About backup your photos

[JC1808]

Hi All,

Can I know the best way to backup photos that are store in pc? Previously I backup my Hongkong travels photos to a disc (burn to a disc) and deleted it off from my pc.....but after that then relaised that the backup copy I cant retreive from the disc....all my photos are having only "1k" file size arh~~~ I lost all my photos T _ T...

What will be the correct way to backup all photos that we shoot and transfer to pc then later backup it to clear off space for the pc?

 

[giantcanopy]

Sounds like u got a burning problem.

I usually burn two copies of the photos on a DVD and shelf them, with one copy for retrieval purposes.

Ryan

 

[ExplorerZ]

Hi All,

Can I know the best way to backup photos that are store in pc? Previously I backup my Hongkong travels photos to a disc (burn to a disc) and deleted it off from my pc.....but after that then relaised that the backup copy I cant retreive from the disc....all my photos are having only "1k" file size arh~~~ I lost all my photos T _ T...

What will be the correct way to backup all photos that we shoot and transfer to pc then later backup it to clear off space for the pc?

if u burn onto disc and then delete from PC, its not call a backup in the 1st place, its only called as a backup when u still have the original copy(in ur PC)

 

[ahpan]

Something that I always do.. and to share with you.

- Buy a spare HDD and store all your photos inside.
- Then burn another copy into DVD.
- Remember to check if you are able to access your files in the CD/DVD before you delete the original copies away.

Btw, if you deleted the original files in your HDD, you can still have chances recovering them all back in the original state. Recommended to recover it on the day itself..

 

[Octarine]

Can I know the best way to backup photos that are store in pc? Previously I backup my Hongkong travels photos to a disc (burn to a disc) and deleted it off from my pc.....but after that then relaised that the backup copy I cant retreive from the disc....all my photos are having only "1k" file size arh~~~ I lost all my photos T _ T...

What will be the correct way to backup all photos that we shoot and transfer to pc then later backup it to clear off space for the pc?

Only you know the best way because nobody knows what you want to do in the long run. Read the manual of CD/DVD burning software to make sure you create clean 1:1 copies of your files. Seems you did something wrong there, otherwise the pictures would be readable.
Search the forum for 'backup' and you'll see all previous threads about this topic.
First you need to define your workflow. Where do you store which pictures? Usually people keep original files, in addition they keep the edited versions. Next, people have different ways of sorting pictures. Some use file and folder names as used on cam. Others sort by date and time. Find your own way and define it clearly. If you did it then it becomes very clear what to do with which data. Some you will keep on your PC because you are working on them, some you will delete (always good not to keep obvious crap shots) and some you want to store away.
Backup means: make a copy of data at a certain point in time in order to restore the data when the main data are lost. Typical example: backup over night. In case your HDD dies in the morning you have last night's backup and you only lose the data / editing in between.
If you want to keep your files for long period it's called archiving. Needs different approaches and more than just burning on CD/DVD.
Yes, sounds a bit 'loaded with IT" but it's necessary as you can see with your example

 

[JC1808]

Thanks all for feedback.

Well, sorry for putting up a wrong topic title :embrass: I was actually wanted to know how to clear off my harddisk space with all photos (because if the photos getting more n more I should keep it in somewhere). Instead of burn it to a cd, I can transfer all the photos to a external hard disk but just want to be more caution if one of the day the external hard disk wont be working.....what to do?

Should I transfer all photos to a external hard disk and at the same time burn a copy?

 

[Fotophilic]

Thanks all for feedback.

Well, sorry for putting up a wrong topic title :embrass: I was actually wanted to know how to clear off my harddisk space with all photos (because if the photos getting more n more I should keep it in somewhere). Instead of burn it to a cd, I can transfer all the photos to a external hard disk but just want to be more caution if one of the day the external hard disk wont be working.....what to do?

Should I transfer all photos to a external hard disk and at the same time burn a copy?

I use an external hdd and burn a dvd. Hdd are pretty cheap nowadays.

 

[CS TAN]

I download photos to my notebook and back them up using DVDs. In addition, I use online backup service such as Carbonite to backup my notebook HD data to the web. So, hopefully, the chance of all three media gone bad at the same time does not happen to me...

 

[kirkchua79]

always make sure the file is readable after burning. i always burn @ slower speed if not in a rush . i think less error prone.so sad u lost the pics.:cry: can find back the files in the recycle bin??

 

[achanth]

Hi All,

Can I know the best way to backup photos that are store in pc? Previously I backup my Hongkong travels photos to a disc (burn to a disc) and deleted it off from my pc.....but after that then relaised that the backup copy I cant retreive from the disc....all my photos are having only "1k" file size arh~~~ I lost all my photos T _ T...

What will be the correct way to backup all photos that we shoot and transfer to pc then later backup it to clear off space for the pc?

Hi, I had the same problem when my hdd crashed and I could not retrieve my photo. searched the net and found one photo recovery software. This could recover lost photos...but it is a huge recovery, since everything is recovered...however, sometimes the order is lost and you get some jumbled order of pictures. Managed to recover quite a lot of files...

