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I'm writing a little batch script to backup all data for a project that I am currently developing. The script is currently just copying all project files to a new directory (named by the date when the backup was made) in my Dropbox folder (very simple, just using xcopy). Because I store them in my Dropbox folder, it would be great if it wouldn't take up all my storage space after making a lot of backups. Of course I could remove old backups, but I'm trying to make the backups small anyway. Therefore I'm thinking of packing each backup into a RAR-archive before moving them, but I wonder if it is really safe. I ask this because some of all RAR-archives that I download from the Internet are broken and can't be opened.
I don't want broken backups, so I wonder if these RAR-archives that I download are just broken because they've been packed wrongly, or if there is a risk that a correctly packed archive can become broken too. Is it safer to store the backup in a folder than a RAR-archive?

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  • My recommendation is to do as little to the file as possible when backing it up. Restorability shoudl be Goal 1, and everything that potentially comprimises that is a risk that must be considered. At the very least, produce parity archives when compressing your files, so that if the container is damaged (by bitrot or other random/chaotic bit flips) you can still repair the contents. Jul 15, 2015 at 12:12
  • I think I'll use store the backups in folders for now to minimize the risk, but in the future when I'm working on extremely large projects I'll consider using your suggstion. Thanks anyways! ;) Jul 15, 2015 at 12:15

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