External hard drive: I am just about sold on the idea that I really need some kind of back-up so I don't lose valued photos from my hard drive that I've been seriously collecting for...

OHenry Loc: St. Michaels, MD

I am just about sold on the idea that I really need some kind of back-up so I don't lose valued photos from my hard drive that I've been seriously collecting for about a year now. I'm also pretty convinced that an external hard drive is the way to go. Now.....what kind and how much storage??

I'm interested in your comments and opinions.

Dback4430 Loc: Lockport Il

OHenry wrote:

I am just about sold on the idea that I really need some kind of back-up so I don't lose valued photos from my hard drive that I've been seriously collecting for about a year now. I'm also pretty convinced that an external hard drive is the way to go. Now.....what kind and how much storage??

I'm interested in your comments and opinions.

If you can afford it , I would go with the drobo fs . If not get a nas storage device . I like the buffalo LS , i have the one tb model and love it . then there is the jst plain ole external hd. Firewire or usb . Anything is better than nothing .

steve40 Loc: Asheville/Canton, NC, USA

I recently bought an Iomega 1tb external HD. Has its own power source, does not load down the usb of your computer. Fast, and works real nice. Takes up very little real-estate. Link below, you can't beat the price.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/674939-REG/Iomega_34836_1TB_eGo_Jet_Black.html

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

I would suggest the Western Digital My Book series:
http://wdc.com/en/products/external/desktop/

jimni2001 Loc: Sierra Vista, Arizona, USA

Externals are great but I would suggest that you also write your photos to CD or DVD or Blu-ray or what ever you have if you are serious about saving them. Just make sure you upgrade before the technology expires. What I mean is floppy disc drives do not come standard in a computer any more and most do not have a CD reader or writer but rather a DVD R\W that writes CD's and those are being replaced by Blu-ray R\W. Soon all of that will be replaced by disc that fit in a telephone and hold more data than an external hard drive. You just want to be able to retrieve your data when the time comes is what I am long windedly trying to get at.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

OHenry wrote:

I am just about sold on the idea that I really need some kind of back-up so I don't lose valued photos from my hard drive that I've been seriously collecting for about a year now. I'm also pretty convinced that an external hard drive is the way to go. Now.....what kind and how much storage??

I'm interested in your comments and opinions.

Several years ago, I got a small, "tough" Iomega 250GB, when 250GB was considered a good size. Then I got a small Toshiba 500GB. Later I got a large Western Digital 2TB. Now I use all three to back up important files. I like having a backup for a backup.

Another idea. If you have an internal drive you don't use, get a Drive Dock from Amazon for about $20. You just stick the internal drive into it, and you have another external drive. I have four old drives I use with that.

Finally, I have tried [pronounced "bought"] several backup programs. The best I have found is Microsoft's SyncToy, and it's free. It works great to syncronize one disc with another.

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

OHenry wrote:

I am just about sold on the idea that I really need some kind of back-up so I don't lose valued photos from my hard drive that I've been seriously collecting for about a year now. I'm also pretty convinced that an external hard drive is the way to go. Now.....what kind and how much storage??

I'm interested in your comments and opinions.

I use Western Digital My Book Essential 1TB. You can also get a WD 2TB. I would suggest backing up on CD as well as the external hard drive.

Twardlow Loc: Arkansas

OHenry...

Suggest you look at M disc. Regular CDs can go bad (though mine haven't) but the M disc is supposed to be good for a thousand years.

Burner is reasonable, disc is about $3.50.

Just saying'

Tom

Mudshark Loc: Illinois

jimni2001 wrote:

Externals are great but I would suggest that you a... (show quote)

I am told by experts and I have read here and there...that the above may not prove to be such a hot idea. I have three ring binders full of CDs and DVDs of RAW files...and I am concerned. It seems there is a much shorter shelf life for these plastic disk than once thought. Some also fly apart in the super fast drives. None of this has been a problem for me so far...On the other hand I have been using external hard drives (Western Digital) for several years and I constantly read about external hard drives failing.....HEY!! We're all gonna die someday...and that concerns me...Much as I adore digital...I have film negatives going on a century old that I can look at with my naked eye and look like new..........And Lord...let us never forget KODACHROME....last forever and gave us the greens of summer............

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

Mudshark wrote:

quote=jimni2001 Externals are great but I would s... (show quote)

Excellent point! I have very serious concerns about the storage of my digital images.....not only for the changing technology, but for the very reasons you state here. I currently backup to two hard drives and to CD. It is unlikely that both drives are going to fail unless they are destroyed by fire or lightening. Yet it is still not like having that negative that you can store in a safe place.

fabians Loc: Glendale, AZ

I'm really anal about backup. I have all my pictures (originals and touched up) in three places; the computer hard drive, a 1tb Seagate external, and quality DVD's. When ready to backup, I plug in the external HD, then backup my recents photos, then unplug the drive. The external is not 'on' all the time, should last forever. Then I burn a DVD's worth of pictures onto a DVD, catalog it, and then I'm done.

RedIris Loc: MN, USA

Definitely, emphasis on 'quality DVDs'.
And do not use Windows default 'record to disc' feature. Use a proper recording/burning program..

I've posted before on this topic... (can't find it, sorry),

but media manufacturers make quality archival CDs and DVDs. Usually, made from better metals or gold. They cost a little more, but NOT so much as to be preventable.

do a search on: archival CD/DVDs

jimni2001 Loc: Sierra Vista, Arizona, USA

Mudshark wrote:

br I am told by experts and I have read here and ... (show quote)

I have a five drawer filing cabinet so full of film negatives that if you tried to put a needle in there that whole thing would explode I believe. I have never had a Western Digital drive fail but I have a Seagate that did and I have to have the disc changed out to recover the 20,000+ photos on it. I have never heard of a disc flying apart but then again there is a lot that I am sure I have never heard of. (I can't be sure of that though until I hear of something that I have never heard of. I have heard the statement 'I've heard it all now" but I doubt if that was true.) I use a Western digital 3 tb for back-up but I also burn to DVD.

Twardlow Loc: Arkansas

ALL Hard drives fail. Only a matter of when. They are physical, and physical things wear out...sometime.

The M disc doesn't etch the info on a cd/DVD, but changes the material underneath to synthetic stone.

Not qualified to judge, but I'm trying it.

Come back in a thousand years and I'll tell you how it worked out.

Tom

fabians Loc: Glendale, AZ

I use Philips 'duplication' grade DVD's. Spindal of 100 is $26 or .26 per DVD, WORTH IT! I have not had one bad DVD burn in over 100 DVD burns.