 

[lennyl]

Can I know the best way to backup photos that are store in pc? Previously I backup my Hongkong travels photos to a disc (burn to a disc) and deleted it off from my pc.....but after that then relaised that the backup copy I cant retreive from the disc....all my photos are having only "1k" file size arh~~~ I lost all my photos T _ T...

What will be the correct way to backup all photos that we shoot and transfer to pc then later backup it to clear off space for the pc?

My condolences. I sounds like you saved the shortcut to the photos onto your CD? That would give a 1k file size.

Asking people about their backup policy is a good way to estimate how paranoid they are Eventually my photos make their way into 4 different hard disks, but I make sure they're on two before they get nuked from the CF card. I've given up on CDs, then DVDs, for backup. If Blu Ray gets affordable before it goes obsolete I will give it a try.

 

[cookie88]

Here's the super conservative approach from me...

1. Org files in local PC on Raid1 (mirrored)
2. Backup copy in network NAS Raid1 (restrict other users' access to "Read" only for the backup folder)
3. Burn to DVD every half yearly

Note
1. Although Raid1 significantly lowers possibility of hardware failure, still have to worry of careless users and viruses
2. DVDs will also deteriorate, so have to re-burn every few yrs. Recommended to burn al slowest speed.

 

[Octarine]

Here's the super conservative approach from me...

That's rather reasonable and good. Not really close to being paranoid
In addition, I do backups of the Lightroom catalog since it has all the work data inside. The picture files itself are just the basic JPG and RAW files, without the catalog I'd would be back to 'square one'.
I was thinking about tape backups stored in my dry cabinet as additional step, a weekly full backup of all data in NAS. still evaluating technical details and costs.

 

[CS TAN]

Not try to be too paranoid but one good recommendation from IT guys is to have off-site backup in case something happens in your place, e.g. fire. That's why I use online backup. Of course, if the website go out of business and disappear, then my backup will be gone too.

 

[snapworks]

I normally use a sync software to backup my pictures to a external HDD. This way I can work on either copy and let the sync software do the job

 

[Octarine]

I normally use a sync software to backup my pictures to a external HDD. This way I can work on either copy and let the sync software do the job

That is not backup in the meaning of IT but rather having the most recent copy at hand.

 

[NMSS_2]

i did the same as snapworks after both my raid 0 failed on the same day about 5 months ago. lost more than 3years worth of pictures but successfully recovered it after paying for a very good recovery software (with all directories intact as well :sweat. Syncing the files is probably the most primitive but most fail safe way to safeguard the pictures.

 

[Octarine]

i did the same as snapworks after both my raid 0 failed on the same day about 5 months ago. lost more than 3years worth of pictures but successfully recovered it after paying for a very good recovery software (with all directories intact as well :sweat. Syncing the files is probably the most primitive but most fail safe way to safeguard the pictures.

Raid 0 is nothing in terms of safety. This is just combining two disks to get one big volume. Luckily you managed to recover your files. But there are cases when the mechanical parts of the hard disk fail (motor, heads) and no software can help anymore. Worst case is a headcrash.
Data safety is created by redundancy. Raid 1 (mirroring) is the first little step. But the next steps depend on your workflow, the importance of your data as well as a lot of other questions like budget. Professional photographers will have other requirements than people just snapping for the holiday album and the occasional prints.

 

[lennyl]

Raid 0 is nothing in terms of safety. This is just combining two disks to get one big volume.

It's actually worse than that. Raid 0 splits your data into two (or more) parts and store them scattered into 2 (or more disks). So your chances of losing data is much higher - for a 2 disk array, you are (slightly more than) twice as likely to lose your data as having just one disk, because if either (or both) disks crap out, you're out of luck. (and yes, I seem to be in love with parentheses today... )

 

[poh6702]

This to share what I do, I started using digital camera since 1996 where I got the first Casio 320x240 digital camera from Japan, since then I have been taking digital photo for my children and family. Especially for children photos, once it is lost you can't go back in time to take their Baby-childhood photo, these are really precious photos.

The fundamental of back up is "extra kiasu", you must have "can not affort to lost" attitute.

1. I keep the photos in my computer, dispite changed at least 5 laptop already, all photos are transferred to the latest notebook.
2. Keep an external 3.5" drive in the office to do the backup.
3. Keep an external 3.5" drive at home to do the backup.
4. Another portable 2.5" drive in my computer back
5. Once in a while burn the latest year photos in DVD.

With technonogy changes, I have changed the office backup drive to USB RAID 1 drive, that is even safer becasue should any problem with the RAID drive, just need to take out the drive and mount in any 3.5" external casing, all data are save.

So far I have not experience any HDD drive crash problem, that is because I upgrade the drives once in a while, no HDD have been with me for more than 3 years.

I did experience cases where I swaped notebook and forgot to copy out the photo content from the given up notebook, but then only lost few photos.

Just for info: An USB 500G 3.5" external HDD cost only $139, an USB 2.5" 250G HDD cost less than $150. They are in-expensive to own.