Solved How often do you maintain your computers?

TraderGary · Mar 8, 2022

Haydon said:
You could use 2 SSDs that you never connect to your PC at the same time, e.g. connect them to your PC on alternating days. To run File History, you would need to 'Select drive' first then run everything normally.

I used to run like that long time ago following the so called golden 1-2-3 rule of backup (1 master, 2 copies, 3 different media) But one day, during the swap, I dropped an HDD and it died. Since then I follow a platinum 1-3-4 rule of backup where I rotate the 3 external media (now SSDs) However, I leave one SSD always connected to the PC, because I value the hourly backups.

My reasoning is similar, I use BitLocker, and in my paranoia of BitLocker malfunctioning and acting like ransomware, I still follow the golden rule of backup of having the 2 off-line copies. I am sure that MS has added a million lines of code to ensure safe operation of BitLocker, but there is no reasoning with paranoia I love BitLocker nonetheless, go figure

Actually, I do have 2 offline backup copies. My Asus laptop listed below has its File History on a Samsung T5 SSD. My new XPS 15 9510 has its File History on a new Samsung T7 SSD. And since both machines use the same Microsoft OneDrive, their File History is identical. I'm covered with my data locally on 3 computers and 2 File History SSDs. Remotely I'm covered with real-time OneDrive mirroring.

Haydon · Mar 8, 2022

TraderGary said:
Actually, I do have 2 offline backup copies. My Asus laptop listed below has its File History on a Samsung T5 SSD. My new XPS 15 9510 has its File History on a new Samsung T7 SSD. And since both machines use the same Microsoft OneDrive, their File History is identical. I'm covered with my data locally on 3 computers and 2 File History SSDs. Remotely I'm covered with real-time OneDrive mirroring.

In this arrangement with 2 machines, you could switch on only 1 machine at all times to always have an airgapped machine at all times. You lose the perfect sync, though.

My arrangement has only 1 machine, but there is always airgapped backup media at all times. The downside with airgaps is that by definition they prevent perfect sync.

Depends on what one's goals are, I think.

TraderGary · Mar 8, 2022

Haydon said:
In this arrangement with 2 machines, you could switch on only 1 machine at all times to always have an airgapped machine at all times. You lose the perfect sync, though.

My arrangement has only 1 machine, but there is always airgapped backup media at all times. The downside with airgaps is that by definition they prevent perfect sync.

Depends on what one's goals are, I think.

If both machines are turned on and synchronized with Cloud OneDrive at the same time, their OneDrive folders are identical. I haven't lost their perfect sync.

File History backups are only briefly connected to do an update. That seldom takes more than a few seconds to do and then the File History SSD is disconnected again and remains offline.

Why would I need to always have an air gapped machine? I would never run both File History backups at the same time. All I'm interested in having is a reliable offline data file backup in case I'm compromised by ransomware.

If I discovered that I was hit by ransomware, I would immediately delete the OneDrive folder on one of my computers as it contains all my data. This would then delete the OneDrive folder on all local computers and all the data on Cloud OneDrive.

Then I would do a clean install on all my machines. Then I would restore my clean OneDrive folder. Now I would be free of ransomware.

What am I not understanding?

Haydon · Mar 8, 2022

TraderGary said:
If both machines are turned on and synchronized with Cloud OneDrive at the same time, their OneDrive folders are identical. I haven't lost their perfect sync.

File History backups are only briefly connected to do an update. That seldom takes more than a few seconds to do and then the File History SSD is disconnected again and remains offline.

Why would I need to always have an air gapped machine? I would never run both File History backups at the same time. All I'm interested in having is a reliable offline data file backup in case I'm compromised by ransomware.

If I discovered that I was hit by ransomware, I would immediately delete the OneDrive folder on one of my computers as it contains all my data. This would then delete the OneDrive folder on all local computers and all the data on Cloud OneDrive.

Then I would do a clean install on all my machines. Then I would restore my clean OneDrive folder. Now I would be free of ransomware.

What am I not understanding?

Well, having 2 machines gives you the opportunity to provide yourself with a hot standby. One machine is down after an incident, the other is immediately ready for use. But sure, you can run your 2 machine system as you described

My 1 machine system would need the same kind of work after an incident that you described, i.e. not immediately ready for use. I am OK with that, but it's also only 1 machine

Dch48 · Mar 9, 2022

I do full backups when the mood strikes me. It can go months in between. I only make one copy when I do it. So far, no problems.

Ghot · Mar 9, 2022

Q: How often do you maintain your computer?

A: Only after the pizza arrives.

Winuser · Mar 9, 2022

Ghot said:
Q: How often do you maintain your computer?

A: Only after the pizza arrives. :)

Only if it has Pepperoni will I go for it. If not, I wait for the next pizza order.

bikemanI7 · Mar 9, 2022

Once a Week Macrium Incremental update, Occasionally on seperate external stored in a protective case and stored off site--a complete backup of music folder, photo folder. Onedrive backup of other files.

