Memory is a finite resource when it comes to both humans and computers—it’s one of the most common causes of computer issues. And if you’ve ever left the house without your keys, you know memory is one of the most common human problems, too.

If you’re unclear about the different types of memory in your computer, it makes pinpointing the cause of computer problems that much harder. You might hear folks use the terms memory and storage interchangeably, but there are some important differences. Understanding how both components work can help you understand what kind of computer you need, diagnose problems you’re having, and know when it’s time to consider upgrades. 

The Difference Between RAM and Storage

Random access memory (RAM) and storage are both forms of computer memory, but they serve different functions. 

What Is RAM?

RAM is volatile memory used by the computer’s processor to store and quickly access data that is actively being used or processed. Volatile memory maintains data only while the device is powered on. RAM takes the form of computer chips—integrated circuits—that are either soldered directly onto the main logic board of your computer or installed in memory modules that go in sockets on your computer’s logic board.

You can think of it like a desk—it’s where your computer gets work done. When you double-click on an app, open a document, or do much of anything, part of your “desk” is covered and can’t be used by anything else. As you open more files, it is like covering your desk with more and more items. Using a desk with a handful of files is easy, but a desk that is covered with a bunch of stuff gets difficult to use.

What Is Computer Storage?

On the other hand, storage is used for long-term data retention, like a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD). Compared with RAM, this type of storage is non-volatile, which means it retains information even when a device is powered off. You can think of storage like a filing cabinet—a place next to your desk where you can retrieve information as needed. 

RAM vs. Storage: How Do They Compare?

Speed and Performance

Two of the primary differences between RAM and storage are speed and performance. RAM is significantly faster than storage. Data stored in RAM can be written and accessed almost instantly, so it’s very fast—milliseconds fast. DDR4 RAM, one of the newer types of RAM technology, is capable of a peak transfer rate of 25.6GB/s! RAM has a very fast path to the computer’s central processing unit (CPU), the brain of the computer that does most of the work. 

Storage, as it’s slower in comparison, is responsible for holding the operating system (OS), applications, and user data for the long term—it should still be fast, but it doesn’t need to be as fast as RAM.

That said, computer storage is getting faster thanks to the popularity of SSDs. SSDs are much faster than hard drives since they use integrated circuits instead of mechanical platters that have to be read sequentially, like HDDs. SSDs use a special type of memory circuitry called non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) to store data, so those shorter term memory access points stay in place even when the computer is turned off.

Even though SSDs are faster than HDDs, they’re still slower than RAM. There are two reasons for that difference in speed. First, the memory chips in SSDs are slower than those in RAM. Second, there is a bottleneck created by the interface that connects the storage device to the computer. RAM, in comparison, has a much faster interface.

Capacity and Size

RAM is typically smaller in capacity compared to storage. It is measured in gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB), whereas storage capacities can reach multiple terabytes or even petabytes. The smaller size of RAM is intentional, as it is designed to store only the data currently in use, ensuring quick access for the processor.

Volatility and Persistence

Another key difference is the volatility of RAM and the persistence of storage. RAM is volatile, meaning it loses its data when the power is turned off or the system is rebooted. This makes it ideal for quick data access and manipulation, but unsuitable for long-term storage. Storage is non-volatile or persistent, meaning it retains data even when the power is off, making it suitable for holding files, applications, and the operating system over extended periods.

How Much RAM Do I Have?

Understanding how much RAM you have might be one of your first steps for diagnosing computer performance issues. 

Use the following steps to confirm how much RAM your computer has installed. We’ll start with an Apple computer. Click on the Apple menu and then click About This Mac. In the screenshot below, we can see that the computer has 16GB of RAM.

With a Windows 11 computer, use the following steps to see how much RAM you have installed. Open the Control Panel by clicking the Windows button and typing “control panel,” then click System and Security, and then click System. Look for the line “Installed RAM.” In the screenshot below, you can see that the computer has 32GB of RAM installed.

How Much Computer Storage Do I Have?

To view how much free storage space you have available on a Mac computer, use these steps. Click on the Apple menu, then System Settings, select General, and then open Storage. In the screenshot below, we’ve circled where your available storage is displayed.

With a Windows 11 computer, it is also easy to view how much available storage space you have. Click the Windows button and type in “file explorer.” When File Explorer opens, click on This PC from the list of options in the left-hand pane. In the screenshot below, we’ve circled where your available storage is displayed (in this case, 200GB).

How RAM and Storage Affect Your Computer’s Performance

RAM

For most general-purpose uses of computers—email, writing documents, surfing the web, or watching Netflix—the RAM that comes with our computer is enough. If you own your computer for a long enough time, you might need to add a bit more to keep up with memory demands from newer apps and OSes. Specifically, more RAM makes it possible for you to use more apps, documents, and larger files at the same time.

People that work with very large files like large databases, videos, and images can benefit significantly from having more RAM. If you regularly use large files, it is worth checking to see if your computer’s RAM is upgradeable.

Adding More RAM to Your Computer

In some situations, adding more RAM is worth the expense. For example, editing videos and high-resolution images takes a lot of memory. In addition, high-end audio recording and editing as well as some scientific work require significant RAM.

However, not all computers allow you to upgrade RAM. For example, the Chromebook typically has a fixed amount of RAM, and you cannot install more. So, when you’re buying a new computer—particularly if you plan on using that computer for more than five years, make sure to 1) understand how much RAM your computer has, and, 2) if you can upgrade the computer’s RAM. 

When your computer’s RAM is filled up, your computer has to get creative to keep working. Specifically, your computer starts to temporarily use your hard drive or SSD as “virtual memory.” If you have relatively fast storage like an SSD, virtual memory will be fast. On the other hand, using a traditional hard drive will be fairly slow.

Storage

Besides RAM, the most serious bottleneck to improving performance in your computer can be your storage. Even with plenty of RAM installed, computers need to read and write information from the storage system (i.e., the HDD or the SSD).

Hard drives come in different speeds and sizes. For laptops and desktops, the most common RPM rates are between 5400–7200RPM. In some cases, you might even decide to use a 10,000RPM drive. Faster drives cost more, are louder, have greater cooling needs, and use more power, but they may be a good option.

New disk technologies enable hard drives to be bigger and faster. These technologies include filling the drive with helium instead of air to reduce disk platter friction and using heat or microwaves to improve disk density, such as with heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) drives and microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) drives.

