Student Fails To Properly Check Backup Files Before IT Wipes Computer

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mattstaff
May 15, 2021 4:00 PM EDT

Man oh man, let a story like this serve as a cautionary tale to anyone out there that's naively, proactively underestimating the importance of making sure that their backup files are in check. Fortunately, this student was able to eventually get the work that they needed to get done, done, and look back on their blunder with humor. For some more gold from the tech support world, check out this story about a customer who didn't trust a tech support employee's advice, and lived to regret it weeks later. 

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  • 01
    Font - r/tifu + Join u/dhekurbaba · 2d 2 3 1 2 TIFU by losing 4.5 years of PhD research data by not checking if the backup was done properly M This actually happened over a year ago, but I can look back on it now and laugh since I just defended my PhD today About 4.5 years into my PhD, I was working on a journal paper. I gathered all the data, wrote the code, did all the simulations, plotted the graphs, almost finished writing the paper.
    via u/dhekurbaba
  • 02
    Font - The lab's IT said they had to take my PC and perform some security upgrades, and so they had to take my PC and wipe it first. They would need a few days to back everything up and wipe, and then put all the files back. I told them I had an urgent submission to make, ll make the backup, just wipe and send to me quickly. So I copied all the files to dropbox, and saw the green tick mark that says the backup is done, and then I give it to them.
    via u/dhekurbaba
  • 03
    Font - The FU is realized right after that. Dropbox sometimes gives a green tick mark, and then it turns blue and backs it up. I just saw the tick mark, and in my impatience, just gave it to them without letting the actual backup happen. Only a handful of small files did get backed up, and that was it.
    via u/dhekurbaba
  • 04
    Font - IT wiped everything and flipped the bits, so the data was lost forever. I, of course, had a mini heart attack once I realized what happened, but it was all lost. I also had data and paper drafts of my prior published works, they were lost too. Thankfully, my professor was considerate and said I just need to redo the stuff that wasn't published yet. Also, I actually had the draft of that paper saved, so I was able to use it to help rewrite the code from memory, and thankfully I bookmarked
    via u/dhekurbaba
  • 05
    Font - The other stuff we didn't care much about, since they were already published. Now IT actually has a new policy in place, which is that they will backup everything no matter what. Apparently my incident was the starting point lol. So yeah, everyone, please make multiple backups of everything, like I do now lol. TL;DR: Lost years of PhD research work in my lab's PC since I didn't carefully check my backup before IT wiped it for upgrading, lost everything. I was able to do some damage contro
    via u/dhekurbaba
  • 06
    Rectangle - shelraj0380 · 2d Well, what can i say except congrats?! Now u get to rock the title of "dr." G Reply 4 96 3 ...
    via u/dhekurbaba
  • 07
    Rectangle - amasterblaster • 2d I have done this kind of thing more than I care to admit. I now keep insane backups everywhere, and pay AWS fees like a mad ferrit G Reply ...
    via u/dhekurbaba

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