Best Method for Photos Backup

[Klaatu63]

What is the recommended method for creating an off-site physical backup of my Photos library? In the old iPhotos day I would simply backup the entire iPhotos library. Now in Photos I am having trouble locating the single Photos library. My library size was 38 Gb my Photos library show 2 Gb. But Photos has all my pictures?

A simple export feature would be appreciated.

 

[MCAsan]

I don't backup my photos separately. To me they are no more or less important that my documents, movies, music,...etc. I use Time Machine to do backups to a 6TB LaCie d2. You could use two of any type of external drive and weekly rotate one of the drives to an offsite location such as a bank lock box. You might also want to consider online backups with Crashplan or other services.

 

[Klaatu63]

I don't backup my photos separately. To me they are no more or less important that my documents, movies, music,...etc. I use Time Machine to do backups to a 6TB LaCie d2. You could use two of any type of external drive and weekly rotate one of the drives to an offsite location such as a bank lock box. You might also want to consider online backups with Crashplan or other services.

You probably right. I think I will purchase another larger drive and use my existing Carbon Copy Cloner software to create another physical backup. I not a big fan nor trust the Time Machine application.

 

[maflynn]

I use a combination of TimeMachine and Carbon Copy Cloner. Both backup solutions have their advantages and disadvantages. I like both to give me a fully developed backup solution, TM offers near instant, file/folder recovery and CCC offers an easy full system restore.

 

[Weaselboy]

My library size was 38 Gb my Photos library show 2 Gb. But Photos has all my pictures?

Something is not right here. Your iPhoto library is 38GB and you imported that into Photos and now the Photos library is only 2GB??

How do you have this box checked in Photos prefs? If it is unchecked and you import photos to Photos, then photos are not actually in the Photos library but only referenced (pointed to) from there.

So if you backup the Photos library the photos are not actually inside that library like you might think and they are not getting backed up.

 

[Weaselboy]

I use a combination of TimeMachine and Carbon Copy Cloner. Both backup solutions have their advantages and disadvantages. I like both to give me a fully developed backup solution, TM offers near instant, file/folder recovery and CCC offers an easy full system restore.

Same here. In addition I backup online using Arq backed up to Amazon's S3 servers.

 

[26139]

I moved my Photos Library to DropBox.

Every time I open it up, DropBox syncs the changes.

I have my DropBox account linked to my Mini here at home and my parent's computer a few hours away, so unless an earthquake takes out the entire west coast (not all THAT unlikely) AND manages to destroy Amazon's S3 system, I'm good.

 

[maflynn]

I moved my Photos Library to DropBox.

The only thing about dropbox is the price is rather high compared to other cloud providers. I agree it offers a number of advantages but for me, I'd rather not pay the price.

 

[26139]

The only thing about dropbox is the price is rather high compared to other cloud providers. I agree it offers a number of advantages but for me, I'd rather not pay the price.

You don't want to pay $8-ish monthly to back up irreplaceable images?

 

[maflynn]

You don't want to pay $8-ish monthly to back up irreplaceable images?

No, why should I pay when I already back them up on my own equipment. Plus I have my images across external drives, not just my internal disk.

 

[26139]

No, why should I pay when I already back them up on my own equipment. Plus I have my images across external drives, not just my internal disk.

Off-site backup?

First Dropbox is too expensive, and now anything is too pricey?

The OP was asking for an off-site, physical backup. My method does that, with little user intervention.

 

[maflynn]

Off-site backup?

First Dropbox is too expensive, and now anything is too pricey?

The OP was asking for an off-site, physical backup. My method does that, with little user intervention.

Good you did, and I offered my opinion.

I have my backup solution as well and it has little user intervention. I choose not to pay another company any money on something that I can easily do myself.

 

[26139]

Good you did, and I offered my opinion.

I have my backup solution as well and it has little user intervention. I choose not to pay another company any money on something that I can easily do myself.

Good for you, but I'm assuming that someone coming to a forum to ask about backup solutions probably doesn't want to learn how to do it for themselves or doesn't have the time.

Hey, maybe instead of critiquing my suggestion, you could offer the OP an alternative?