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what is the best photo backup software that let's me use Dual-Layer DVDs?
- Thread starter ToddJ
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Even if you backup to DVD's, I'm wondering whether they can really be trusted over the long-term (by that, I mean 10 years or more).
I think a better solution would be to back up to hard drives. You might consider creating TWO backups (on two separate drives). This way, even if one of the drives goes bad, there is a good chance the _other one_ will remain working.
Rather than use separate enclosures for the drives, you could use something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=usb+sata+dock&x=0&y=0
Cheap and easy to use, and they come in handy for other jobs, as well.
Then get a couple of "bare drives" and the backup software of your choice.
I think a better solution would be to back up to hard drives. You might consider creating TWO backups (on two separate drives). This way, even if one of the drives goes bad, there is a good chance the _other one_ will remain working.
Rather than use separate enclosures for the drives, you could use something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=usb+sata+dock&x=0&y=0
Cheap and easy to use, and they come in handy for other jobs, as well.
Then get a couple of "bare drives" and the backup software of your choice.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
No doubt Picasa is one of the good source to save your image online. But personally & professionally speaking, I do not rely much on any such storage (except the clouds and all that are not affordable for me). I would suggest to use the hard drive for backup purpose and use any trusted backup softwares for this purpose. There are lot of software (for me I use Stellar Shield) present that can even schedule your backup process and the software handle all such matters.
I do use an external hard drive for backups (via Time Machine) but wanted to have a 'hard copy" backup on DVDs to put for safekeeping at another location (my folks' house.) Does anyone know of any software that will enable me to do this and would enable me to use the dual layered disks?
"I do use an external hard drive for backups (via Time Machine) but wanted to have a 'hard copy" backup on DVDs to put for safekeeping at another location (my folks' house.)"
Again, I'd suggest you go back and read my post #2.
If you had a "dock", you could do a "dupe" of your existing backup (CarbonCopyCloner would be perfect for that) onto a second "bare" drive, put the drive in a small storage box, and leave it at your parents' house.
You could periodically update the second backup, again by doing an "incremental backup" from your 1st backup drive.
If the photos are _really_ important to you, you could even create a third backup. Having a "docking station" makes swapping drives around like this _very_ quick and easy.
And one other recommendation:
DO NOT use Time Machine for your backups. Time and time and time again, I read postings here on MR.com from users who -- in a moment of extreme need -- have difficulty accessing TM backups, or cannot get to them at all.
Instead, use the free "CarbonCopyCloner" app to do your backups. They will be IMMEDIATELY mountable and accessible by ANY Mac, and the files on them will be stored in "plain ol' finder format". And if you use CCC to "clone" your primary drive, you will have a BOOTABLE backup -- you can't boot from a TM backup.
The docking stations I mention above are BOOTABLE with a cloned drive, as well.
Again, I'd suggest you go back and read my post #2.
If you had a "dock", you could do a "dupe" of your existing backup (CarbonCopyCloner would be perfect for that) onto a second "bare" drive, put the drive in a small storage box, and leave it at your parents' house.
You could periodically update the second backup, again by doing an "incremental backup" from your 1st backup drive.
If the photos are _really_ important to you, you could even create a third backup. Having a "docking station" makes swapping drives around like this _very_ quick and easy.
And one other recommendation:
DO NOT use Time Machine for your backups. Time and time and time again, I read postings here on MR.com from users who -- in a moment of extreme need -- have difficulty accessing TM backups, or cannot get to them at all.
Instead, use the free "CarbonCopyCloner" app to do your backups. They will be IMMEDIATELY mountable and accessible by ANY Mac, and the files on them will be stored in "plain ol' finder format". And if you use CCC to "clone" your primary drive, you will have a BOOTABLE backup -- you can't boot from a TM backup.
The docking stations I mention above are BOOTABLE with a cloned drive, as well.
I have a multi tiered back up plan, maybe over the top but here is what I do:
1) Time Machine, seems obvious.
2) HDD Clone using CCC, I clone both my boot and data drives and keep it off site from my house. I update it every month.
3) PhotoBucket, I put all my photos on PhotoBucket in macro albums, 2008, 2009, etc, I used to use MM gallery, but well Apple decided no one wanted that anymore.
4) DropBox, I back up my documents and a bunch of data settings to DropBox. I also have a little program that pulls the masters out of iPhoto and the Metadata and moves them to my DropBox photo gallery. This serves two purposes, first it gives me an easy album by album replication of my iPhoto pictures and gives me another online source for back ups. In reality I do not need the PhotoBucket option, but I already paid for it for two years, so I just use it. Now what I do is synch those pictures to DropBox and keep them local, why? Well because I have the space right now, and by doing so, TM will back up my DropBox photo folder, so if my iPhoto library poops the bed AND I cannot get to DropBox I still have the master pictures...I know redundant, but HDD space is so cheap, why not. I use DropBox for other things anyway so it seemed to be a why not option.
5) I have a NAS at home that I back up my iTunes and home movies to and use for home sharing to the family iPad and iPods.
I still would like to back up my iTunes library and home movie collection to DropBox, but the size of them is cost prohibitive when compared to my drive clones so they have to do for now.
1) Time Machine, seems obvious.
2) HDD Clone using CCC, I clone both my boot and data drives and keep it off site from my house. I update it every month.
3) PhotoBucket, I put all my photos on PhotoBucket in macro albums, 2008, 2009, etc, I used to use MM gallery, but well Apple decided no one wanted that anymore.
4) DropBox, I back up my documents and a bunch of data settings to DropBox. I also have a little program that pulls the masters out of iPhoto and the Metadata and moves them to my DropBox photo gallery. This serves two purposes, first it gives me an easy album by album replication of my iPhoto pictures and gives me another online source for back ups. In reality I do not need the PhotoBucket option, but I already paid for it for two years, so I just use it. Now what I do is synch those pictures to DropBox and keep them local, why? Well because I have the space right now, and by doing so, TM will back up my DropBox photo folder, so if my iPhoto library poops the bed AND I cannot get to DropBox I still have the master pictures...I know redundant, but HDD space is so cheap, why not. I use DropBox for other things anyway so it seemed to be a why not option.
5) I have a NAS at home that I back up my iTunes and home movies to and use for home sharing to the family iPad and iPods.
I still would like to back up my iTunes library and home movie collection to DropBox, but the size of them is cost prohibitive when compared to my drive clones so they have to do for now.
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