Backing up 100-200G of photo images?

[W. eWatson]

I probably have 100-200G of photo images on my PC. I would like to put
them on DVD or some other device for backup purposes. A DVD hold about
5G. Is there some software that would automate this process? For
example, I start at the root, and let it rip. Each time it fills a DVD,
it would ask for the next one. This would be a one time shot. That is, I
would not meddle with the storage again, or add to it. Sub folders
represent years. If I wanted to do this again for say 2013-2015, I'd do
the same process on a new set of DVDs for those years.

I could probably use an external drive, but somehow that isn't appealing.

 

[Paul]

I probably have 100-200G of photo images on my PC. I would like to put
them on DVD or some other device for backup purposes. A DVD hold about
5G. Is there some software that would automate this process? For
example, I start at the root, and let it rip. Each time it fills a DVD,
it would ask for the next one. This would be a one time shot. That is, I
would not meddle with the storage again, or add to it. Sub folders
represent years. If I wanted to do this again for say 2013-2015, I'd do
the same process on a new set of DVDs for those years.

I could probably use an external drive, but somehow that isn't appealing.

I would put them on the external drive, *and* on optical media.

Eight Blu-Ray discs would hold your collection. At $32 for 25 discs,
that works out to roughly $11 for this adventure.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817130156

It's possible something like a ZIP tool, would be able to
archive the tree, and make "limited size" files, one of
each which would fit on the optical media. That isn't very
convenient for browsing, and is only intended as a means
of chopping up the collection automatically.

If you use a backup approach, such as the Windows backup software
in Windows 7, it's possible it would back up the tree and
burn the discs for you. All you'd need is a DVD drive (and 40 discs),
or a Blu Ray drive (and 8 discs). And then open the drawer on the
drive every once in a while, and put in fresh media. When the job
is done, chances are you'll never look at the discs again. If
the external hard drive dies at some point, you buy another
external hard drive, then "restore" from the backup collection
on the eight BluRay discs.

Backup approaches don't always lead to an "easy browsing experience".
If you do the extra work, and split up the collection in a logical
manner, you could make the collection easier to browse. (I.e. You
arrange the folders, in roughly 25GB chunks, and create an ISO9660
from each 25GB collection.) But that's only if the discs are intended
to be the primary access route. If you also had the collection on
a hard drive, you can easily search that. Then, the optical collection
is solely a backup, suited to restoring the hard drive if it dies
on you.

Paul

 

[W. eWatson]

I would put them on the external drive, *and* on optical media.

Eight Blu-Ray discs would hold your collection. At $32 for 25 discs,
that works out to roughly $11 for this adventure.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817130156

It's possible something like a ZIP tool, would be able to
archive the tree, and make "limited size" files, one of
each which would fit on the optical media. That isn't very
convenient for browsing, and is only intended as a means
of chopping up the collection automatically.

If you use a backup approach, such as the Windows backup software
in Windows 7, it's possible it would back up the tree and
burn the discs for you. All you'd need is a DVD drive (and 40 discs),
or a Blu Ray drive (and 8 discs). And then open the drawer on the
drive every once in a while, and put in fresh media. When the job
is done, chances are you'll never look at the discs again. If
the external hard drive dies at some point, you buy another
external hard drive, then "restore" from the backup collection
on the eight BluRay discs.

Backup approaches don't always lead to an "easy browsing experience".
If you do the extra work, and split up the collection in a logical
manner, you could make the collection easier to browse. (I.e. You
arrange the folders, in roughly 25GB chunks, and create an ISO9660
from each 25GB collection.) But that's only if the discs are intended
to be the primary access route. If you also had the collection on
a hard drive, you can easily search that. Then, the optical collection
is solely a backup, suited to restoring the hard drive if it dies
on you.

Paul

Thanks for the tips. To put it simply, I just want to collect all of
these photos on a DVD or similar media and put them all in my bank
vault. Just a precaution against some disaster at home.