Today, SSDs are becoming increasingly popular for computer storage. This type of computer storage is popular because it is faster, cooler, and takes up less space than traditional hard drives. They’re also less susceptible to magnetic fields and physical jolts, which makes them great for laptops. 

For more about the difference between HDDs and SSDs, check out our post, “Hard Disk Drive (HDD) vs. Solid-state Drive (SSD): What’s the Diff?”

Adding More Computer Storage

As a user’s disk storage needs increase, typically they will look to larger drives to store more data. The first step might be to replace an existing drive with a larger, faster drive. Or you might decide to install a second drive. One approach is to use different drives for different purposes. For example, use an SSD for the operating system, and then store your business videos on a larger SSD.

If more storage space is needed, you can also use an external drive, most often using USB or Thunderbolt to connect to the computer. This can be a single drive or multiple drives and might use a data storage virtualization technology such as RAID to protect the data.

If you have really large amounts of data, or simply wish to make it easy to share data with others in your location or elsewhere, you might consider network-attached storage (NAS). A NAS device can hold multiple drives, typically uses a data virtualization technology like RAID, and is accessible to anyone on your local network and—if you wish—on the internet, as well. NAS devices can offer a great deal of storage and other services that typically have been offered only by dedicated network servers in the past.

Back Up Early and Often

As a cloud storage company, we’d be remiss not to mention that you should back up your computer. No matter how you configure your computer’s storage, remember that technology can fail (we know a thing or two about that). You always want a backup so you can restore everything easily. The best backup strategy shouldn’t be dependent on any single device, either. Your backup strategy should always include three copies of your data on two different mediums with one off-site.

FAQs About Differences Between RAM and Storage

The post What’s the Diff: RAM vs. Storage appeared first on Backblaze Blog | Cloud Storage & Cloud Backup.

Solid-state drives (SSDs) have become the norm for most laptops and desktops, replacing the older hard disk drives (HDDs) that had been in use for decades previously. If your computer still relies on an HDD, it might be time to consider upgrading to an SSD for improved performance.

Upgrading to an SSD can give your computer a significant speed and responsiveness boost, especially if your machine is more than a few years old. However, before taking the plunge, it’s essential to weigh practical considerations. Let’s take a closer look at SSDs and the factors you should consider.

What Is an SSD?

An SSD is a type of data storage device used in computers and other electronic devices. Unlike traditional HDDs, which use spinning disks and mechanical read/write heads to store and retrieve data, SSDs rely on NAND-based flash memory to store information. This flash memory is similar to the kind used in USB drives and memory cards, but it’s optimized for higher performance and reliability.

Compared to HDDs, SSDs are more shock resistant (due to their lack of moving parts) and are less likely to be affected by magnetic fields. They also offer faster data access times, quicker boot-up and application load times, and better overall responsiveness. 

For more about the differences between HDDs and SSDs, check out Hard Disk Drive vs. Solid State Drive: What’s the Diff? or our two-part series, HDD vs. SSD: What Does the Future for Storage Hold?.

Why Upgrade to an SSD?

Because of their speed and efficiency, SSDs have become the preferred choice for many computing applications, ranging from laptops and desktops to servers and data centers. They are especially useful in situations where speed and reliability are crucial, such as in gaming, content creation, and tasks involving large data transfers. Despite typically offering less storage capacity compared to HDDs of similar cost, SSD performance benefits often outweigh the storage trade-off, making them a popular choice.

Depending on the task at hand, SSDs can be up to 10 times faster than their HDD counterparts. Replacing your hard drive with an SSD is one of the best things you can do to dramatically improve the performance of your older computer.

Without any moving parts, SSDs operate more quietly, more efficiently, and with fewer breakable things than hard drives that have spinning platters. Read and write speeds for SSDs are much better than hard drives, resulting in noticeably faster operations.

For you, that means less time waiting for stuff to happen. An SSD is worth looking into if you’re frequently seeing a spinning wheel cursor on your computer screen. Modern operating systems rely more on virtual memory management, utilizing temporary swap files that are written to the disk. A faster SSD minimizes the performance impact caused by this process.

If you have just one drive in your laptop or desktop, you could replace an HDD or small SSD with a 1TB SSD for less than $40. For those dealing with substantial amounts of data, concentrating on replacing the drive that houses your operating system and applications can yield a significant speed boost. Put your working data on additional internal or external hard drives, and you’re ready to tackle a mountain of photos, videos, or supersized databases. Just be sure to implement a backup plan to make sure you keep a copy of that data safe on additional local drives, network attached drives, or in the cloud.

Are There Any Reasons Not to Upgrade to an SSD?

If SSDs are so much better than hard drives, why aren’t all drives SSDs? The two biggest reasons are cost and capacity. SSDs are more expensive than hard drives. A 1TB SSD or HDD now cost about the same, $30–$50, with HDDs being slightly less, maybe around $25. 

That’s not much of a difference, but as drive capacity gets larger, the cost differential gets increasingly larger. For example, an 8TB HDD drive runs $120–$180, while 8TB SSDs start at around $350. In short, while upgrading the 1TB internal hard drive on your computer to an SSD is cost effective, the same may not be true for replacing larger capacity drives, like those used in external drives, unless the increased speed is worth the increased cost.

Whether your computer can use an SSD is another question. It all depends on the computer’s age and how it was designed. Let’s take a look at that question next.

How Do You Upgrade to an SSD?

Does your computer use a regular off-the-shelf SATA HDD? If so, you can upgrade it with an SSD. 

SSDs are compatible with both Macs and PCs. All current Mac laptops come with SSDs. Both iMacs and Mac Pros come with SSDs as well. Around 2010, Apple started moving to only SSD storage on most of its devices. That said, some Mac desktop computers continued to offer the option of both SSD and HDD storage until 2020, a setup they called a Fusion Drive. 

Note that as of November 2021, Apple does not offer any Macs with a Fusion Drive. Basically, if you bought your device before 2010 or you have a desktop computer from 2021 or earlier, there’s a chance you may be using an HDD.

Determine Your Disk Type in a Mac

To determine what kind of drive your Mac uses, click on the Apple menu and select About This Mac. 

Avoid the pitfall of selecting the Storage tab in the top menu. What you’ll find is that the default name of your drive is “Macintosh HD” which is confusing, given that they’re referring to the internal storage of the computer as a hard drive when (in most cases), your drive is an SSD. While you can find information about your drive on this screen, we prefer the method that provides maximum clarity. 

