CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Having a software tool monitor your files and detect changes is more robust and efficient than doing it yourself. I don't worry about the software's ability to detect these changes. I am skeptical of my DSL's ability to transfer / recover 4TB data back onto my primary drive in something less than forever. It already can take a day+ to copy the files drive to drive with the USBs connected directly to my computer.

For the initial copy, yes, simply grab, drag, and drop.

For edits in older work, I periodically sort folders by change date and compare what is on the primary vs the date the folders were copied over to the secondary. Where the change dates show update on the primary, I just copy and replace the contents onto the secondary. Again, certainly a risk exists that I'll miss something. But, my edits are primarily in LR and I'm much more hyper about assuring the LRCAT file is backed-up to secondary storage than any of the image files LR operates against.

streetshot Loc: Los Angeles, California

What is a software monitoring tool?

David

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Time Machine, etc .... the way they work is they 'monitor' your disk(s) for new / modified / deleted files where these events trigger their back-up operation.

streetshot Loc: Los Angeles, California

That's what I use now I just didn't know what they were called.

Thanks for all your advice. Very helpful.

David

crphoto8 Loc: Anaheim, California

I use Acronis for weekly backups of my PC to a couple of external hard drives (primary AND secondary backups).
I also use SyncToy, a free Microsoft program for backing up specific folders. It's useful for relatively small folders such as documents, spreadsheets, etc and it's fast.

streetshot Loc: Los Angeles, California

I have a MacBook Pro. Any suggestions for that?

fstoprookie Loc: Central Valley of California

I use SyncScrip on my iMac but with the next update to my Mac operating system unless the company uses the app store to sell their product it will take an act of GOD to get a program from an outside vendor to work. I am running Catalina Beta and it's pretty picky right now. So be aware. I am in the process of trying to get compatible programs to update my system.