Torture-Testing Backups
Off Pulau Tenggol, Malaysia, October 20, 2000
Dear Fred: Thanks a lot for great Newsletter, which I highly appreciate while
sailing around the world. In your October 16 edition, you say that "CD-based
backups are best-of-breed". [
www.winmag.com/columns/explorer/2000/20.htm]
Well, let me tell you that I am backing up my data on board every day on a CD-RW.
This CD is placed near the grab bag in the event we should one day abandon ship.
Knowing that this CD would inevitably get wet and salty in a survival situation,
I tested it by keeping it during two weeks in a bucket of saltwater, exposed
to sun. After this, I just rinsed the CD with clear water and a little bit of
vinegar (to remove the salt), dried it and put it in my laptop. Would you believe
it? All the data were perfectly readable and usable. You are right when you
say that CD-based backups are best-of-breed!
Jean-Claude Racine (Switzerland) Yacht
Na-Maka-o-Kaha'i
Jean-Claude cruises the world and downloads
his LangaList issues via direct satellite Internet link.
Computer repair shops report that they've used dishwashers to clean floppy
drives, printer parts, keyboards, etc. Basically, many flat-surfaced parts (such
as a circuit board) can be washed with pure water (distilled best) and dried
thoroughly without damage. Enclosed devices such as power supplies cannot
be cleaned in this way. This should only be attempted with parts that are facing
some serious problem caused by surface contamination.
A few sensible rules:
