Refrigerator Safe for External Hard Drive Storage? 1

[bsquared18]

Hi,

I use a four-TB external hard drive to save backup images of four Windows computers. Because the files are huge, backing them up to a cloud is impractical. I have One TB of cloud storage, but that's not large enough, and besides the uploading process takes an extremely long time.

So, I was thinking of options for on-site storage that would be safer than simply having the external hard drive sit next to my computer.

My thought was this: I've read that as far as fire is concerned, a basement is safer than upstairs because fire travels upward. Refrigerators have been mentioned as a possible substitute for a safe. We have a second, small refrigerator in our basement. So, I was thinking about placing the hard drive in a ziplock bag from which the air has been removed and placing that in the frig. The temperature never gets below freezing.

Of course, before using the hard drive, I'd bring it to room temperature. My backup images are intended only to eliminate the need to reinstall all the programs if a computer's hard drive fails, so updating the images is done rarely. Frequent updating of the document files is done separately.

I might set up a protocol to take the unit out of the frig on a regular basis and run it, just to make sure it works and to limber it up.

Any problems with this plan? Comments would be welcomed.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[bsquared18]

Thanks, Chris.

Based on the conversation, I've crossed the refrigerator idea off my list. In fact,I just ordered a fireproof, water-proof, fart-proof security box from Amazon, along with some reusable desiccant packs. Now, of course, we'll go the next twenty years without fire or flood. I say twenty years because my expiration date comes due right about then.

Bill

 

[goombawaho]

Now you only have to worry about THEFT of the safe. Thieves may figure something GOOD is in the safe.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[bsquared18]

Right. A small box hidden somewhere deep in the bowels of the house, protected by a burglar alarm system, gun, two large dogs and an ill-tempered cat. Among the nasty things that might happen in my future, theft of that box seems low on the list.

Thanks everyone. This as been both educational and entertaining.

Bill

 

[ChrisHirst]

You had me out at the cat, ....

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.

Never mind this jesus character, stars had to die for me to live.