What do i need to store my photos off my comp please?

lindseykim13

I stopped printing photos sometime ago as too pricey and no room for tons of albums! I have been saving them to the comp then my intention was to save/backup the photos to a disc? or something to keep in a drawer in case i want to print later etc and incase my comp goes kaput!
My problem is i don't know what i need at all do to this, i have only ever burned music cds. What sort of discs do i need?
Thanks in advance.

closed

blank cd or dvd

if you don't have the software to burn, you can use imgburn.

make a second/third copy, check they are readable, and also copy to usb hard disk/flash drive/web

leave the originals in place on the c drive, ie don't move the data.

you may wish to backup your computer, in case it does go kaput, using disk imaging software to external hard disk

savemoney

Copy them to a blank dvd using cd/dvd writing software you can get a free one like imgburn brilliant program


http://www.imgburn.com/

then click on write files/folders and drag folders on to the program and burn

I would also back up on to another dvd/usb or had drive as if photos are important worth having several backup

zzzLazyDaisy

I keep mine on a portable hard-drive so they are easy to access - just plug and play and it is simple to carry the portable hard-drive around with me. But I keep them backed up on an external hard-drive anyway, just in case of mishaps!

closed

does that mean you have 2 usb drives, each with a copy?

photo's are so small compared to the size of hard disks, the masters can usually be left on the c drive without causing any disk space problems.

santer_2

I used a DVD disc to store photos but found that as there were so many of them on the disc, it took ages to load, maybe because the anti virus was checking them.

Even if you put them on to a CDR Disc, if anything happened to it the loss is likely to be significant, so I would make a few copies of each disc used, store them in different places, or properties even, and load them now and again to check to check their integrity.

2010

An external hard drive or USB sticks.

moonrakerz

closed wrote: »

leave the originals in place on the c drive, ie don't move the data.

If the originals are all on your "c" drive - DO move them, to your "d" drive.

A major cause of PCs running slower and slower is where everything is stored on the "c" drive - along with the programmes.

pogofish

closed wrote: »

does that mean you have 2 usb drives, each with a copy?

photo's are so small compared to the size of hard disks, the masters can usually be left on the c drive without causing any disk space problems.

I take it you don't use RAW then?

Where photos are concerned, belt and braces is by far the best option.

I go from editing on one of my PCs to a NAS drive that gets a backup with duplicates on two external drives, whose discs get replaced, not wiped when full, plus a DVD copy of everything and then there is the online storage/hosting for final/publication versions too.

Oh, and after shooting, I try to keep my camera memory cards for at least a year before erasing them. Just in case.

Sooler

pogofish wrote: »

I take it you don't use RAW then?

Where photos are concerned, belt and braces is by far the best option.

I go from editing on one of my PCs to a NAS drive that gets a backup with duplicates on two external drives, whose discs get replaced, not wiped when full, plus a DVD copy of everything and then there is the online storage/hosting for final/publication versions too.

Oh, and after shooting, I try to keep my camera memory cards for at least a year before erasing them. Just in case.

Plus of course you need to keep physcical media backups at more than one location, no good keeping them all in your house - just in case your house goes up in smoke.:eek:

pogofish

True - I suppose the online storage is my fallback there, although that is mainly the proven stuff.

My DVDs are kept well apart from the hardware and the NAS drive is sited where I would be able to easily rip it out of the system if I had to make a fast exit.

My work stuff is backed-up on a secure tomb drive held and maintained with backups at a different site.