Usenet for File Backups

April 7, 2012 | by

We’ve had a few users ask about using usenet for personal file backups (the process is known as uBackup) over the past year, so we thought it would be a good idea to provide a bit of an intro. It’s a different use for usenet, but one that works and should be considered if you need to backup your personal data. Uploading files to usenet doesn’t count against your monthly usage (at least with NewsgroupDirect), so it’s free and unlimited. Plus, with retention now effectively infinite you don’t have to worry about ever losing your data.

Overview of uBackup

Pre-Requisites

Enclosed in parentheses is suggested software, mostly available for free. Any software that you already use that can accomplish the same tasks should also work fine.

Usenet Access (that’s us at NewsgroupDirect), Newsreader (Newsleecher), Compression / Decompression / Encryption Software (winRAR), Checksum Software (quickSFV), Parchive Software (quickPAR), NFO creator (Coolbeans), Encoding / Posting Software (yEnc)

Compression

The first step is to compress and split the file that you want to upload. Since we’re talking about backups, it is expected that the file will be at least several gigabytes. Once the files are posted to usenet you should expect that your files will be broken up into a large number of small binary articles.

WinRAR is commonly used because it is efficient in terms of compression level and speed. 7-Zip is a good alternative because it is available for free with almost the same performance as WinRAR. WinZip for Windows and Stuff-It for Mac are also viable options.

Using WinRAR for Compression

NOTES:

  1. If files are already compressed, change compression method to “Store.” Otherwise, leave the default value.
  2. Remember to always include mb or gb when indicating the size for each split part.

For maximum security make sure to encrypt the filename as well. Go to the Advanced tab and set a password. Remember, Usenet is a public space and anyone can access your files, so we need to make sure you’re the only one who can decrypt the files.

Creating PAR’s

The next step is to create recovery blocks for the generated RAR files. This is needed so that the files can be recreated in case they get corrupted.

QuickPAR

  1. Select the RAR files that you have created.
  2. Make sure the slider is set to maximum (rightmost). IMPORTANT: Check box should be checked.
  3. Higher redundancy means more data recovery. 10.00% is recommended.

Encoding to Text

The next step is to encode the files to text using yEnc so they can be uploaded to usenet. This will generate thousands of segments.

Creation of checksum and information files is an optional step that isn’t really needed for file backsups since you’re the only one who’ll be accessing the files.

The final step is to post the files. In the newsreader, select all the files to be uploaded and then indicate a subject header. Upload to  alt.binaries.backup; this is the usenet backup group with the highest traffic for posting encrypted backups. Others are alt.binaries.backup.space and free.binaries.backup. Wait for the upload to finish and then you’re done.

You can download the files as needed on demand.

Terabyte Tuesday – 1.1 TB of Usenet for $40

March 13, 2012 | by

Terabyte Tuesday means 1.1 Terabyte usenet accounts for $40 (60% off the normal rate)! Our 1 TB block account includes a 10% header allowance, bringing the total to 1.1 TB. The sale runs from 12 AM EST on March 13 until 12 AM EST on March 14. Our 1 Terabyte usenet block has access to our world-class retention (currently over 1,300 days), completion, and speed. NewsgroupDirect blocks never expire, so you can buy as many blocks as you want and never worry about losing them.

Terabyte Tuesday

How To Purchase

New customers can simply visit our Terabyte Tuesday page. Existing block customers can login to our website and click Add Block.

The Fine Print

The sale runs from 12 AM EST on March 13 until 12 AM EST on March 14. No sale prices will be honored after the sale expires. The sale price is available to both new and existing customers. Sale only applies to 1 Terabyte (1000 Gigabyte) accounts. You are free to purchase multiple 1 TB blocks if you choose. Coupons (new or existing) do not apply to special rates on Terabyte Tuesday. The only block that is on sale is the 1 TB (1000 GB) block. Any other size usenet block is priced at its regular price.

It’s Terabyte Tuesday – On a Friday!

February 10, 2012 | by

That’s right. Your mind = blown. Terabyte Tuesday is on a Friday this time.

Terabyte Tuesday means 1 Terabyte usenet usenet accounts for $50 (50% off the normal rate)! This is still, hands-down, the best way to save on your usenet access costs. The sale runs from 12 AM EST on February 10 until 12 AM EST on February 11. Our 1 Terabyte usenet block has access to our world-class retention (currently over 1,270 days), completion, and speed. NewsgroupDirect blocks never expire, so you can buy as many blocks as you want and never worry about losing them.

Terabyte Tuesday

How To Purchase

New customers can simply visit our Terabyte Tuesday page. Existing block customers can login to our website and click Add Block.

The Fine Print

The sale runs from 12 AM EST on February 10 until 12 AM EST on February 11. No sale prices will be honored after the sale expires. The sale price is available to both new and existing customers. Sale only applies to 1 Terabyte (1000 Gigabyte) accounts. You are free to purchase multiple 1 TB blocks if you choose. Coupons (new or existing) do not apply to special rates on Terabyte Tuesday. The only block that is on sale is the 1 TB (1000 GB) block. Any other size usenet block is priced at its regular price.

