transferring 10GB+ over network... 8xDVD in PB?

cb911 said:

well i've got a heap of stuff to backup to my PC over the home network... heaps of vital files. i'm just wondering... for improved data stability (less corruption) should i just transfer the files as folders? or is it better to 'archive' (stuffit, zip, tar, etc) the folders? if i 'archive' the folders will that be better in the long run for not corrupting my files?

i was always planning to transfer data over to the PC, but now i'm transferring even more data because i don't think my DVD-RWs are working anymore... i put them in Toast and then erased (Quick-erase) them, then went to burn the disk and it game me the option for 8x DVD?? 😕 i've only got a PowerBook, i thought they were 1x DVD burn?

well i might have clicked with it set to 'best' as the burn speed... could i just have stuffed my drive? 🙁

well i tried putting in another DVD-RW and i erased it, then tried to burn the same stuff, only on 1x DVD, but it wouldn't burn? a re-boot might fix it, but i couldn't have wrecked my burner could i?

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I have a feeling you're worrying too much about the data being corrupted in transfer between one machine and another. IMHO, I dislike most archive files unless you include a 'dictionary' of sorts for recovery if the file gets corrupted sometime in the future. Personally, the best way I like to backup is one of two ways:

1. Create a mini uncompressed disk image, mount, and format it as ext3 or another file system (whatever mac uses is fine). Move all the files into it, then send that file to another computer.
2. Simply create a directory called 'backup" on your other machine and send it over the network (easiest).

The reason why I am somewhat against compressed archive files is because if part of the file gets messed up in any way - you lose all the information. By saving it uncompressed and unpackaged, you will lose less in the long run (unless you overwrite the directory, I'm just thinking of more 'natural' things that can occur in this process).

As far as CD or HD as being a better archive source - that's all up to you really. I have some stuff on my computer backed up to a dedicated storage drive, where all its job is to do is to sit there with important data on it. With obvious lack of use, this drive lasts quite some time. A safer method is to copy stuff to a DVD. If doing the DVD method, you may wish to split your information into two groups. The first group, information you no longer access, modify, and rarely read - and the second group is data you change quite often. The first set of data should go to a DVD rather than a hard drive, and if you're really worried about your information - move it out of your home, bring it to a bank deposit box. They aren't too expensive, and will keep your data fairly safe. The second group, store on another hard drive. once information in that pile become 'none used', then repeat what I said before (split again, copy half to a DVD, bring to safe deposit box).

Some of this may seem extreme, but having two locations for data is much better than one. If data ever gets lost due to fire or something, then your information is safe in the other location. Another option for this is a small external hard drive (ipod anyone?) Copy your information to it, store in a safe deposit box, take out once a month or so to modify the archive as needed, bring it back.

Good luck in your data issues 🙂

cb911 said:

thanks TDT.

i guess i am nervous about transferring so much data. i've backed up 300-600MB over the network without problems before, but there's a bit more on the line now that it's 10GB, mostly of work from college.

but i'll have it on the PC, and burn some DVDs as well...(if i ever get my burner working again 🙄 well i'm still hopeful in the re-boot)

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I know how you feel about lots of information with college and stuff. I've been just burning stuff I don't use to DVD....I think I'll need to do that with all past courses, and burn a new semester every end-of-semester to the DVD. There is a problem, though, with multi-session spanning in the 10s-20s that I've seen...so it may be best to write one session, then every semester copy all the data to the HD, and erase the DVD (DVDRW), then reburn everything, again.

its hfs+, not ext3. i thought ext3 was linux only

btw, the disk image idea was a good one. You know, if you dont want to make a 10gb disk image you can always create a folder and dump everything in there. Even with unsupported characters you shouldnt have that major of a problem. But ti would be nice if you just got an external drive and moved all the stuff over..

TDT said:

1. Create a mini uncompressed disk image, mount, and format it as ext3 or another file system (whatever mac uses is fine). Move all the files into it, then send that file to another computer.

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🙂 he/she mentioned ext3 😀

übergeek said:

🙂 he/she mentioned ext3 😀

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Yeah, I simply wasn't sure which it was. My mistake, hpfs or whatever ubergeek said should work 🙂

cb911 said:

well i found out what was messing up my DVD burning... which is the whole reason i was only going to use the network backup method - because i couldn't get a DVD to burn. 🙄

well apparently i didn't have the correct permissions to burn one item, and whenever it had already started to burn it always stopped, but then i couldn't erase the DVD properly, and it showed up as a 8x DVD-RW in Toast. so i had to reboot then the DVD burn okay.

but now i've got a verification failure.

it said something like 'these bytes in this sector dont' match these over here'.

is that going to be bad? should i reburn that stuff, or is it okay, minor enough that i dont' have to worry about it?

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I would say this more matters how you backed up your hard drive. if you backed it up as all one big file, then burned...then almost guaranteed you will have problems later. On the other hand, if you burned your files 'loose', then you may only have problems with one file.

To check all this, maybe you want to go through the DVD, and open things at random. Open one here here, another thing there, make sure you can still open it 🙂

Good luck