So, on the Overview screen, click System Report. Bonus: You’ll also see what type of processor you have and your macOS version (which will be useful later).

Once there, select the Storage tab, then the volume name you want to identify. You should see a line called Medium Type, which will tell you what kind of drive you have. 

Determine Your Disk Type in a PC

To determine your disk type in a Windows PC, first open the Task Manager in Windows:

1. Right-click the Start button and click Run. In the Run Command window, type dfrgui and click OK.

2. On the next screen, the type of drive will be listed under the Media Type column.

Can I Upgrade to a Better SSD?

Even if your computer already has an SSD, you may be able to upgrade it with a larger, faster SSD model. Besides SATA-based hard drive replacements, some later model PCs can be upgraded with M.2 SSDs, which look more like RAM chips than hard drives. 

Some Apple laptops made before 2016 that already shipped with SSDs can be upgraded with larger ones. However, you will need to upgrade to a Mac-specific SSD. Check Other World Computing and Transcend to find ones designed to work. Apple laptop models made after 2016 have SSDs soldered to the motherboard, so you’re stuck with what you have.

How to Install an SSD

If you’re comfortable tinkering with your computer’s guts, upgrading it with an SSD is a pretty common do-it-yourself project. Many companies offer hassle-free plug-and-play SSD replacements. Check out Amazon or NewEgg and you’ll have an embarrassment of riches. The choice is yours: Samsung, SanDisk, Crucial, and Toshiba are all popular SSD makers. There are many others, too.

However, if computer hardware isn’t your forte, it might not be worth the effort to learn from scratch. SSD upgrades are such a common aftermarket improvement most independent computer repair and service specialists will take on the task if you’re willing to pay them. Some throw in a data transfer if you’re lucky, or a skilled negotiator. Ask your friends and colleagues for recommendations. You can also hit up services like Angi to find someone.

If you are DIY inclined, YouTube has tons of walkthroughs like this one for desktop PCs, this one for laptops, and this one aimed at Mac users.

Many SSDs replace 2.5 inch HDDs. Those are the same drives you find in laptop computers and even small desktop models. Have a desktop computer that uses a 3.5 inch hard drive? You may need to use a 2.5 inch to 3.5 inch mounting adapter.

A Word on SSD Compatibility

Beyond the drive size, it’s a good idea to check to see if the SSD you want to buy is compatible with your laptop or desktop, especially if your system is older than a couple of years. Here are articles from Tom’s Hardware and ShareUs which can help with that.

How to Migrate to an SSD

Buying a replacement SSD is the first step. Moving your data onto the SSD is the next step. To achieve this, you need two essential components: cloning software and an external drive case, sled, or enclosure. These tools enable you to connect your SSD to your computer through its USB port or another data transfer interface.

Cloning software creates an exact replica of your internal hard drive’s data. Once this data is successfully migrated to the SSD, you can then insert the new drive into your computer. I prefer to clone a hard drive onto an SSD whenever possible. When executed correctly, a cloned SSD retains its bootable capabilities, providing a true plug-and-play experience. Just copying files between the two drives instead may not copy all the data you need to get the computer to boot with the new drive.

How to Clone a Hard Drive to an SSD

When you buy a new SSD or even a fresh hard drive, it’s unlikely that the operating system you need will be pre-installed. Cloning your existing hard drive fixes that. However, there are instances where this may not be feasible. For example, maybe you’ve installed the SSD in a computer that previously had a bad hard drive. If so, you can do what’s called a clean install and start fresh. Different operating system providers offer distinct guidelines for this procedure. Here’s a link to Microsoft’s clean install procedure, and Apple’s clean install instructions.

As we said at the outset, SSDs tend to come at a higher cost per gigabyte compared to traditional hard drives. You may not be able to afford as large an SSD as your current drive, so make sure your data will fit on your new drive. If it won’t, you might have to pare down first. Additionally, it’s wise to leave some room for expansion. The last thing you want to do is immediately max out your new, fast drive.

Now that you’ve successfully cloned your drive and integrated the SSD into your system, what do you do with the old drive? If it’s still functional, repurposing the external drive chassis utilized during migration is a practical option. It can continue to serve as a standalone external drive or become part of a disk array, such as a network attached storage (NAS) device. You can use it for local back up—something we strongly recommend doing—in addition to using cloud back up like Backblaze. Or, just use it for extra storage needs, like for your photos or music.

Make Sure to Back Up

SSD upgrades are commonplace, but that doesn’t mean things don’t go wrong that can stop you dead in your tracks. If your computer is working fine before the SSD upgrade, make sure you have a complete backup of your computer to restore from in the event something goes wrong.

More Questions About SSDs?

You might enjoy reading other posts in our SSD 101 series.

SSD Upgrade FAQs

The post SSD 101: How to Upgrade Your Computer With an SSD appeared first on Backblaze Blog | Cloud Storage & Cloud Backup.

You’re about to upgrade your Mac. Maybe you want to sell it or trade it in, and maybe you’re just throwing it out—either way, you likely still have plenty of personal data on your old computer. Getting rid of that data isn’t straightforward, and it is important. Sure, you could live out the famous printer destruction scene from the movie “Office Space” and smash the computer to pieces. As satisfying as that might be, there are better ways to wipe your Mac clean. 

While there used to be two separate processes for wiping your Mac clean based on whether your computer had a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD), instructions for how to wipe your Mac are now based on your Mac’s processing chip—a Mac or an Intel-based chip. 

Do You Need to Know What Type of Drive You Have?

Around 2010, Apple started moving to only SSD storage in many of its devices. That said, some Mac desktop computers continued to offer the option of both SSD and HDD storage until 2020, a setup they called a Fusion Drive. The Fusion Drive is not to be confused with flash storage, a term that refers to the internal storage that holds your readily available and most accessed data at lower power settings. 

Note that as of November 2021, Apple does not offer any Macs with a Fusion Drive. Basically, if you bought your device before 2010 or you have a desktop computer from 2021 or earlier, there’s a chance you may be using an HDD. 

The good news here is twofold. First, it’s pretty simple to figure out what kind of drive you have, and we’ll detail those steps below (just in case you’re one of those HDD holdouts). Second, Mac’s Help Center directions to wipe your Mac are bifurcated not around your drive type, but around what internal performance chip you’re using (Mac or Intel). Over the years, updates to the Mac operating system (macOS, or OS for general purposes) have made it much easier to wipe your Mac clean, but if you have an older OS, you may have to follow slightly different instructions. 