Disk Cleanup, Trim and Defrag of Mechanical storage drive if needed weekly

Dust clean out every 3 months on all systems

Windows Updates done

Windows defender/Malwarebytes scan over night usually prior to Incremental backup weekly

Same steps done on Laptop machine and Moms Desktop usually on same schedule, may not be on same day, but try to keep maintenance around same days if i can

All Software updated autoly, or manually depending on what kinda update it is and such

Maintain the systems alot better than i did in 2005, and after killing my AMD Athlon XP system, learned maintenance is very important, watching what files i download, making sure malware scans and antivirus scans are done weekly, backups done, disk maintenance done, and dust clean outs, (might be excessive a bit on maintenance) but so far not a single problem, minus a few printer issues

Haydon · Mar 20, 2022

I was taken aback recently, having to allow robocopy.exe through controlled folder access, it is a tool built into Windows since decades! So, I made the rounds visiting the computers in my stable, what else I allowed through CFA over the years. Turns out all allowed apps are OK, big sigh of relief

TairikuOkami · Mar 20, 2022

Haydon said:
I was taken aback recently, having to allow robocopy.exe through controlled folder access, it is a tool built into Windows since decades!

Built in tools are commonly used by malware as lolbins, just mshta.exe typically abused by ransomware.

The Malware Hiding in Your Windows System32 Folder: Mshta, HTA, and Ransomware

The LoL approach to hacking is a lot like the “travel light” philosophy for tourists. Don’t bring anything to your destination that you can’t find or inexpensively purchase once you’re…

www.varonis.com

glockster · Mar 20, 2022

I have scheduled tasks that do the following, so I'm mostly set it and forget it:

1) At 2am and 2pm everyday, I run a powershell script that has some logic that does some maintenance of its own to back-up my NAS to my local machine. If one or both of my external USB backup drives are connected, it'll also run weekly and/or monthly backups. My wifes' and sons' machines back-up to the NAS prior to the scheduled task. My files are sync'd from my local machine to the NAS.
2) Once a week, I run a powershell script that deletes all the "junk" files on my machine.
3) Every 3 days, a script backs-up my VMWare virtual machines to a separate drive on my local machine.
4) Every 4 months, a script shrinks and defrags my virtual machines.
5) Once a week, I have a script that backs-up my scheduled tasks so I don't have to manually re-create them after a fresh install.
6) Defrag for HDD's is handled through disk optimization automatically, but I periodically manually optimize the SSDs.

I also have a few scripts that I run manually to do SFC and DISM checks.

CornishRattler · Mar 20, 2022

I give mine a wipe over with a cloth every month, that's pretty much it

jerrypc1 · Mar 20, 2022

about every 3 months I take off the side and clean the fans and any dust inside:)

Edwin · Mar 20, 2022

jerrypc1 said:
I take off the side and clean the fans and any dust inside

I need to do that right shortly!
I also need a nice quiet air cleaner/purifier for my office.

Haydon · Mar 20, 2022

Edwin said:
I need to do that right shortly!
I also need a nice quiet air cleaner/purifier for my office.

Place the air cleaner/purifier in your huge tower and the unit does triple duty, air cleaning, air purifying, and computing too

Edit: Just kidding

badrobot · Mar 20, 2022

Haydon said:
BTW, it is at times like this when I wished I could RDP my computers from my phone but no worry, it will come, it's just a matter of time :)

Remote Desktop on phone has been around for years now. There is a Microsoft Remote Desktop app on both android and iPhone.

Haydon · Mar 20, 2022

badrobot said:
Remote Desktop on phone has been around for years now. There is a Microsoft Remote Desktop app on both android and iPhone.

View attachment 24866

View attachment 24867

View attachment 24868

Yeah, someone pointed that out earlier. I was about to make work of it, when I read about RDP puncturing additional holes in your Windows firewall, and I am still thinking about it ...

x BlueRobot · Mar 20, 2022

TairikuOkami said:
Built in tools are commonly used by malware as lolbins, just mshta.exe typically abused by ransomware.

True, hence why most of the critical directories are locked down to the TrustedInstaller.

badrobot · Mar 20, 2022

Haydon said:
Yeah, someone pointed that out earlier. I was about to make work of it, when I read about RDP puncturing additional holes in your Windows firewall, and I am still thinking about it ...

it depends how you connect your PC. I use DDNS method.

bikemanI7 · Mar 20, 2022

I normally use standard way Microsoft setups Remote Desktop on my Windows 10 Pro Desktop sometimes from app, not sure if Comcast XB7 Gateway would work with DDNS method or not. Only rarely use it on maintenance times of the month

Solved How often do you maintain your computers?

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