 

[Paul]

Thanks for the tips. To put it simply, I just want to collect all of
these photos on a DVD or similar media and put them all in my bank
vault. Just a precaution against some disaster at home.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/backup-and-restore

"You can back up to another drive or a DVD. And if you're using the
Professional or Ultimate editions of Windows 7, you'll also have the
option of backing up your files to a network."

HTH,
Paul

 

[NY]

I probably have 100-200G of photo images on my PC. I would like to put
them on DVD or some other device for backup purposes. A DVD hold about 5G.
Is there some software that would automate this process? For example, I
start at the root, and let it rip. Each time it fills a DVD, it would ask
for the next one. This would be a one time shot. That is, I would not
meddle with the storage again, or add to it. Sub folders represent years.
If I wanted to do this again for say 2013-2015, I'd do the same process on
a new set of DVDs for those years.

I could probably use an external drive, but somehow that isn't appealing.

I'd much rather use an HDD because it is so much faster to write to and you
can add to it any time you take more photos. DVDs and CDs are a real pain
with compatibility (some drives won't read rewritable disks, some require
the disc to be finalised which prevents you adding to it in future, some
will read - but not + formats, etc).

For writing video (which you're not) there's the additional pain of
converting the MPG files to VOB format...

 

[SC Tom]

I probably have 100-200G of photo images on my PC. I would like to put
them on DVD or some other device for backup purposes. A DVD hold about 5G.
Is there some software that would automate this process? For example, I
start at the root, and let it rip. Each time it fills a DVD, it would ask
for the next one. This would be a one time shot. That is, I would not
meddle with the storage again, or add to it. Sub folders represent years.
If I wanted to do this again for say 2013-2015, I'd do the same process on
a new set of DVDs for those years.

I could probably use an external drive, but somehow that isn't appealing.

I think I'd go this route:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152288

The 2.5" drive is small, holds 320GB of data, and would last a good long
time in a controlled environment like a bank vault. And would have the added
bonus of being easily searchable and reusable if you decided to get rid of
the old photos and add new.
If you're looking to do this often, you might even find the drives in bulk
for even less than $50.

 

[pjp]

I probably have 100-200G of photo images on my PC. I would like to put
them on DVD or some other device for backup purposes. A DVD hold about
5G. Is there some software that would automate this process? For
example, I start at the root, and let it rip. Each time it fills a DVD,
it would ask for the next one. This would be a one time shot. That is, I
would not meddle with the storage again, or add to it. Sub folders
represent years. If I wanted to do this again for say 2013-2015, I'd do
the same process on a new set of DVDs for those years.

I could probably use an external drive, but somehow that isn't appealing.

I'd be biting the bullet in sense I'd accept that I have to burn 25+
dvds. I'd use Nero to create straight data dvds. As each disk got burned
I'd take the corresponding files on the hard disk and either delete them
as I go or move them to some "done" folder in order to keep things
organized as I went along.

Depending upon need to access I'd also either keep them on hard disk or
move/copy them to an external drive also.

As an example, I have a HUGE mp3 collection. I keep three copies, one is
on dvd burned as capacity is reached while collecting the mp3 and two
externals each with exact copy of the mp3 also (we're talking 6 figure
number of mp3s).

 

[Ken Blake]

Thanks for the tips. To put it simply, I just want to collect all of
these photos on a DVD or similar media and put them all in my bank
vault. Just a precaution against some disaster at home.

If it were me, I'd buy an external hard drive (a 200GB external drive
is around $50 US) and use that. I think that's considerably safer than
DVDs, and easier to create.

 

[Ed Cryer]

I probably have 100-200G of photo images on my PC. I would like to put
them on DVD or some other device for backup purposes. A DVD hold about
5G. Is there some software that would automate this process? For
example, I start at the root, and let it rip. Each time it fills a DVD,
it would ask for the next one. This would be a one time shot. That is, I
would not meddle with the storage again, or add to it. Sub folders
represent years. If I wanted to do this again for say 2013-2015, I'd do
the same process on a new set of DVDs for those years.

