Backing Up Files...

[K8-90]

Ok. My hard drive is jam-packed with files. Thousands of photos, photoshop files, music - the works.

So I'm wondering how I should be backing things up. How do you guys do it? My files are my life (yes, how sad...). I burned all my pictures to DVD... last year. But it is very time consuming, and the way I organize things means that I don't have old files, seperate from the new... Which means I can't just copy folders, as it contains both.

Is there some way that I can just do some weekly/monthly/bi-monthly task that will 'know' what new files need to be copied?

I don't know too much about this realm, but I'm willing and capable of learning. If you can start me up, give me some processes to google, I'd be happy. If you'd be so kind as to tell me directly what to do, I'd really appreciate it, but links are great, too!

I'm operating a Vista based PC (Yeah, I know everybody hates vista. But all new PCs have it...Whatcha gonna do?) if it matters...

 

[ScottS]

Get a nice 500 GB external hard drive and set it to back up all your files once a week, or every few days... whatever you feel like.

 

[K8-90]

Set it? As in, I don't do anything? Sweet... Do I need a program or something to do that? I had been planning on using an external hard drive.

 

[ann]

some of the larger external hard drives have built in functions that will do what you want.

check out the maxtor 1.5TB.

also you will find by saving to an external drive will speed up your back up workflow for photos.

at one time i was making 4 copies of every photo file which was very time consuming and boring , but necessary.
since external storage is so cheap these days; i now only have one dvd and three copies on different external drives.

i realize 4 is a bit much for most people, but i recommend to my students that have have at least 2 copies of everything. very unlikely that both copies will die at the same time.

 

[250Gimp]

I agree with all of the above.

An external hard drive plus a DVD copy as well.

I had a scare recently with my external drive and thought I had lost thousands of pics, most not backed up!!

Needless to say I now am in the process of copying them to DVD.

CHeers

 

[K8-90]

I guess 1.5TB would be enough... Haha!

So, do you guys work off your external drives, or is that solely for duplicates?

As I mentioned before, my only problem is knowing what I already have duplicated. I want to be able to just add the new stuff on, not have to redo it each time, or have several multiples of one file... Does that make sense?

 

[K8-90]

Well, I bought a 500GB Maxtor ONeTouch 4, so I hope it works out...

 

[ann]

i generally work from one of my external drives as it is faster than a cd/dvd.

now that i have everything duped on each drive, when i add images to a folder i just do exactly that , just add the new image, to each. it really doesn't take very long.

i just got one of those onetouch 4 myself, and am using it to back up my computer. it does it as scheduled.
i am not going to use it as a back up for only photos, but for mirroring the computer in total.

another thing i do, which comes from my traditional darkroom background; i make a contact sheet of every cd/dvd. it is labeled with the folder name and filed in a 3 ring binder in a plastic sleeve. I can just look at the binder and find exactly which image i want and go right to the folder on one of the external drives and find it very quickly.
this works for me, but it is important for you to figure out what workflow is the best for you.

 

[K8-90]

i just got one of those onetouch 4 myself, and am using it to back up my computer. it does it as scheduled.

i am not going to use it as a back up for only photos, but for mirroring the computer in total.

another thing i do, which comes from my traditional darkroom background; i make a contact sheet of every cd/dvd.

Yeah, I got it with the intention of backing up my whole computer as well.

So, how's the OneTouch working for you? I just finished running my first back-up, and I have scheduled it weekly. My question is, if I add a file to an existing folder, is that file going to be added, or is the whole folder (everything I back up) going to be replaced? I am wondering, because I have backed up over 150GB, and that is quite a lengthly process to do once a week! Also, are you able to back up program files? For some reason, it would not let me...?

Sorry for all the question

And I must say that your contact sheet idea is brilliant! One of these days, I'm going to get myself organized. One of these days...

Thanks!

 

[ann]

i just started using the 4plus and it is my understanding that it backs up everything on the computer on the scheduled plan and only adds changes.
so it looks at everything and adds as necessary.

with my other external drives , except the 1.5 with is in a raid form i have to add the images to a specific folder if i want to instead of just creating a new folder.
with the 1.5 in raid , the drive is really 2 750's and it automatically copies to both.

hope this makes sense, i am not a computer wiz

 

[ann]

ps.

just another thought. to get organized is really painful especially if you have a lot of random stuff to deal with.

something i recommend to my students .
1. start a plan immediately even if you only have 10 images to deal with.

2. if you have a lot. start with the most current; i.e. todays, and then slowly start at the other end and work you way to bring them all in line with your new workflow method.

trying to accomplish that in one setting is a nightmare and you'll end up throwing up your hands and saying oh, well, and it will never happen.

so, you stay current and whittle down the past in small amounts.

because of my teaching schedule i tend to take fri. mornings to remove images from cards, go through my workflow with them etc. it helps to put a movie in the dvd and use that to help past the time if there are a lot of images to move about.

 

[K8-90]

Thanks, very helpful info!

I did one back-up now, and I've schedule them for fridays, so we'll see, I guess

My photo folders are somewhat organized, but still leave much to be desired. Basically, I want to go through them on Bridge, and add keywords, dates, etc. It is a somewhat daunting task, but I really like being organized! Good points, though. So I'll start by organizing anything new, and do some of the older stuff when I have time.

 

[iflynething]

I'm just using a 320G external and and maually back up once a week. Now more than a week and half. I average about 2,000 pictures a month and am at about 27,000 and a little over 72GB worth.

I would love to have a one touch and just hit it and if I added new files or moved them around, it would back them up. I have never been able to get the hang of them.

I'm thinking about getting two separate 1TBs

~Michael~