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Posted: 9/26/2015 3:50:43 PM EDT
For a while I had a primary hard drive, in the computer.  It was copied, file for file, to an external hard drive (USB).

Something happened to the USB.

So for a long time I just ran with the internal.


Yep, the internal went POOF.  Looks like it might be the controller board though so there's hope.


But I had two very specific events on the internal where my habit of leaving pics on memory cards has saved me for sure.

I already have two new drives, with the external being backed up using Synctoy and I am currently copying files from my CF cards onto the main and then onto the external.



So learn from me!

Always two there are should be

and there's no need to be so eager with deleting and formatting cards.
Link Posted: 9/26/2015 6:58:16 PM EDT
[#1]
I have pictures in no less than 3 different places.

2TB internal drive, 2TB external drive, and most of the stuff is uploaded full resolution to Flickr.

I've also been considering doing some kinda cloud thing just as a backup backup.
Link Posted: 9/28/2015 10:05:57 PM EDT
[#2]
I have my pics on two computers and two USB hard drives.

Link Posted: 9/28/2015 10:59:59 PM EDT
[#3]
I thought I was safe with a RAID array and external drive archive - until my power supply went TU and fried every piece of equipment attached to the PC.

3-2-1 backup strategy is the key.

3 copies of each file
2 separate media
1 copy offsite

If all your copies are in your house, how many will survive a fire or flood?  
Link Posted: 9/29/2015 10:17:47 AM EDT
[#4]
can flickr store RAW files?

It is currently unlimited so .........

But yeah, offsite, in some sort of format, cloud or physical, is also on the table.
Link Posted: 9/29/2015 11:52:53 AM EDT
[#5]
I've been using a 4-bay Drobo for about a year and it's pretty nifty.  4tb drives each, although I only have 2 running at the moment.  

I burn all RAW files on 8gig DVDs and store them elsewhere.  That way, at least I have the RAW files to go back to and edit if need be.  It's a little more work, but saving RAW and TIFF on DVD can get expensive.
Link Posted: 9/29/2015 1:38:41 PM EDT
[#6]
The DAM Book by Peter Krogh has some valuable insight on this and other topics related to managing photos.

My personal setup (since we're sharing ):
a. PC with RAID 1 config (mirrored). This results in two physical copies of each file.
b. External drive enclosure attached via USB3 and two drives rotated in the enclosure periodically. This ensures one backup copy is always disconnected from the PC.
c. Files are managed in "Albums" on the drives. When a given album reaches ~22GB, it is burned to Blu-ray and a new album is started.
d. Files are copied from main drive to archive on external drive after each editing evolution.
e. I use Carbonite for off-site storage. It backs up my entire photo folder hierarchy to the cloud on a continuous basis.

I use Lightroom for photo ingestion and have it configured to copy each file to a backup location on the external drive. For each file, this provides 3 logical copies (original media, external drive, internal drive) and 4 physical copies (2 on RAID array, 1 on external drive, 1 on original memory media) after ingestion. I frequently delay re-formatting memory media until after final editing of photos, but never before at least an initial scan of the photos to ensure they have been ingested correctly by Lightroom. Lightroom is also configured to backup its catalog to the external drive.

Once Lightroom is configured, these copies are created automatically. Moving albums or sub-folders from the PC to the external drive is a manual step after edits for a given set of photos is complete.

While I do not make a living as a photographer, I have had to explain to my wife how we lost 4 years' worth of photos and videos of the family. (See earlier reference to failed power supply.)    The arrangement above greatly mitigates my risk of repeating that discussion.
Link Posted: 9/29/2015 1:46:15 PM EDT
[#7]
I have a storage drive on my computer that I copy all pictures to.  I then have a backup USB hard drive that gets a duplicate.  I also keep all the original cards and put them in the fire safe for storage.
Link Posted: 9/30/2015 6:26:14 PM EDT
[#8]
I always backup my photos to a single-density DVD. I don't trust hard drives, they are good, but not that good.
I also avoid DL-type DVD media because if one fails you could lose 9.64GB of data. where as if you have regular DVD your potential lost is only ~4.8GB.
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