So, What Kind of Drive Do You Have?

To determine what kind of drive your Mac uses, click on the Apple menu and select About This Mac. 

Avoid the pitfall of selecting the Storage tab in the top menu. What you’ll find is that the default name of your drive is “Macintosh HD” which is confusing, given that they’re referring to the internal storage of the computer as a hard drive when (in most cases), your drive is an SSD. While you can find information about your drive on this screen, we prefer the method that provides maximum clarity. 

So, on the Overview screen, click System Report. Bonus: You’ll also see what type of processor you have and your macOS version (which will be useful later). 

Once there, select the Storage tab, then the volume name you want to identify. You should see a line called Medium Type, which will tell you what kind of drive you have. 

Identify Your Processing Chip

In November 2020, Apple launched its first Macs equipped with M1 chips, replacing the Intel-based processors of the past. The evolution of the M-series Apple chips has been notable largely for performance enhancements, but given that (at the time of publishing) this was only three years ago, there’s a good chance that many users will have an Intel processor. 

To see what kind of chip you have, follow the same instructions as above—go to your Apple menu and select About This Mac. If you have an M-series chip, you’ll see that listed as marked in the screenshot below.

If you have an Intel-based Mac, you will see Processor, followed by the name of an Intel processor.

Now You Need to Know Your Mac OS

Great news! If you’re running Mac OS Monterey or later, it’s super easy to erase your Mac. Of course, you’ll have seen your current OS in our favorite About This Mac screen, but below is a list of all OS releases you can compare against, as well as the Apple Help article on the topic. 

One Last Thing Before You Get Started—And It’s Crucial

Before you get started, you’ll want to make sure any important data on your hard drive has been backed up. The Apple OS has a built-in backup capability called Time Machine backup software. 

While Time Machine is a good start, it doesn’t fulfill the requirements of a 3-2-1 backup strategy. And (as we all know) Apple devices work best with other Apple devices—so if you want to point your Time Machine backups to a non-Apple network device, you’ll have some creative setup to do. Ideally, you’d pair Time Machine with a product like Backblaze Personal Backup for maximum flexibility and cyber resilience. Note that even though backup runs on a schedule, we recommend hitting the manual backup button before you wipe your Mac to ensure you’ve got the most recent information. 

How to Wipe Your Mac…Can Be Slightly Different Based on Your Computer

Once you’ve verified your data is backed up, roll up your sleeves and get to work. The key here is macOS Recovery—a part of the Mac operating system since OS 10.7 Lion. You can use the apps in macOS Recovery on a Mac with an Apple processing chip to repair your internal storage device, reinstall macOS, restore your files from a Time Machine backup, set the security policy for different volumes, transfer files between two Mac computers, start up in safe mode, and more.

Okay, so now that you know your operating system, processing chip, and drive type, we can get to the actual how-to of how to wipe your Mac. The steps will be slightly different based on each of the above variables. Let’s dig in. 

Wipe a Mac With an Apple Chip and a Recent macOS Update

Assuming you’re rocking a recent macOS update, then you’re going to wipe your Mac using the Erase All Content and Settings function. (You might also see this called the Erase Assistant in Apple’s Help articles.) This will delete all your data, iCloud and Apple logins, Apple wallet information, Bluetooth pairings, fingerprint sensor profiles, and Find My Mac settings, as well as resetting your Mac to factory settings. Here’s how you find it. 

If you have macOS Ventura: 

1. Select the Apple menu.
2. Choose System Settings. 
3. Click General in the sidebar. 
4. Click Transfer or Reset on the right. 
5. Click Erase all Content and Settings. 

If you have macOS Monterey:

1. Select the Apple Menu. 
2. Choose System Preferences. 
3. Once the System Preferences window is open, select the dropdown menu in your top navigation bar. Then, select Erase All Content and Settings.

After you’ve done that, then the steps will be the same for each process. Here’s what to expect. 

1. You’ll be prompted to log in with your administrator credentials. 
2. Next, you will be reminded to back up via Time Machine. Remember that if you choose this option, you’ll want to back up to an external device or cloud storage—because, of course, you’re about to get rid of all the data on this computer. 
3. Click Continue to allow all your settings, data, accounts, etc. to be removed. 

4. If you’re asked to sign out of Apple ID, enter your Apple password and hit Continue. 
5. Click Erase all Content & Settings to confirm. 

6. Your Mac will automatically restart. If you have an accessory like a Bluetooth keyboard, you’ll be prompted to reconnect that device. 
7. Select a WiFi network or attach a network cable. 
8. After joining a network, your Mac activates. Click Restart. 
9. After your device has restarted, a setup assistant will launch (just like when you first got your Mac). 

It’ll be pretty clear if you don’t meet the conditions to erase your drive using this method because you won’t see Erase All Content and Settings on the System Settings we showed you above. So, here are instructions for the other methods. 

How to Wipe a Mac With an Apple Chip Using Disk Utility

Disk Utility is exactly what it sounds like: a Mac system application that helps you to manage your various storage volumes. You’d use it to manage storage if you have additional storage volumes, like a network attached storage (NAS) device or external hard drive; to set up a partition on your drive; to create a disk image (basically, a backup); or to simply give your disks a check up if they’re acting funky. 

You can access Disk Utility at any time by selecting Finder > Go > Utilities, but you can also trigger Disk Utility on startup as outlined below. 

1. Turn on your Mac and continue to press and hold the power button until the startup options window comes up. Click Options, then click Continue.
2. You may be prompted to login with either your administrative password or your Apple ID.
3. When the Utilities window appears, select Disk Utility and hit Continue.

4. If you’d previously added other drives to your startup disk, click the delete volume button (–) to erase them. 
5. Then, choose Macintosh HD in the sidebar. 
6. Click the Erase button, then select a file system format and enter a name for it. For Macs with an M1 chip, your option for a file system format is only APFS.
7. Click Erase or, if it’s an option, Erase Volume Group. You may be asked for your Apple ID at this point. 
8. You’ll be prompted to confirm your choice, then your computer will restart. 
9. Just as in the other steps, when the computer restarts, it will attempt to activate by connecting to WiFi or asking you to attach a network cable. 
10. After it activates, select Exit to Recovery Utilities. 

