SD card for daily data exchange between computers

MaryLee

Solid State Member
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6
Location
France
Hello all.

I have two notebooks in two different locations.

In order to exchange data between the computers, I started operating only from an SD card. This means I simply that I have all my data on my SD card, including my mail client. No data would be saved on the computer directly. I would therefore eject and insert my SD card almost daily

My question:

  • How long can I expect my SD card to be working?
  • Should I use the function “remove hardware safely” on Windows 10 each time before I shut down my computer because I would eject the card usually each time after ejecting it.
  • Is there anything else I should keep in mind while using this system of exchanging data?
Thanks
 
I think it would remiss of me to suggest that you use your computers in this way to transfer data. I wouldn't trust data, especially if it is of a sensitive nature or crucial to your business, to be reliably contained on an SD card. Having said that I have SD cards that are years old and they are still functioning. I have also had SD cards that have only lasted a few months. If you are adamant that this is the way that you wish to use your computers, and I can see the advantages of using computers in this way, I would suggest that you back any sensitive or crucial data up to an external hard drive or the cloud although with anything sensitive or even crucial then security is of paramount importance. I would also recomend using the "remove hardware safely" function. I don't and I have never had a problem but why tempt fate.
 
Hi Pete, Thanks so far.

I would suggest that you back any sensitive or crucial data up to an external hard drive
Please let me ask: Is your recommended process then

- continue using the SD card
- but addtionally backing up the data daily on a hard drive

Or
- using an external hardrive instead of an SD card daily
 
There are various methods of backing up data. I am only a domestic user but I do have thousands of pictures of my, large, family growing up. To me these pics are just as important as any business data. The cloud is one way to back up your data. The advantage of cloud storage is that, in theory, the cloud owners should haved a plethora of servers so that nobodies data should be lost. The HUGE disadvantage of cloud storage is that it is very very expensive. I have two 3 Tb mechanical external hard drives that contain the same information so I have two back up locations. Downside is that mechanical hard drives are slow and backing up significant amounts of data can take a long time plus you run the risk of one or both hard drives packing up during the transfer. I would prefer to use SSD hard drives but large ones are not cheap. I have just bought a 6 Tb WD Elements hard drive, again mechanical, to copy my data to thus giving me 3 back up locations with a fairly large amount spare on the 6 Tb disk.

In my opinion backing up data is the most important thing you can do when using computers for any reason closely followed by security if you are dealing with other people's data. As to your last question in my opinion I would use an SSD (solid state drive) rather than a mechanical one. These do have a finite life span as do mechanical hard drives but they do the same job faster and I would think that if you are using SD cards to transfer your data then those cards would not be very big and small, up to 500 Gb, are reasonably cheap.
 
thanks

It just came to my mind that I can actually use my computer at home as a nice backup. The backup can easily be done when my SD is connected to my home computer.

There might be even a routine available which would automatically copy my SD card on my home computer upon inserting it into it.
 
There are automatic backup programs (or apps as the new order call them.) I don't use them but a Google should bring some up. I am very wary of "free" programs and I am not that trusting of paid for ones to be honest but that is just me. I prefer to back up my stuff manually. That way, for me anyway, I know it has been done the way I want it done rather than the way a program (app) writer wants it done.
 
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