Backing up your photo files???

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for a RELIABLE method for backing up files . I've been told burning photo's with a CD burner is not a 100% reliable method. The files may not transfer correctly if at all.

How about a 750 zip drive??

Of course I'm no looking to breaK the bank but just looking for a reliable method. Kenny S>

But I am aware that nothing is 100%. I have stored a minimal amount. Only about 3000, all to CD's and have never had a problem reading any files. A quality burn program will verify the file created to the original for any errors. I have no idea what it checks, maybe just a file size.
People talk about how long a cd will last. 10 years- 50 years? 100 years?

And the answer is, Do you think we wil still be using CD's in 10 years? Storing data by burning little dimples into foil with a laser? Sounds old already, eh?

I have bought $25 Cd writer drives that only last a few months, so don't skimp there. Also don't buy the cheapest Cd's. Look for a sale on Sony Cd's they've never failed me.
Mikeeeeee

sharrack said:

Hey everyone,
I'm looking for a RELIABLE method for backing up files . I've been
told burning photo's with a CD burner is not a 100% reliable
method. The files may not transfer correctly if at all.

How about a 750 zip drive??
Of course I'm no looking to breaK the bank but just looking for a
reliable method. Kenny S>

Click to expand...

--
Mikeeee
------------------

Honk if you love peace and quiet

here's what i do

nightly automated backup of all new files from c: and d: drives to external 250gb maxtor harddrive. the software is called retrospect.

once per month i burn all my photo files to dvd.

andy

sharrack said:

Hey everyone,
I'm looking for a RELIABLE method for backing up files . I've been
told burning photo's with a CD burner is not a 100% reliable
method.

Click to expand...

Routine backups are made with Retrospect to a LaCie 20 GB PocketDrive over FireWire - fast and inexpensive.

For archival storage I use a Fujitsu 1.3GB Magneto-Optical (MO) removable drive - I'm just not convinced that CD-R or DVD-R are stable enough even though the cost/MB is very attractive. I have been using MO for more than 10 years and all my data is still there. I know plenty of individuals and companies who, despite making two copies of every disk and never touching one, go back after only 3 years and find it unreadable. My data is worth too much to me.

Joel.

I back mine up to an extra harddrive (though internal) nightly, and to CD or DVD once a week. Then, monthly, I back up that month to another DVD.

--
Proud PBase Supporter
http://www.pbase.com/pmphotos

Problems with CDR's? Never happened with any of my data except 1 or 2 (early) CDRW discs (which are not archival).

Yes, there are archival CD's rated at 50, 100 and even 200 years. The best of the bunch is the Mitsui Gold (can be found at various online dealers). I have never had a problem with a quality disc. I have taken 30,000 on my 707 and every one of them on a Mitsui Gold disc, AND a Verbatin Azo disc.
I just got a DVD burner though, and use the Verbatim Azo DVD's, too.

Here is one article worth reading on the subject:
http://www.silverace.com/dottyspotty/issue12.html

http://www.pixelmap.com

I have an 80 GB primary drive and installed a second 40 GB drive as a backup drive. I use a software program called "Second Copy" that automatically backs up designated folders on the primary drive to the backup drive daily (no user intervention required). I have a DVD burner on the PC and archive my important files periodically onto DVD or CDR media. The primary backup from hard drive to hard drive is what I depend upon the most.

Phil T

sharrack said:

Hey everyone,
I'm looking for a RELIABLE method for backing up files . I've been
told burning photo's with a CD burner is not a 100% reliable
method. The files may not transfer correctly if at all.

How about a 750 zip drive??
Of course I'm no looking to breaK the bank but just looking for a
reliable method. Kenny S>

Click to expand...

You can purchase a large hard drive for less than what the Zip drive would cost, and the zip drive disks are quite expensive. For example, an 80 GB drive can be had for about $85. A DVD burner can be found for about $100.

sharrack said:

Hey everyone,
I'm looking for a RELIABLE method for backing up files . I've been
told burning photo's with a CD burner is not a 100% reliable
method. The files may not transfer correctly if at all.

How about a 750 zip drive??
Of course I'm no looking to breaK the bank but just looking for a
reliable method. Kenny S>

Click to expand...

I have the Maxtor external HD also for backup and files copied on CD rom.
I agree with Andy!

NC

Andy Williams said:

here's what i do

nightly automated backup of all new files from c: and d: drives to
external 250gb maxtor harddrive. the software is called retrospect.

once per month i burn all my photo files to dvd.

andy

Click to expand...

I have been using the following method for the last three years. It take a bit of getting under the covers of the computer.

1. Install an InClose Mobile dock in your computers (I have three 2, at home and 1 at my office).

2. Install a hard drive in the removable case. I am using 50GB holds a lot of pics. I use it also to back up my data.

3.Keep your originals on one of your fixed hard drives.

4. Use a backup program such as Second Copy by Centered Software to sync between the fixed and removable.

5. Rotate a second hard drive in and out of the removable bay. I rotate and synchonize between three computers. At all time I have at least six copies of most of my data ... and at least 2 copies of my most recent data.

The way the cost of storage is going .... it's a pretty cheap solution. You could set up a computer with one mobile dock and two removable hard drives for about $120US and you are good to go.