Once it’s done, the Mac’s hard drive will be clean as a whistle and ready for its next adventure: a fresh installation of the macOS, being donated to a relative or a local charity, or just sent to an e-waste facility. Of course, you can still drill a hole in your disk or smash it with a sledgehammer if it makes you happy, but now you know how to wipe the data from your old computer with much less ruckus.

How To Wipe a Mac With an Intel Processor Using Disk Utility

Last but not least, let’s talk about how to wipe an Intel-based Mac. (Fusion Drives fall into this category as well.) 

1. Starting with your Mac turned off, press the power button, then immediately hold down the command (⌘) and R keys and wait until the Apple logo appears. This will launch macOS Recovery. 
2. You may be prompted to log in with an administrator account password. 
3. When the Recovery window appears, select Disk Utility.
4. In the sidebar, choose Macintosh HD.
5. Click the Erase button, then select a file system format and enter a name for it. Your options for a file system format include Apple File System (APFS), which is the file system used by macOS 10.13 or later, and macOS Extended, which is the file system used by macOS 10.12 or earlier.
6. Click Erase or Erase Volume Group. You may be prompted to provide your Apple ID. 
7. If you previously used Disk Utility to add other storage volumes, you can erase them individually using the process above. 
8. When you’ve deleted all your drives, quit Disk Utility to return to the utilities window. You may also choose to restart your computer at this point. 

Securely Erasing Drives: Questions and Considerations

Some of you drive experts out there might remember that there is some nuance to security when it comes to erasing drives, and that there are differences in erasing HDDs versus SSDs. Without detouring into the nuances of why and how that’s the case, just know that on Fusion Drives or Intel-based Macs, you may see additional Security Options you can enable when erasing HDDs. 

There are four options in the “Security Options” slider. “Fastest” is quick but insecure—data could potentially be rebuilt using a file recovery app. Moving that slider to the right introduces progressively more secure erasing. Disk Utility’s most secure level erases the information used to access the files on your disk, then writes zeros across the disk surface seven times to help remove any trace of what was there. This setting conforms to the DoD 5220.22-M specification. Bear in mind that the more secure method you select, the longer it will take. The most secure methods can add hours to the process. For peace of mind, we suggest choosing the most secure option to erase your hard drive. You can always start the process in the evening and let it run overnight.

After the process is complete, restart your Mac and see if you can find any data. A quick inspection is not foolproof, but it can provide some peace of mind that the process finished without an interruption. 

Securely Erasing SSDs and Why Not To

If your Mac comes equipped with an SSD, Apple’s Disk Utility software won’t actually let you zero the drive. Sounds strange, right? Apple’s online Knowledge Base explains that secure erase options are not available in Disk Utility for SSDs.

Fortunately, you are not restricted to using the standard erasure option to protect yourself. Instead, you can use FileVault, a capability built into the operating system.

FileVault Keeps Your Data Safe

FileVault is an excellent option to protect all of the data on a Mac SSD with encryption. FileVault is whole-disk encryption for the Mac. With FileVault engaged, you need a password to access the information on your hard drive. Even without it, your data is encrypted and it would be very difficult for anybody else to access.

Before you use FileVault, there is a crucial downside. If you lose your password or the encryption key, your data may be gone for good! 

When you first set up a new Mac, you’re given the option of turning FileVault on. If you don’t do it then, you can turn on FileVault at any time by clicking on your Mac’s System Preferences, clicking on Security & Privacy, and clicking on the FileVault tab. Be warned, however, that the initial encryption process can take hours, as will decryption if you ever need to turn FileVault off.

With FileVault turned on, you can restart your Mac into its Recovery System following the directions above and erase your hard drive using Disk Utility, once you’ve unlocked it (by selecting the disk, clicking the File menu, and clicking Unlock). That deletes the FileVault key, which means any data on the drive is useless.

Nowadays, most Macs manage disk encryption through the T2 chip and its Secure Enclave, which is entirely separate from the main computer itself. This is why FileVault has no CPU overhead—it’s all handled by the T2 chip. Although FileVault doesn’t impact the performance of most modern Macs, we’d suggest only using it if your Mac has an SSD, not a conventional HDD.

Securely Erasing Free Space on Your SSD

If you don’t want to take Apple’s word for it, if you’re not using FileVault, or if you just want to, there is a way to securely erase free space on your SSD. It’s a little more involved, but it works. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let me state for the record that this really isn’t necessary to do, which is why Apple’s made it so hard to do.

To delete all data from an SSD on an Apple computer, use Apple’s Terminal app. Terminal provides you with command line interface (CLI) access to the OS X operating system. Terminal lives in the Utilities folder, but you can access Terminal from the Mac’s Recovery System. Once your Mac has booted into the Recovery partition, click the Utilities menu and launch Terminal.

From a Terminal command line, type the following:

diskutil secureErase freespace VALUE /Volumes/DRIVE

That tells your Mac to securely erase the free space on your SSD. You’ll need to change VALUE to a number between 0 and 4. Zero is a single-pass run of zeroes, 1 is a single-pass run of random numbers, 2 is a seven-pass erase, 3 is a 35-pass erase. Finally, level 4 is a three-pass erase with random fills plus a final zero fill. DRIVE should be changed to the name of your hard drive. To run a seven-pass erase of your SSD drive in JohnB-MacBook, you would enter the following:

diskutil secureErase freespace 2 /Volumes/JohnB-MacBook

Note that while Mac’s Terminal typically uses forward slashes ( / ), if you have as space in the name of your hard drive, you’ll see a backslash ( \ ) to indicate that break in syntax. (So “Macintosh HD” becomes /Macintosh\ HD.) For example, to run a 35-pass erase on a hard drive called Macintosh HD, enter the following:

diskutil secureErase freespace 3 /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD

If you’re like the majority of computer users, you’ve never opened your Terminal application—and that’s probably a good thing. If you’re providing the proper instructions, a CLI lets you directly edit the guts of your computer. If you’re not providing the proper instructions, things will just error out, and likely you won’t know why. All this to say: Apple has made specific choices about designing products for folks who aren’t computer experts. Sometimes it limits how customizable you can get on your device (i.e. it’s super hard to zero out an SSD), but usually it’s for good reason—in this case, it’s to preserve the health of your drive in the long term. 

When Erasing Is Not Enough: How To Destroy a Drive

If you absolutely, positively must be sure that all the data on a drive is irretrievable, see this Scientific American article (with contributions by Gleb Budman, Backblaze CEO), How to Destroy a Hard Drive—Permanently.