The 1st Terabyte Tuesday of 2012

January 10, 2012 | by

Was one of your New Year’s resolutions that you wanted to use usenet more? If so, you’re in the right place.

Today is the 1st Terabyte Tuesday of 2012 and we’re offering 1 Terabyte block usenet accounts for $50 (50% off the normal rate)! This is still, hands-down, the best way to save on your usenet access costs. The sale runs from 12 AM EST on January 10 until 12 AM EST on January 11. Our 1 Terabyte usenet block has access to our world-class retention (currently over 1,242 days), completion, and speed. NewsgroupDirect blocks never expire, so you can buy as many blocks as you want and never worry about losing them. Keep reading for details on how to win one of 2 $250 Amazon.com gift cards.

Terabyte Tuesday

How To Purchase

New customers can simply visit our Terabyte Tuesday page. Existing block customers can login to our website and click Add Block.

$250 Amazon.com Gift Cards

Want to be first in line to here about Terabyte Tuesday? We have a dedicated mailing list just for Terabyte Tuesday news. If you are interested in learning about Terabyte Tuesday promotions a little ahead of everyone else then this is the list for you. We hate spam, so we won’t bother you with anything unrelated to TB Tuesday. To join the list, simply go to http://bit.ly/TBTuesday.  As a special incentive to join the mailing list we’ve decided to give away 2 Amazon.com gift cards, worth $250 each, to random subscribers from the list. Winners will be chosen at random and notified about 48 hours after the sale ends.

The Fine Print

The sale runs from 12 AM EST on January 10 until 12 AM EST on January 11. No sale prices will be honored after the sale expires. The sale price is available to both new and existing customers. Sale only applies to 1 Terabyte (1000 Gigabyte) accounts. You are free to purchase multiple 1 TB blocks if you choose. Coupons (new or existing) do not apply to special rates on Terabyte Tuesday. The only block that is on sale is the 1 TB (1000 GB) block. Any other size usenet block is priced at its regular price.

The gift card giveaway is based on subscribers to the Terabyte Tuesday mailing list. Only 1 entry to the mailing list per customer. No fake email addresses will be allowed. No purchase necessary to join the list and be eligible for the drawing. Odds are dependent on the number of eligible entries received (number of subscribers to the mailing list). Winners will be notified with 48 hours of the end of the sale. Gift cards will be mailed approximately 4-6 weeks later.

Ho Ho Ho! Christmas and Terabyte Tuesday

December 13, 2011 | by

We’re in the Christmas spirit here at NewsgroupDirect. So today we’re offering 1 Terabyte block usenet accounts for $50 (50% off the normal rate)! This is the best way to save on your usenet access costs. The sale runs from 12 AM EST on December 13 until 12 AM EST on December 14. All of our block accounts include access to our world-class retention (currently over 1,214 days), completion, and speed. NewsgroupDirect blocks never expire, so you can buy as many blocks as you want and never worry about losing them. Keep reading for details on how to win a new iPad 2 or an Amazon Kindle Fire.

Terabyte Tuesday

How To Purchase

New customers can simply visit our Terabyte Tuesday page. Existing block customers can login to our website and click Add Block.

The Great Tablet Giveaway

Want to be first in line to here about Terabyte Tuesday? We have a dedicated mailing list just for Terabyte Tuesday news. If you are interested in learning about Terabyte Tuesday promotions a little ahead of everyone else then this is the list for you. We hate spam, so we won’t bother you with anything unrelated to TB Tuesday. To join the list, simply go to http://bit.ly/TBTuesday.  As a special incentive to join the mailing list we’ve decided to give away 2 iPad 2 ‘s and 2 Amazon Kindle Fires to random subscribers from the list. Winners will be chosen at random and notified about 48 hours after the sale ends.

The Fine Print

The sale runs from 12 AM EST on December 13 until 12 AM EST on December 14. No sale prices will be honored after the sale expires. The sale price is available to both new and existing customers. Sale only applies to 1 Terabyte (1000 Gigabyte) accounts. You are free to purchase multiple 1 TB blocks if you choose. Coupons (new or existing) do not apply to special rates on Terabyte Tuesday. The only block that is on sale is the 1 TB (1000 GB) block. Any other size usenet block is priced at its regular price.

The tablet giveaway is based on subscribers to the Terabyte Tuesday mailing list. Only 1 entry to the mailing list per customer. No fake email addresses will be allowed. No purchase necessary to join the list and be eligible for the drawing. Odds are dependent on the number of eligible entries received (number of subscribers to the mailing list). Winners will be notified with 48 hours of the end of the sale. iPad 2’s and Amazon Kindle Fires will be mailed approximately 4-6 weeks later.

Black Friday 2011! Great Deals on Usenet Access

November 24, 2011 | by

Black Friday 2011

Everyone’s favorite shopping day of the year is almost here! We’re locked and loaded with some great deals for you this year. Head on over to our Black Friday page to see what we’ve got going. We’re going to have deals on every type of plan that we offer, so check back often to see what’s currently on sale.

Also, to make things a little more fun, we’re adding timers and limiting quantities on all the deals, so be sure to act quickly if you see something that you want.

