Use DVDs to backup your photos? - Beware!

[Denosha]

Do you use DVDs (which ever format) to backup your photo files? Do you use Windows XP? Do you use multisession (so you don't have to burn everything at one short)? If the answer to all 3 is yes then beware! :bigeyes:

I only recently discovered this problem with the combination of the 3. I can't read anything other than first session of the DVD if the total size of the data exceeds 4gb. In fact, this bug has been documented and the fix will be out with the Windoze XP service pack 2.

More info about it here.

 

[ckiang]

If you burn with Nero, you'll actually get a warning about this. I thus burn all of mine single-session.

Regards
CK

 

[Arx]

I usually accumulate all photo usually in RAW till abt 4Gb and burn it in one session and finalize the disk straight away.

 

[jbma]

Same here. It's better to burn it in a single session. Less risk. And yes, Nero's the way to go.

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

i thought in nero, the multisession warning applies to using the dvd on system other than win xp?

 

[ckiang]

i thought in nero, the multisession warning applies to using the dvd on system other than win xp?

Yes, but I didn't want to risk it anyway.

Regards
CK

 

[Neo]

I'm curious... why do you guys burn everything (i.e 4GB) onto one DVD? I've a DVD writer, but I'm hesitant to burn so much images into one DVD. I'd rather split them up over 5-6 CD-Rs. What if that DVD fail? Esp. taking into consideration that DVD-Rs are still in their infancy compared to CD-Rs.

 

[espn]

Me too, I burn everything 4GB in a single session. I would like to keep CD-Rs but found that I'm keeping a lot as of now and still growing, thus DVDs is a good way out.

 

[Denosha]

Mmm.. I'm using nero but i don't remember seeing any warning msg :cry: I didn't burn single session 'cos i didn't even have 4gb of files to backup at the time :embrass:

Anyway, it's kinda tragic that a bug like this makes it impossible for one to make scheduled (like monthly) backups to DVD media. For me, accumulating 4gb of files to backup at one short takes a pretty long time (which is kinda dangerous if you're paranoid like me, having had so many hard disks fail on me before).

 

[2100]

I'm curious... why do you guys burn everything (i.e 4GB) onto one DVD? I've a DVD writer, but I'm hesitant to burn so much images into one DVD. I'd rather split them up over 5-6 CD-Rs. What if that DVD fail? Esp. taking into consideration that DVD-Rs are still in their infancy compared to CD-Rs.

If you shoot more, then it's pretty hard to keep track. I have 38GB of jpgs, everything from hobby to real shoots whatever. That's 54 CD-Rs!

Too bad DVD-R DL is still 2.4x, and 1 friggin media costs S$17!

 

[2100]

But i guess no matter how reliable the disc media is, i will make it a point to make new copies from the HDD once every 2-3 years.

 

[sriram]

Though the capacity of a DVD is 6x that of a CD-R, the error detection and correction algorithms used on DVD's are supposed to be around 10x better than CD's, so I wouldn't worry much about losing data. Of course, if you make a big scratch on it then both the CD and DVD are coasters.

 

[mpenza]

hmm... have been using only single sessions to backup pics onto DVDs.

Anyway, DVDs usually is the 2nd level backup. The first level backup is on an external drive.

 

[2100]

Though the capacity of a DVD is 6x that of a CD-R, the error detection and correction algorithms used on DVD's are supposed to be around 10x better than CD's, so I wouldn't worry much about losing data. Of course, if you make a big scratch on it then both the CD and DVD are coasters.

Problem is that the data layer "oxidises" over time, with the lousier media. Never believe them makers who cliam that they can archive at least 20-50 years.

 

[jbma]

If you can get 10 years then that's good enough for me. I have some CD-R that is almost 15 years old and still working great. From my experience DVD is still safer than CD-R.

 

[tsdh]

I have some CD-R that is almost 15 years old and still working great. From my experience DVD is still safer than CD-R.

Wow... CD-R from 15 years ago ! are you sure?
The first CD-writer was sold around 1990, it is rack-mounted, not a PC peripheral. Not many people have it, because its price is still sky-high.

 

[alankuik]

jsut a thot... CD last 10 years ...

on the 9th Year, i rip everything into the hdd.... and re-create another new CD. (if it still exist at that tiem).

i get another new disc that can last 10 years more.

??

if CDs / DVDs cannot be trusted for lengthy storage... what can we trust now?
when i'm old, do i still expect to see my childhood photoshoots??

 

[2100]

jsut a thot... CD last 10 years ...

on the 9th Year, i rip everything into the hdd.... and re-create another new CD. (if it still exist at that tiem).

i get another new disc that can last 10 years more.

??

if CDs / DVDs cannot be trusted for lengthy storage... what can we trust now?
when i'm old, do i still expect to see my childhood photoshoots??

You see, your old photos will still degenerate, though slowly and more gracefully. If you wanna archive for real long, a controlled environment is needed.

Yes, if you reburn the images from old media to a new one (newly manufactured), then it can survive for another "cycle". If new technology comes (eg blu-ray), just transfer them across. The idea is to copy the bits and bytes.

 

[jsbn]

Mac user here.

I juz accumulate all my high JPEGs and RAWs till they hit 4.2GB, den 1 shot burn, 1 shot finalise.

Save for the standard 'DVD/CD Rot' which will eventually occur, I dun think it'll have much problems.

 

[hwchoy]

Mmm.. I'm using nero but i don't remember seeing any warning msg :cry: I didn't burn single session 'cos i didn't even have 4gb of files to backup at the time :embrass:

Anyway, it's kinda tragic that a bug like this makes it impossible for one to make scheduled (like monthly) backups to DVD media. For me, accumulating 4gb of files to backup at one short takes a pretty long time (which is kinda dangerous if you're paranoid like me, having had so many hard disks fail on me before).

If you are a professional and need fast access to working images, the best way would be to get a server with a RAID capable storage controller. You can get a entry-level Dell (server not PC) or if you're more savvy one of those GIGAByte server motherboards. Then buy a stack of disks and put them in RAID (configuration depending on your needs, can be mirror or RAID-5).