Since you’re interested in SSDs, you might enjoy reading other posts in our SSD 101 series. And if you’d like to learn how to securely erase a Windows PC HDD or SSD, take a look at our guide here.

The post Guide to How to Wipe a Mac or Macbook Clean appeared first on Backblaze Blog | Cloud Storage & Cloud Backup.

How many different adapters do you use to connect your computer to peripheral devices? There’s USB 3, USB-A, USB-C, HDMI… I could go on. Some of these ports and interfaces look alike, but they perform differently. We’ll tackle the two most common peripheral devices today—the USB-C and Thunderbolt 3.

Are you unsure what the differences between interfaces are and how they affect your backup plans? This installment of “What’s the Diff” is here to help!

What Is USB?

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is the most common peripheral interface used to link one device to another and connect to a power source. It’s been a standard on most Macs and PCs since the late 1990s and has been updated several times since then.

USB comes in many different size variants, but you’ll most likely find it on your computer in that familiar rectangular port. USB connects everything from external hard drives to keyboards, game controllers, network adapters, and more.

USB has been through a number of revisions over the years to be compatible with smaller devices. Each new version featured a higher data transfer speed:

• USB 2 tops out at 480 Mb/s.
• USB 3.0 has a data signaling rate of up to 5 Gb/s.
• USB 3.1 achieved a super speed of 10 Gb/s.
• USB 3.2 doubled up to reach 20 Gb/s.
• USB 4.0 uses the Thunderbolt 3 protocol for data and image transfer speeds of 40 Gb/s.

In practical terms, though, most hard drives work much slower than the latest USB versions. Thankfully, USB is backward compatible, so your faster bus will still connect (though it may limit transfer speeds, so it’s best to use the fastest device your computer can support).

Faster data transfer speeds are great, but with every new USB interface iteration, there’s a new port shape. And, a new port means that we need a new adapter.

For example, the USB 2 used mini and micro connectors to sync with non-Apple mobile phones, and you’ll find them on flash drives, webcams, and printers.

Next in line, the USB 3 sports a lightning bolt symbol indicating its super speed. The USB 3.1 is backward compatible with USB 2 and USB 1 (at slower speeds). Depending on the device, you may need a USB-A, USB-C, or MicroUSB adapter to connect.

Things get even trickier with USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 3.2 Gen 2. Both work with USB-C ports, but the USB 3.2 Gen 2 also plugs into USB-A and MicroUSB ports.

Are you confused yet?

In recognition of the dizzying array of options for connecting all of our digital devices and peripherals, the USB interface that is becoming the most common is the USB-C.

The USB-C will soon be the only interface for data or power connection accepted for digital devices in European Union countries. In 2021, the European Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection proposed that the USB-C would be the standard for all devices—mobile phones, digital cameras, tablets, gaming controllers, and computers. The law effectively unbundles the sale of digital devices from chargers in Europe.

It’s worth mentioning that Apple made this move back in 2015. That year, the MacBook model sported a USB-C connector as its only interface (using it for both battery charging and data transfer). But Apple is now on the line to transition all of its other devices from the Lightning charging port to the USB-C.

Aside from the USB-C connector being reversible (you can plug it in any way you like, and it fits the port), it’s also smaller with a more robust data signal. Additionally, the USB-C transfers data and powers devices. The USB-C interface is used by both Mac and PC and most peripherals on the market today. So, when the USB 4 came out in 2019, it also used the USB-C port shape.

What’s the difference between USB 4 and earlier bus? The USB 4 follows the Thunderbolt 3 protocol.

What Is Thunderbolt?

Thunderbolt is a high-speed peripheral interface developed by Intel and Apple. It has been the standard-issue on the MacBook since 2011. (Thunderbolt was formerly known as Light Peak.)

The Thunderbolt protocol brought super speed data transfer to the world. The original Thunderbolt supported up to 10 Gb/s, just like the USB 3.1 Gen 1. Thunderbolt 2 doubled that, and Thunderbolt 3 doubled that again to 40 Gb/s. In addition, the Thunderbolt 3 can signal data and transfer power to connected devices. It’s easy to see that the Thunderbolt standard is faster and more efficient than the USB.

What’s more, Thunderbolt can handle video files using the same cord. Products exist to output video over USB, as well, but it requires software trickery you don’t need for Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt’s support of video is a fundamental part of the physical standard. And, with Thunderbolt 3, you won’t need a Mini DisplayPort connector to transfer video.

It’s possible to transmit up to 4K video over Thunderbolt and still have capacity left over for your hard drives. Thunderbolt’s superior bandwidth makes it a better choice if you are moving lots of data. Looking for the fastest-possible external storage for your computer? Consider a Thunderbolt SSD. They’re out there, and they’re fast as blazes!

Thunderbolt 4 was released in the summer of 2020 by Intel. It’s yet another game changer for people with lots of data to move across many devices. Thunderbolt 4 uses the USB-C interface, has a 40 Gb/s bandwidth and 15W of power for peripherals. What’s more, the Thunderbolt 2, Thunderbolt 3, and FireWire peripherals all run on the latest iteration of the protocol (with an adapter).

Here are other notable advantages of the Thunderbolt 4:

• Thunderbolt dock connects multiple high-speed monitors and devices using a single (Thunderbolt) cable.
• It connects to data externally through the PCIe bus for the highest speed access without installing software.
• Thunderbolt SSDs and docks (with integrated storage) can hold large graphic files and data files.
• It interfaces with an external capture device to improve video streaming quality.

The Thunderbolt is fast and flexible, but it’s not cheap. You’ll pay a lot more for a Thunderbolt-equipped drive than you will for a USB 3-equipped drive, but the performance can be worth it, depending on what you’re doing. Your mileage, as in all things, may vary.

What Should I Use for Backing Up?

Now that we’ve laid out the differences between USB and Thunderbolt, let’s bring the conversation around to backing up because that’s how Backblaze can help. While Backblaze Computer Backup works over your computer’s network connection, you should be using a local backup system as well.

Unless you’re backing up to a Time Capsule or another network-based backup system on your local network, chances are, your local backup system is going to be an external hard drive connected to your computer.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a computer with either a USB 3 or Thunderbolt interface, figure out your needs and budget to determine which protocol will serve you best. If you plan to move a lot of files or archive huge volumes, the difference in speed might make Thunderbolt a better choice. Otherwise, you can save a lot of money by buying a USB 3 drive instead.

