From YourSITE.com
Getting Your Bytes in a Row - Archiving Your Files to Exernal Media
By Shelleyrae Cusbert 2006
Jun 10, 2006, 03:01
Part 3 -Saving your Files to External Media.
Now that your files and folders are well organized it is vital that you don’t lose any of your precious memories or hard work. Backing up, or archiving, your work will preserve it should you ever experience a computer crash, a stolen hard drive or if in some other way your hard drive is rendered irreparable and information is irretrievable.
1) Choosing a storage media
Burning is the name given to copying information to media such as CD’s, because literally the information is burnt using a laser into the surface of the disc. The term is also used for copying to other media also.
a) CD – ROM
A CD-Rom can hold anything between 40MB and 900MB of data and the capability of storage is increasing. A CDROM allows you to save files to the disc a bit at a time by leaving the session open without overwriting the existing information or to create a disc at once by burning files to the disc and closing it so no more information can be written
to it. CD-Roms are considered stable media with an approximate life span of 70 years or more. There are many brands of CD-R’s available, some better than others. Recently there has also been CD’s that are said to be better suited to particular types of information e.g. data vs. mpg’s. Some investigation into CD-R brands or trial and error will determine your preference.
b) CD-RW
A CD – RW has the same storage capability of data of between 40Mb and 900MB however files can be overwritten many times though not indefinitely. CD-RW discs are more prone to corruption because of this ability as the disc surface is vulnerable to flaws caused by repeated burning. As the discs information can be overwritten, perhaps even
accidentally they are not an ideal media for archiving. CD-RW’s are a little more expensive and there are many brands available.
c) DVD
Newer computers have the ability to burn information to DVD’s. DVD’s have a larger storage capacity and are also considered a stable media. Blank DVD’s are relatively expensive but store up to around 4.7GB each making them ideal for large storage needs
d) ZIP DRIVES
Zip Drives are external devices that store information on diskettes called Zip disks. Essentially they are a format similar to the old 51/4 floppy discs, which had a limited capacity of 1.44MB, zip disks can store from around 100MB to about 250MB of data. Zip disks require the zip drive to read the information and as such is not easily shared
between systems.
2) Choosing a software program
Most computers with a CD writer come preloaded with some type of software. The most common are Adaptec and Nero though there are many other programs available. Any program designed for burning is appropriate. Choosing one is a preference for interface and ease of use. Investigate the options available by reading reviews and recommendations.
3) Deciding what to archive
Archive everything! As a general rule archive anything you cannot replace. All photographs in their original formats whether scan or digital, all layouts in their original formats and don’t forget your elements, fonts and graphics collections. Since your files are well organized it should be easy to select folders to copy and burn and keep the process organized. Knowing what is on what disc prevents making unnecessary multiple copies of files or leaving out files. To reduce the workload that would be required should you have to use backups or if at some later date the native format of layouts are no longer easily viewable, consider also archiving folders where you have saved layouts for example as jpg for sharing online or as a format such as .tiff which are fairly universal file formats.
4) Copies and storage
At least two copies of your burnt disc is prudent, one disc to be kept with you for situations as needed and one copy to be kept at another location for safety purposes. A fire at home could destroy your archive disc but if a copy is with another family member you can recover all those files. It is better practice to make two copies from the original burn rather than make a copy of a copy. Check the discs straight after the copy and if possible also check that the disc can be read on another computer. Periodically check the
disc to ensure it is working properly. Store the discs as directed by the manufacturer to ensure long life.
5) Frequency of archiving
While dependent on the amount of photographs you are taking or layouts you are creating you should archive regularly from any where to once a week to every three months or so. Setting a maximum time frame is good practice and tying it to an event such as the first day of a new season will help you remember to do so. It is also a good idea to archive after special events such as birthdays, weddings etc to ensure that this information is not lost.
Archiving your files is essential. You would regret the loss of your photographs or layouts should something occur.
***First published in TidBytes 2003***
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