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Backup Process

Coreen

Coreen

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Oct 19, 2018
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Not sure what forum to post this question in, so I apologize if it seems out of place here. I have a question on how everyone goes about backing up photos, kits, etc.

Before I started in on digital scrapping, I used Carbonite to backup my laptop. All my photos are stored on it and then Carbonite is the only backup I have. Then, even before I started downloading digi supplies, I decided that I was tired of having ALL of those photos on my laptop because it takes up valuable space, so I purchased a Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro 4TB drive. I never got the wireless to work properly, so now it is just connected to my laptop at all times via USB. I have just verified that the drive is not in a format that is supported by Carbonite, so no backup will be done there. I have started the initial backup process now with Backblaze. It is taking quite some time, but I understand this is normal. My question is...how much is enough in regards to backing up?

I'd like to get the photos OFF my laptop and then keep them on the ehd and work from there. Same with digi supplies. If I have that backed up to Backblaze...is that enough? Would you guys be comfortable removing the photos from my laptop once I know that the Backblaze intial backup has finally completed successfully?

I've read bits and pieces of people having multiple ehds. So maybe I should also have one that is used as a backup of my main ehd. How does that backup process work? I just want to do what I can to be as safe as possible with my photos mainly, but that also enables me to get them off my laptop.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!
 
The more copies you have, the better. I use Backblaze as one backup. My other is SmugMug.

Good luck developing your routine!
 
Agree. The more copies you have the better.

Personally, I keep everything on my desktop. Very important stuff gets backed up to Backblaze. I also have a copy of my digi-scrapping directory (includes anything used for digi-scrapping) on another EHD. This is also the EHD that I will take with me if I go somewhere to scrap with my laptop. I keep nothing on the laptop drive. And, I have another EHD that is for backups/another copy of the very important stuff that gets backed up to Backblaze.

My desktop died after a power outage during a tornado warning on Memorial Day. Wouldn't turn on at all (8 years old also). I was able to connect my EHD to my laptop until I got a replacement desktop. I was able to download bits and pieces from Backblaze as well since I was looking for something specific. That is when I realized that Backblaze had stopped backing up 3 days before the computer died and the EHD backup had quit working in April.

But I had updated the EHD copy in early May so I at least had that. Between the 2 EHD's and Backblaze, I was able to get everything back and loaded on the new desktop.

I also had a computer tech try to hook the drive from my desktop up as a EHD to copy stuff over. It was encrypted. He could crack it but it would take several days. I still have it in case I do find out I am missing something.

So in my opinion, there is no option of too many backups.

Edited since I reread your post and wanted to make another comment. Have you copied everything to your EHD yet or is it just on your laptop? What exactly are you having Backblaze backup... laptop or laptop and EHD. Because once Backblaze finishes your initial backup and you delete the stuff from your laptop, the Backblaze backup will delete that stuff from your backup with them after 30 days. IMO, you need to copy everything to the EHD and let Backblaze backup both the laptop and EHD (yes it will take a long time). Then when you delete the items from your laptop, you still have them backed up on Backblaze's EHD backup. I speak from experience here. It is worth it to have the stuff 2 places and back them both up with Backblaze.
 
I back up all my photos and about half my digi supplies from my desktop to my laptop. I also have Carbonite back up my desktop. Then i keep older digi supplies and ct supplies on an ehd. I don’t really trust my ehds as I had two fail last year within a month of each other.
 
I have my photos on one EHD and my digital supplies on another. Both are backed up to Backblaze. I don't have an EHD that I've dedicated to a backup (yet). I hope to get another EHD for Christmas.

I did have an EHD that croaked, and I had to use Backblaze to get my files sent to me on a portable drive. It was a nerve wracking few days while I waited for Backblaze to put the files on the drive and then for it to be mailed, and it was so nice to have it arrive with all my files in exactly the same order as I have them on my computer.

I have had to restore files and/or folders from time to time, and the zip download for that process through Backblaze is easy and I haven't had any issues.
 
I keep ALL my pictures and digi supplies on my main EHD. I don't want to clutter on my computer and also then it's mobile and easy to use on any computer. I don't have an online backup system, so I use an extra EHD which I keep at work (offsite) and I use SyncToy to backup to that extra EHD at least once a week. That means I have to remember to do it, so that is a flaw in my system, but it's such a habit for me that it's rare that I ever forget. Just something to consider for yourself.