I hope this helps. If I am two vague please let mje know.

ChuckS

pixelmap said:

Problems with CDR's? Never happened with any of my data except 1 or
2 (early) CDRW discs (which are not archival).

Click to expand...

What is the age of your earliest archival CD?

timpdx said:

Yes, there are archival CD's rated at 50, 100 and even 200 years.

Click to expand...

One has to take these figures with a considerable pinch of salt. These values are extrapolated from accelerated ageing tests and anything that suggests a life of greater than 20 years with any degree of certainty needs to be treated with great caution. I have two pressed music CDs from the mid 80s that are beginning to exhibit some problems despite having been looked after.

timpdx said:

Here is one article worth reading on the subject:
http://www.silverace.com/dottyspotty/issue12.html

Click to expand...

Thanks, an interesting page but in my research about 6 months ago I found articles by the UK government about the use and handling of archival data and CD/DVD were not the preferred option unless storage was under ideal conditions. It was considered that not enough was known about how they behave to reccommend them unreservedly.

The companies I referred to previously were using archival discs but because they use hundreds per month they see higher rates of failure. The same one considers DVD to be only of value for sending data through the post but never for archiving. May you fare better. I sure the technologies will continue to improve in this area.

The nice thing about MO is that it is rewritable so fulfils both resuable offline storage and archives. CD/DVD obviously is more compatible and not dependent on particular HW.

One thing we can probably agree on is that any form of magnetic disc, especially removable ones like Jaz and Zip are not even to be considered as archival storage. Digital mag tape has proved to be pretty good though.

Another point. I keep the original/final images that I printed or consider to be the pick of the crop, on my computer's HD so they can be backed up as part of my regular rotating schedule and be readily accessible.

Joel.

pixelmap said:

Problems with CDR's? Never happened with any of my data except 1 or
2 (early) CDRW discs (which are not archival).

Yes, there are archival CD's rated at 50, 100 and even 200 years.
The best of the bunch is the Mitsui Gold (can be found at various
online dealers). I have never had a problem with a quality disc. I
have taken 30,000 on my 707 and every one of them on a Mitsui Gold
disc, AND a Verbatin Azo disc.
I just got a DVD burner though, and use the Verbatim Azo DVD's,
too.

Here is one article worth reading on the subject:
http://www.silverace.com/dottyspotty/issue12.html

http://www.pixelmap.com

Click to expand...

I'm a little more paranoid...that may come with experience. When a memmory stick is full (or sooner) it gets downloaded to my hard drive. At the same time the stick is downloaded onto a Mitsui Gold archival cd and archived. Each week the hard drive is backed up to a CMS external backup drive though there are obviously less expensive hard drive alternates. It's kind of pointless to do all this backing up and archiving if you don't store at least one copy off site. I'm always remided though that drives being magnetic are much more prone to readability and corruption problems than cd's or dvd's

Andrew

OKay I had a cd writer at work when I was about 21 and now i'm 27 the cds I wrote then work fine now.

I used one as a coaster for a while I, picked it up this morning and wiped it down, and guess what the software installed on my test machine ok

I'm not saying its indestructable but hot tea and coffee twice a day for five years

archive methods I use are keep stuff on a 1gb partition on my laptop, when the partition gets full I drop the data onto a disk. I buy on spindle and therefore bought (in closing down sale) 2 caselogic 255 cd wallets and a 120 wallet. And I do keep a lot of crud. I use one wallet for disks I get and the other for backing up photos. i keep two copies of each disk and label them.

I do quite a bit of video work so 1gb is normally a couple of days. I recently bought an external caddy and 120gb drive then someone gave me a computer with not drives.

So rooting around the office I have a pretty nifty (faster than my laptoop) desktop machine. Which I'm currently looking for some synchronising software for.

I partitioned my drives into 20 gb partions and I image my laptop to the desktop once a week and once a month I write the image to disks

I guess the trick is to try and keep a variety of infomration on alternative media thats how you keep the bases covered and DONT KEEP ALL THE COPIES TOGETHER have an arrangement with friends and occasionally ship them to your mates house

That is not a good option. A quality CD/DVD vill outlast a Zip disk many times over. Zip is dino-ware - it OUGHT to be extinct by now!

Currently I'm using an external 200GB harddrive and CD-ROM backup, but I'm considering purchasing a good DVD-burner later this month, since I'm probably getting rid of my regular DVD-drive.

sharrack said:

Hey everyone,
I'm looking for a RELIABLE method for backing up files . I've been
told burning photo's with a CD burner is not a 100% reliable
method. The files may not transfer correctly if at all.

How about a 750 zip drive??
Of course I'm no looking to breaK the bank but just looking for a
reliable method. Kenny S>

Click to expand...

I have a less sophisticated method than everyone else who has posted above, so it is not the best, but I just burn my files to CD and I only do it about once per month. My volume is low, so that's not really much each month, and it is easy. Ocassionally I make a second set and store them at my workplace in case of a fire at my home.

The important thing is that you use SOME backup strategy, because a lot of people do not and they are guaranteed to get burned eventually, when they least expect it.