Are you still confused? Have a question? Let us know in the comments. And if you have ideas for things you’d like to see featured in future installments of our “What’s the Diff” series, please let us know!

The post What’s the Diff: Thunderbolt and USB appeared first on Backblaze Blog | Cloud Storage & Cloud Backup.

The new operating system from Apple, Mac OS 10.15 Catalina (named after a California island), is releasing any day now and we’ll be ready for it when it does. We’ve had a beta build released for over a month to help us test and make sure that we’re working properly with the new operating system (OS), and we’re seeing positive results from the field! As always, when you are updating to a new OS, make sure you have a good and up-to-date backup in place.

Things to Note With Catalina

You can expect to see more system messages and permission requests from Catalina. As a backup service, Backblaze requires quite a few of them. So, if you are installing Backblaze on Catalina, you may experience more “would you like to give access” messages than you’ve been used to. This is normal behavior in the new OS and in order for Backblaze to perform properly: please allow us those permissions.

Also, we’ve noticed an issue with dark mode (where your apps default to a darker color scheme) in our testing. For the most part, everything looks OK, but in some cases when dark mode is enabled, our app will still appear with the light mode color scheme when launched. We’re working with Apple on this and hoping to get that hammered out soon.

Catalina-Ready Build

If you’re already running the Catalina beta or are considering getting it on day one, please make sure you are using a Backblaze client that supports it. You can download and install the latest build by doing the following:

• Perform a Check for Updates (right-click on the Backblaze icon in the Mac menu bar)
• Download from www.backblaze.com/update.htm

Have fun on the island!

The post Catalina Bound appeared first on Backblaze Blog | Cloud Storage & Cloud Backup.

New versions of Apple’s operating systems are coming to your iOS devices and Mac. iOS 13 for iPhones and iPads will be available today, September 19, and macOS 10.15, aka Catalina, will be available in October for Macintosh computers. If you’re planning to upgrade your Mac or iOS devices with Apple’s newest software, you should make it a point to back up before you install these new versions.

We first heard about these new releases this past June at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), which gathers thousands of Apple developers each year from around the world. It’s a yearly ritual: Apple introduces new versions of both the Mac and iOS operating systems and then they’re tested by developers and the public throughout the summer and released to everyone in the fall.

Remember to Back up Early and Often

Changing your Mac or iPhone’s operating system isn’t like installing a new version of an app, even though Apple has tried to make it a relatively simple process. Operating system software is essential software for these devices, and how it works has a cascading effect on all the other apps and services you depend on.

Backblaze wants you to keep all your data safe and secure. If you’re not currently backing up, it’s easy to get started using our 3-2-1 Backup Strategy. The idea behind the 3-2-1 Backup Strategy is that there should be three copies of your data: the main one you use, a local backup copy, and a remote copy, stored at a secure offsite data center like one of Backblaze’s (we just launched a data center in the European Union, as well. The 3-2-1 practice has served us and thousands of our customers very well over the years, so we recommend it unabashedly. Also check out our Mac Backup Guide.

Our advice is to make sure to back up all of your systems before installing operating system software, even final released software. It’s better to be safe rather than sorry, especially where the safety and security of your data are concerned.

The post Remember to Back Up Before You Upgrade to New macOS and iOS! appeared first on Backblaze Blog | Cloud Storage & Cloud Backup.

Apple’s Time Machine software helps you create a backup of your Mac hard drive. That’s great, but what if something happens to the external drive you’re using for the Time Machine backup? If you’re following our 3-2-1 Backup Strategy, then you’ll be protected, but you can do more, too.

How about using multiple backup drives with Time Machine? Here’s how.

Some Background on Time Machine

Time Machine is more than just backup software for your Mac. You can think of it as a tool that keeps moments in time for you to look back on, so you can recover deleted or missing files or even revert to older versions of files you’ve worked on.

Time Machine stores hourly backups for 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for all previous months for as much space as you have on your Time Machine backup drive. The oldest backups get deleted when the drive fills up. That makes it great for backups, but not great for archives, which require long-term storage. For more on the difference between backups and archives, see our post, What’s the Diff: Backup vs Archive.

Which Storage Devices Can be used with Time Machine?

Time Machine supports any of the following external storage devices.

• External drive connected to your Mac, such as a USB, Thunderbolt, or FireWire drive
• External drive connected to an AirPort Extreme Base Station (802.11ac model) or AirPort
• Time Capsule (See our post, What’s the Diff: Time Machine vs. Time Capsule)
• AirPort Time Capsule
• Mac shared as a Time Machine backup destination
• Network-attached storage (NAS) device that supports Time Machine over SMB

What is less well known is that you can use a single Time Machine backup drive with multiple Macs. If you have a large disk, you can partition it and use part of it for regular data and part of it for a Time Machine backup.

You also can use your Mac with more than one Time Machine backup drive. Let’s see how that works.

Use More than One Backup Disk Using Disk Rotation

Disk rotation is a technique borrowed from corporate IT professionals. The adage, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” is the reason. While Time Machine is great backup software, it’s not foolproof. If your Time Machine backup drive dies — as hard drives eventually do — all of that data will be gone.

Having Backblaze Personal Cloud Backup is a great way to fix that, of course, because your data is also backed up to the cloud. They’re complementary to one another: Backblaze tracks the last 30 days of changes to your files, for example, while Time Machine will keep track of as many changes as it can within the storage capacity of your backup drive. So it’s nice — ideal, really — to have both.

Tip:  If you have a Backblaze backup in addition to Time Machine, and you’re planning to restore from Time Machine, it’s a good idea to save a restore from Backblaze prior to initiating your Time Machine restore in case anything goes wrong. We wrote a help page on the topic, Before You Restore With Time Machine.

Fortunately, Time Machine handles disk rotation with aplomb. You can attach a second hard drive and use it with Time Machine with only a couple of clicks. When Time Machine is connected to your first backup drive, it will back everything up. Then it’ll do the same for the second one. Time Machine backs up everything that’s changed on your Mac’s hard drive since the last time that backup drive was connected. So each drive will keep a complete Time Machine backup.

How to Use Multiple Backup Drives with Time Machine

1. Connect your second hard drive to your Mac.
2. Click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar, then click on Open Time Machine preferences.
3. Click Select Disk.
   
4. Select the drive you want to rotate, then click Use Disk.
5. Time Machine will ask you if you want to replace your existing Time Machine drive, or use both drives. Click Use Both.
   