The other backup I have for my pictures is Google photos. It's free and automatically backs up all pictures on my phone when I'm in wi-fi. That won't do your digi supplies, but I'm okay with that personally. So if you use BackBlaze and Google photos, I would be perfectly comfortable moving your pictures off your laptop and onto a backed up EHD.
 
I like the 3-2-1 Rule. BackBlaze, which is where that link takes you, says "A 3-2-1 strategy means having at least 3 total copies of your data, 2 of which are local but on different mediums (read: devices), and at least 1 copy offsite."

I have BB, which backs up both my laptop and one of my EHDs; and I back up my photos to Amazon Photos (free with Prime); plus I have 4 local EHDs and 2 "off site" at my parents' home.
 
as always, you guys are a wealth of information! i've always wondered with things like google photos, smugmug, amazon photos, shutterfly, etc....when i upload my photos there for backup, is it uploading the original resolution of the photos and the same if i have to download from there to get them back? i just always thought that each time i uploaded and then downloaded to one of those sites...i was losing quality. i may be dreaming that though. lol
 
I use backblaze for an entire system backup. I use google photos & amazon photos (no videos) and I believe google photos does limit the size but I'm not positive. I also have photos & digisupplies on an EHD & keep very little on my desktop hard drive. I don't worry about the size on google or amazon, since I do still have 2 copies of the full size resolution. HOpe that helps! :)
 
I used to rely on the Windows backup which went to one of my EHD (I have four.) But then about a year ago, I wanted to validate something and realized that a good percentage of the new product wasn't going into the backup. I think it depended on folders. If it was an old, established folder, new items weren't being written to it. But on newer folders, all was okay. I panicked, immediately bought Backblaze based on so many of the recommendations here. My first goal was to backup my laptop, possibly one other EHD, can't remember... But I do remember that it took close to 45 days with my laptop connected to the internet 100% of the time.

I've since added 2 more EHD to Backblaze, and I have been monitoring it closely. Adding those two additional EHDs didn't take that long, maybe a few days? Just recently, I wiped out my largest EHD that was doing the worthless Windows backup and copied over my digital scrapbooking layouts that I had duplicated on 2 other EHDs. I then added that EHD to Backblaze. Once that was done and validated which took less than a day, I deleted them off of one of the EHDs that was running out of room. Backblaze is the best!
 
okay, i think i've figured out my plan of attack, ha!

i have all photos and digi supplies on my ehd. this drive (along with my laptop) is backed up to backblaze. the initial backup has finally finished and it's now set to backup continuously (as recommended). i will also upload all of my photos and completed layouts to amazon photos. once this is done, i will feel comfortable removing the photos from my laptop. i will also plan to purchase another ehd which can be another backup for photos, layouts and digi supplies (are at least the zip files maybe). i will start keeping this ehd at my parent's home or somewhere offsite.

thanks again for everyone's input! feel free to point out any flaws you might see in my plan.
 
Sounds good.

I like Backblaze but I have found an issue with them... at least for me. Just something to keep in mind if you happen to notice intermittent drops in internet connection.

I can no longer use the continuously backup option on Backblaze. I started having problems a year ago with my internet dropping intermittently. I had my internet company out multiple times. First step was a new modem from them (although their testing showed nothing wrong with the one I had). Still had problems so I bought a new wifi router since mine was old. The guy from the internet company actually hooked it up for me since I had called for another service call. He also check the lines coming into the house and could not find anything wrong at all. At this time, they also put a new service plan into effect where I could bundle my internet/cable service so I upped my speed thinking that might help. I still had problems with internet disconnecting intermittently.

I had a very old computer so I thought that might be the problem. On Memorial Day we had a power outage during a tornado warning and the computer would no longer turn on. So when I got my new one, I had no dropping of the internet connection.... until I set up Backblaze on the computer. I have searched the internet to find a solution as to why this is happening and trying all fixes mentioned. The only thing I have found that works is for me to run the backup when I am not using the computer (aka overnight). So my initial backup took a long time. I had it scheduled for 7 hours each night.

This is one reason that I have the other backups as well because my Backblaze backup may not be up to date if I have a problem. My EHD backup is set for 3 nights a week.
 
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