Backup software versus just copying: Would like some input on the pros and cons of each. I use Elements 14 on a PC and run backups with its built-in backup. Switched computers recently...

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Would like some input on the pros and cons of each. I use Elements 14 on a PC and run backups with its built-in backup. Switched computers recently and realize I lost some files because Elements only backs up what's in its catalogue. There were a few unimportant ones that I hadn't imported yet and some that were poor quality and had deleted from the catalogue but not from the HD. All my pics and Element's catalogue data are in the default Adobe directory. I could copy all that to my external drive(s) or use backup software to do it. Any thoughts on this?

wtompkins Loc: Northern Michigan

I use 2 external hard drives and copy my pictures them on a weekly basis. Haven't had any issues..... yet.

Pop1950

Yes, I have some thoughts. First a question: Is the Elements backup your only backup? If so, what if your computer is stolen or worse, your house burns down. Everything would be gone, right? You need to back up to more than one cloud solution. I say more than one because these companies have gone out of business leaving people stranded. You can use Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Flickr or one (or two) of several others. I Google Drive and OneDrive plus I pay $59.95 per year to Carbonite (more than just photos). You have to backup to more than just your home hard drives.

Dickwood33 Loc: Alberta, Canada

I use SyncToy to copy all my Photos to an external drive used just for backup. It makes an exact sync copy of the file tree which holds all of my original photos. If photos have been added or deleted SyncToy makes these changes so the backup copy is exactly the same as the original. I do this manually whenever I have added new photos. Read the instructions carefully. Choose the action that syncs only the original drive TO the backup. Hope this helps.

Armadillo Loc: Ventura, CA

gvarner wrote:

Would like some input on the pros and cons of each... (show quote)

Elements only backs up your photos within its catalog. What about all the tons of other files that are not photos? Elements fails your critical files backup.

You could perform a system wide backup manually, but that takes a lot of time and HD space.

You could rely on a system backup that is performed by your computer backup system, the first time it runs takes a long time, but you select which part of your system to back up.

You could depend on a third party backup system in which you control which directories in your system are backed up, after the first backup the backup program looks at only those files that are new and newly modified since the last backup, and it places the backup files on an external device (Hard Drive, Memory Drive, thumb drive, etc. ir online storage server).

Michael G

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

Dickwood33 wrote:

I use SyncToy to copy all my Photos to an external drive used just for backup. It makes an exact sync copy of the file tree which holds all of my original photos. If photos have been added or deleted SyncToy makes these changes so the backup copy is exactly the same as the original. I do this manually whenever I have added new photos. Read the instructions carefully. Choose the action that syncs only the original drive TO the backup. Hope this helps.

I also use SyncToy (unfortunate name for a great little program).
Once set up you can program automatic back-ups or, as I do, just launch and click 'run' to do a backup.
I don't shoot enough to need daily back-ups so I usually just run it after a Lightroom session.
Rick

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

I'm on a Mac. I use Time Machine as a first back up. Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) is my second backup, which includes to apps and data. You can set it to back up at specific intervals.
SuperDuper would be an alternate to CCC. I also do an offsite backup to a Cloud service. Caution- do boot from your CCC backup occasionally to insure it and its drive are working.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

I backup with BlackBaze backs up everything to the cloud reasonable price

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

The software makes it easier. However, backups can be accomplished by simply copying the files to additional locations, other than your "working" directory.
--Bob

gvarner wrote:

Would like some input on the pros and cons of each... (show quote)

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

rmalarz wrote:

The software makes it easier. However, backups can be accomplished by simply copying the files to additional locations, other than your "working" directory.
--Bob

That's exactly what I do: Hard drive on computer, one external hard drive that lives at our son's house and about once a week or so comes home to be updated; One external hard drive that lives in my handbag and goes where I go - gets updated every time I add photos to the computer; One external that lives in the opposite end of the house from where the computer is, gets updated same time as the one in my handbag. I like to do my scrapbooking on my laptop, and most photos get copied to the laptop as well.
That makes for three copies of photos in three different places, plus a 4th copy of many photos on the laptop.
I know, disaster could still happen, but I feel pretty secure with my back-ups.

papakatz45 Loc: South Florida-West Palm Beach

gvarner wrote:

Would like some input on the pros and cons of each... (show quote)

If you are running Windows 10, it has an excellent backup program built-in.

papakatz45 Loc: South Florida-West Palm Beach

Armadillo wrote:

Elements only backs up your photos within its cata... (show quote)

Elements does not backup your photos, only your catalog which is basically an index of your photos.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

I use backup software, but mainly for saving my butt should I get a virus or other dysfunction of my operating system drive. I backup my entire drives (4) to externals and cloud. If something goes awry, I can easily recover the entire drive to a new drive(if necessary). You seem to only backup photos. If so, there is no significant difference between backing them up with software or copying to an external drive.
Mark

gvarner wrote:

Would like some input on the pros and cons of each... (show quote)

studavis

I find I do mu better when buying Cameras, Tripods and lenses to go to a store and handle them. As a side issue I use Canon and found them to help me with questions and problems. Nikon makes a good camera also but they did not give me support. With them I had no help just a runaround. Called 4 times before they said I had a NEW defective camera and then told me to send it to them to get fixed not replaced. Took it back to the store and got a Canon.

wwright Loc: Tucson

Slightly off topic - Backup software typically catalogs the data being backed up and stores it in a condensed form, typically a database. The catalog allows for specific file recovery, and stores metadata about the original location. To retrieve the data you need the same software that was used to back it up.

Copying a file allows access and recovery more easily from any computer without special software.

Both have pluses and minuses. Backup software usually backs up faster than copying, and uses less space for the backup data than the original files. Some high end products use de-duplication, which reduces backup space requirements substantially.