Time Machine will now back up to each individual drive as they’re connected.

When you want to check on your Time Machine backups later, all you need to do is hold down the option key when clicking on the Time Machine icon in your menu bar. You’ll see Browse Other Backup Disks. You can use that to browse whichever Time Machine backup you’d like.

The same process works if you mix a Time Machine backup drive with Apple’s Time Capsule network device (a home Wi-Fi router with built in backup drive). You can back up to both without any problem.

Using this procedure, your data is backed up on two (or more) drives. You can leave one at home and leave the other in the office, for example. That way you’ll never be without a backup you can recover from quickly and easily.

Other Time Machine Backup Tips:

• To exclude items from your backup, open Time Machine preferences, click Options, then click the Add (+) button to add an item to be excluded. To stop excluding an item, such as an external hard drive, select the item and click the Remove (–) button.
• If using Time Machine to back up to a network disk, you can verify those backups to make sure they’re in good condition. Press and hold Option, then choose Verify Backups from the Time Machine menu.
• In OS X Lion v10.7.3 or later, you can start up from your Time Machine disk, if necessary. Press and hold Option as your Mac starts up. When you see the Startup Manager screen, choose “EFI Boot” as the startup disk.
• If you’re a Synology NAS user, you might be interested in our blog post, Backup and Restore Time Machine using Synology and the B2 Cloud.

Do You Use Time Machine for Local Backups?

Do you use Time Machine and have you set up a disk rotation scheme? Do you combine Time Machine with cloud backup? Or, do you still have questions? Let us know in the comments.

•  •  •

Editor’s Note:  This post was updated from May 3, 2016.

The post How to Use Multiple Hard Drives With Time Machine appeared first on Backblaze Blog | Cloud Storage & Cloud Backup.

People have lots of different ways that they work with files in B2 Cloud Storage, and there’s a wide range of integrations for different platforms and different uses.

Sometimes, though, being able to use B2 as if it were just another drive on your desktop is the easiest way to go. The applications we’ll be covering in this post make working with B2 as easy as dragging and dropping files from a file manager on your computer directly to B2, or from B2 to your computer. In other cases, you can drag files from a file manager to the application, or between panes inside the application. There’s something for every platform, too, whether you’re on Windows, Macintosh, or Linux. Some of these tools are even free.

Let’s take a look at the applications that make working with B2 a piece of cake! (Or, as easy as pie.)

Use B2 As a Drive on the Desktop

Our first group of applications let you use B2 as if it were a local drive on your computer. The files on B2 are available for you from (depending on platform) File Explorer on Windows, the Finder on Mac, or the File Manager on Linux (as well as the command-line). Some of the applications are free and some require purchase.

Most of these apps are simple for anyone to set up. If you are a more advanced user, and comfortable working with the command-line in your OS’s terminal, there are a number of free command-line tools for mounting B2 backups as a drive, including restic, Rclone, and HashBackup. These tools do not provide the range of capabilities of the full-featured apps, but if you just need to mount your saved backup for easy access, they might suit your needs. See their docs for how to use restic, Rclone, or HashBackup. We previously wrote about using restic with B2 in our Knowledge Base.

When would dragging and dropping files on the desktop be useful? If you just need to move one or a few files, this could be the fastest way to do that. You can load the application when you need to transfer files, or have it start with your computer so your B2 files and buckets are always just a click away. If you keep archived documents or media in B2 and often need to browse to find a file, this makes that much faster. You can even use shortcuts, search, and other tools you have available for your desktop to find and manage files on B2.

Some of the applications in this group support file synchronization, so you can keep a local drive in sync with files you have in the cloud. This lets you use files offline, if needed. Apps in this category that support sync include Mountain Duck, odrive, ExpanDrive, Rclone, and HashBackup.

We’ve grouped the applications by platform that let you use B2 as a drive.

Some Screenshots Showing Applications That Let You Use B2 as a Drive

Mountain Duck

B2 mounted on the desktop with Mountain Duck

ExpanDrive

Cloudmounter

Cloudmounter with B2 open in Mac Finder

Use B2 From a Desktop Application

These applications allow you to use B2 from within the application, and also often work with the local OS’s file manager for drag and drop. They support not just B2, but other cloud and sync services, plus FTP, SFTP, Webdav, SSH, SMB, and other protocols for networking and transferring files.

Like some apps in the previous group, apps in this group also support file synchronization, which lets you keep a local drive in sync with your cloud storage and make files available when you’re offline. Apps in this category that support sync include Transmit, Forklift, and Cyberduck.

All of the applications below require purchase, but they have demo periods when you can try them out before you decide you’re ready to purchase.

Screenshots of Using B2 From Desktop Applications

Transmit with B2 files

Forklift browsing photos on B2

FileZilla Pro on Windows 10 browsing photos on B2

Cyberduck

odrive

The post B2 on Your Desktop — Cloud Storage Made Easy appeared first on Backblaze Blog | Cloud Storage & Cloud Backup.

New versions of Apple’s operating systems are coming to your iOS devices and Mac in the next week. iOS 12 was released today and macOS 10.14 “Mojave” will be available a week from today on September 24. If you’re planning to upgrade your Mac or iOS devices with Apple’s newest software, you should make it a point to back up before you install anything new.

The new releases were announced in June at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), which gathers thousands of Apple developers from around the world each year. It’s a familiar annual processional: Apple introduces new versions of both the Mac and iOS operating systems. They’re tested by developers and the public throughout the summer.

Back up Early and Often

Changing your Mac or iPhone’s operating system isn’t like installing a new version of an app, even though Apple has tried to make it a relatively simple process. Operating system software is essential software for these devices, and how it works has a cascading effect on all the other apps and services you depend on.

If you’re not currently backing up, it’s easy to get started using our 3-2-1 Backup Strategy. The idea behind the 3-2-1 Backup Strategy is that there should be three copies of your data: The main one you use, a local backup copy, and a remote copy, stored at a secure offsite data center like Backblaze. It’s served us and thousands of our customers very well over the years, so we recommend it unabashedly. Also check out our Mac Backup Guide.

Our advice is to make sure to back up all of your systems before installing operating system software, even final released software. It’s better to be safe rather than sorry, especially where the safety and security of your data are concerned.

The post Mac and iOS Users: Remember to Back Up Before You Upgrade! appeared first on Backblaze Blog | Cloud Storage & Cloud Backup.