I could probably use an external drive, but somehow that isn't appealing.

You've received a lot of help about storage media, but if I'm right you
have the additional problem of locating the images themselves. What you
need is some cataloguing program to scour your system and locate them all.

Just google for "image catalogue program". There are lots available for
free.

Ed

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

I probably have 100-200G of photo images on my PC. I would like to put
them on DVD or some other device for backup purposes. A DVD hold about
5G. Is there some software that would automate this process? For
example, I start at the root, and let it rip. Each time it fills a DVD,
it would ask for the next one. This would be a one time shot. That is, I
would not meddle with the storage again, or add to it. Sub folders
represent years. If I wanted to do this again for say 2013-2015, I'd do
the same process on a new set of DVDs for those years.

I could probably use an external drive, but somehow that isn't appealing.

Be aware that backup software often compresses the data.
If the data span disks and one goes bad then you lose all of them.
If you do use DVD then be sure to use gold disks, not silver.
Silver oxidizes.

 

[philo]

Thanks for the tips. To put it simply, I just want to collect all of
these photos on a DVD or similar media and put them all in my bank
vault. Just a precaution against some disaster at home.

Good idea!

 

[Char Jackson]

Thanks for the tips. To put it simply, I just want to collect all of
these photos on a DVD or similar media and put them all in my bank
vault. Just a precaution against some disaster at home.

I tip my hat to you. I'd venture to guess that not many of us have our own
bank vault.

 

[philo]

I tip my hat to you. I'd venture to guess that not many of us have our own
bank vault.

He probably means a safety deposit box.

I am pretty unlucky though, I have way too many gold ingots in mine to
have room for DVD's

 

[Ken Blake]

I tip my hat to you. I'd venture to guess that not many of us have our own
bank vault.

Assuming that he means a safety deposit box, I do, and I assume that
most of us do.

 

[Char Jackson]

He probably means a safety deposit box.

Probably. I was just having some fun.

I am pretty unlucky though, I have way too many gold ingots in mine to
have room for DVD's

I don't seem to have the same problem with gold ingots. Drat.

 

[Char Jackson]

Assuming that he means a safety deposit box, I do, and I assume that
most of us do.

I was ready to reply by saying that I don't know of anyone who rents a safe
deposit box, but two things came to mind:
1. I actually do know a lady who rents a box. I know because she and her
late husband stored their wills there, which is a major mistake.
2. It's not something most people bring up in casual conversation, so the
percentage could be higher than I expect. Still, I suppose the percentage of
US adults is around 5 or 10%, give or take.

 

[W. eWatson]

I tip my hat to you. I'd venture to guess that not many of us have our own
bank vault.

Amazing isn't it? I mean safe deposit box in a bank. Mine is 2' on a
side. Ho, ho.

 

[W. eWatson]

I'd much rather use an HDD because it is so much faster to write to and
you can add to it any time you take more photos. DVDs and CDs are a real
pain with compatibility (some drives won't read rewritable disks, some
require the disc to be finalised which prevents you adding to it in
future, some will read - but not + formats, etc).

For writing video (which you're not) there's the additional pain of
converting the MPG files to VOB format...

I do not expect to add to it. Just protecting as much as I can. It's
unlikely I would add anything to say the 2004 photo folder.

 

[W. eWatson]

I think I'd go this route:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152288

The 2.5" drive is small, holds 320GB of data, and would last a good long
time in a controlled environment like a bank vault. And would have the
added bonus of being easily searchable and reusable if you decided to
get rid of the old photos and add new.
If you're looking to do this often, you might even find the drives in
bulk for even less than $50.

No matter how one cuts this ultimately the photos will be unusable at
some point as technology moves forward. If not that, some catastrophe.

 

[John Williamson]

Amazing isn't it? I mean safe deposit box in a bank. Mine is 2' on a
side. Ho, ho.

Allowing room for fingers to get it out, that's about four tons of gold.
Is your nickname Croesus, by any chance?