Terms and Conditions: Any monthly subscription prices are for new customers only; existing customers are not eligible. Any block prices are available for both new and existing customers. Existing coupons will not work on the Black Friday specials. Black Friday prices are only available on Friday, November 25, all times EST. Deals that are expired or sold out cannot be purchased.

It’s Terabyte Tuesday! iPad 2 Giveaway

November 15, 2011 | by

We’re back with a new Terabyte Tuesday sale today, November 15, 2011. We’re offering 1 Terabyte block usenet accounts for $50 (50% off the normal rate)! This is the best way to save on your usenet access costs. The sale runs from 12 AM EST on November 15 until 12 AM EST on November 16. All of our block accounts include access to our world-class retention (currently over 1,185 days), completion, and speed. NewsgroupDirect blocks never expire, so you can buy as many blocks as you want and never worry about losing them. Keep reading for details on how to win a new iPad 2.

Terabyte Tuesday

How To Purchase

New customers can simply go to our signup page for the 1000 GB account. Existing block customers can login to our website and click Add Block.

Mailing List, iPad 2 Giveaway

Want to be first in line to here about Terabyte Tuesday? We have a dedicated mailing list just for Terabyte Tuesday news. If you are interested in learning about Terabyte Tuesday promotions a little ahead of everyone else then this is the list for you. We hate spam, so we won’t bother you with anything unrelated to TB Tuesday. To join the list, simply go to http://bit.ly/TBTuesday.  As a special incentive to join the mailing list we’ve decided to give away an iPad 2 to a random subscriber from the list. Winner will be chosen at random and notified about 48 hours after the sale ends.

The Fine Print

The sale runs from 12 AM EST on November 15 until 12 AM EST on November 16. No sale prices will be honored after the sale expires. The sale price is available to both new and existing customers. Sale only applies to 1 Terabyte (1000 Gigabyte) accounts. You are free to purchase multiple 1 TB blocks if you choose. Coupons (new or existing) do not apply to special rates on Terabyte Tuesday. The only block that is on sale is the 1 TB (1000 GB) block. Any other size usenet block is priced at its regular price.

The iPad 2 giveaway is based on subscribers to the Terabyte Tuesday mailing list. Only 1 entry to the mailing list per customer. No fake email addresses will be allowed. No purchase necessary to join the list and be eligible for the drawing. Odds are dependent on the number of eligible entries received (number of subscribers to the mailing list). Winners will be notified with 48 hours of the end of the sale. iPad 2 will be mailed approximately 4-6 weeks later.

BLOCKtober Terabyte Tuesday! 100 GB Bonus & $500 Amazon Giveaway

October 25, 2011 | by

We’re having a special BLOCKtober edition of Terabyte Tuesday today, October 25, 2011. We’re offering 1 Terabyte block usenet accounts for $50 (50% off the normal rate). When you purchase a 1 TB account during the sale we will also give you a bonus of 100 GB! That means that you get a total of 1.2 TB of access (including the 10% allowance we give you for headers). This is hands-down best way to save on your usenet access costs. The sale runs from 12 AM EST on October 25 until 12 AM EST on October 26. All of our block accounts include access to our world-class retention (currently over 1,165 days), completion, and speed. NewsgroupDirect blocks never expire, so you can buy as many blocks as you want and never worry about losing them.

Terabyte Tuesday

How To Purchase

New customers can simply go to our signup page for the 1000 GB account. Existing block customers can login to our website and click Add Block. Keep reading to find out how to get notified of future sales and qualify to win a $500 gift card to Amazon.com.

Mailing List, Amazon Giveaway

Want to be first in line to here about Terabyte Tuesday? We have a dedicated mailing list just for Terabyte Tuesday news. If you are interested in learning about Terabyte Tuesday promotions a little ahead of everyone else then this is the list for you. We hate spam, so we won’t bother you with anything unrelated to TB Tuesday. To join the list, simply go to http://bit.ly/TBTuesday.  As a special incentive to join the mailing list we’ve decided to give away a $500 Amazon.com gift card to a random subscriber from the list. Winner will be chosen at random and notified about 48 hours after the sale ends.

The Fine Print

The sale runs from 12 AM EST on October 25 until 12 AM EST on October 26. No sale prices will be honored after the sale expires. The sale price is available to both new and existing customers. Sale only applies to 1 Terabyte (1000 Gigabyte) accounts. You are free to purchase multiple 1 TB blocks if you choose. Coupons (new or existing) do not apply to special rates on Terabyte Tuesday. The only block that is on sale is the 1 TB (1000 GB) block. Any other size usenet block is priced at its regular price.

A 100 GB bonus will be applied to all accounts who make a 1 TB purchase during this Terabyte Tuesday sale.

The gift card giveaway is based on subscribers to the Terabyte Tuesday mailing list. Only 1 entry to the mailing list per customer. No fake email addresses will be allowed. No purchase necessary to join the list and be eligible for the drawing. Odds are dependent on the number of eligible entries received (number of subscribers to the mailing list). Winners will be notified with 48 hours of the end of the sale. Gift card will be mailed or emailed approximately 2-3 weeks later.