keep good backups

 

Doubt i'd write 328GB of data every single day for 5 years,  or i hope i wouldn't lol.

Well thinking this Desktop might end up being my first SSD only system 

and keep the 4TB in enclosure for extra backup drive of possibly video files, and Important Pictures and Purchased Folder---Still have to complete scanning in older Pictures from family album when Father was alive, and store those on the backup drives, and make sure copy on the drive stored at Relatives place out of my residence 

 

[+BudMan MVC]

On 12/02/2023 at 11:11, bikeman25 said:

  or would it end up being way too many writes

This might of been a thing when SSDs first came out - but the life time writes now are crazy high.. especially for the bigger drives.. I would find it hard to believe you would have to worry about it in a normal desktop system..

[bikeman25]

Ok i feel alot better knowing i'm worrying on writes for nothing these days.     Truthfully i tend to worry on alot of stuff i probably shouldn't lol.  

 

 

[ThaCrip]

For "can't afford to lose" kind of data I would trust a regular HDD over a SSD in general and it's much cheaper with a regular HDD to. because when a SSD fails it can be sudden where as with a HDD it's more likely to give you warning signs before outright failure occurs.

personally I suggest, at minimum, two different copies of your high importance data on two difference devices (generally two different hard drives). but additionally, for a more limited amount of high importance data backup (like family photos/videos), store them on quality (Verbatim/Taiyo Yuden) DVD recordable media as quality DVD media will likely last a 'easy' 10-20+ years (I got DVD recordable media that's about 10-15 years old and still scans well with KProbe(i.e. no real disc degradation)) and I think this is a very conservative figure, but I would expect decades. the HDD/DVD recordable media combo is a very effective way not to lose high importance data as short of a house fire/natural disaster level event, this should be rock solid.

but with SSD, I heard as they start to wear out that they can't retain data when being unplugged for extended periods of time. either way, I would trust a hard drive far more to store data unplugged than a SSD as storing data on a spinning platter vs a memory chip just sounds more reliable in general.

with that said, if you wanted to use a SSD as 'additional' storage for high importance data it's not a bad idea but I definitely would have at least one copy on another reliable device like a HDD or recordable DVD media.

[bikeman25]

Yeah definitely will have a copy if i go for sure with the SSD for Storage drive as planned right now,   Will also invest in Quality DVD Recordable media....as i know those pictures i definitely can't replace or redo any of them.     Actually the Family Photos/Videos are far more important than the Purchased Music in terms of safe guarding and keeping safe, 

I do have a Partial Copy on the Seagate 8TB drive that is only connected once a month,  but i got alot more to still scan in, and save to the Drive,  and will also keep a Copy on another drive--and DVD Media as well

Living in these days Multi Family Townhome 4 unit building,  thankfully no disaster yet, but gonna prepare as much as i can for any, and get the photos safe guarded.    Relative lives around block in same complex, but likely hood of a disaster affecting both Townhomes at same time--think slim

 

Will get the stuff on the DVD as soon as possible *Need to get better quality DVD media asap here, right now just have Memorex discs*    Getting some Verbatim/Taiyo Yuden asap though for sure

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2023 by bikeman25

[+BudMan MVC]

On 12/02/2023 at 19:15, bikeman25 said:

Townhomes at same time--think slim

You don't have tornadoes or floods or earthquakes where you are..

I have home movies in the cloud, multiple copies in my house, also on mdisc and then copies at my son's house 40 minutes away, and then at my other son's house other side of the country.  When it comes to stuff that can not be replaced, you can not be too careful.

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

If you are just backing up data files to the SSD, that would be the initial write of all files, followed by subsequent backups which just copied over new and changed files, plus any that were deleted, correct? 

If so, that strikes me as a "low(er)-write" situation in that you are not constantly making lots of small writes to the SSD, which is more of a factor in their degradation.

Regardless of what type of media you choose to back up on (HDDs, SSDs, optical media, tape, etc.), I would suggest using multiple drives (media).  That way if a single one fails, you still will have access to your backed-up data.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky
 

[bikeman25]

Yes definitely making sure got multiple copies, and getting better DVD media soon as can afford, and think should be all fine hopefully for a long time now

 

[+BudMan MVC]

On 13/02/2023 at 20:48, bikeman25 said:

getting better DVD media

Just curious do you mean blu-ray, dvd isn't much space - most of my thumbdrives are way bigger than a dvd I think the smallest little usb I have kept is like 8GB, most are 16 or 32 You can do a BDXL 100GB bluray if what your using for it is backup/archive etc.

[bikeman25]

Well i'd have to invest first in a External Blu-Ray Writer currently only have a External DVD-Writer,  but yeah something to look into once i have more funds to do that aspect

 

Yes would be used for backup/Archive or watching older DVD Recordings from old Television Recorder i used to use in the old days  Philips 3576H,  thats what i currently use the DVD Writer for mostly watching old Series shows, and light burning activites off and on

 

 

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

On 14/02/2023 at 17:18, BudMan said:

I think the smallest little usb I have kept is like 8GB, most are 16 or 32

I have an OLD one that has 512MB.  

[+BudMan MVC]

On 14/02/2023 at 17:54, bikeman25 said:

mostly watching old Series shows

Off subject a bit - but who still watches off dvd?  Just setup plex or jellyfin or emby, etc

I still have one of those dvd/vhs recorders myself - I use it now an then to rip old vhs tapes to dvd so I can easy put them on my plex server   My dil has lots of old shows off vhs she doesn't want to loose.. I transfer the vhs to dvd so I can get a digital copy, then do a bit of fix up on the copy and there you go its on my plex..

[bikeman25]

Guess i'm Old School and watches on the DVD Player either on the Television or PC when i got the drive connected.    Never Setup a Plex Server,  didn't even think of that.        May have to look into it at some point if its not too complicated to do,  but for now i guess stays like currently am i suppose.     

Ripped all my old VHS to DVD long time ago with DVD Recorder

Never Even Owned a Blu-Ray writer or Player...but will be next thing i invest in Blu-Ray Writer External for Main Desktop after i get storage situated all out 

 

[spaceelf]

You know I rarely advocate for mini SD cards but they might make more sense than DVDs or BRs.

[shockz]

I’ve yet to have an SSD in a home setting fail due to excessive writes, my first SSD is 11 years old and it’s still running right now. I’d be fine doing data backups to SSD.