Backup softwares for image files

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/29/2005 09:32:09 AM · #1

What do you reccommend? i have bad filing system but would like to make backup of my image files on an external hddd.

I am looking for a software that is able to copy only updated files/changes. Is there such software?

03/29/2005 09:38:36 AM · #2

Snapfiles

This is a link to Syncback. Only program I use to backup everything. It is FREE. It makes a mirror image of your folders you select to copy. If something changes in one folder it will put it on the other drive in the same folder. You can also schedule it to back up at certain times. Very good program.

Message edited by author 2005-03-29 09:39:24.

03/29/2005 11:42:54 AM · #3

What OS/platform are you running?
All versuions of windows, and even DOS, has a backup utility 'built in'. It will back up via the 'archive bit' - a flag that is set when a file is copied/created/modified. once backed up the flag is reset and the file will not be backed up again unless it is modified. so after one 'big' backup, only the new files are backed up (called incremental backup).

you can in XP (and probably earilier verions of windows) choose only certain subdirectories, etc, to be backed up. it can be run manually or set to work automatically (as long as the computer is left on)

In XP, go to the Windows Help (on the Start Menu) and seach for BACKUP.

03/29/2005 12:38:50 PM · #4

I think that only WIndows XP Pro (vs. "Home") edition has the included back-up software. I tried a few programs that I was very disappointed with until I tried the BounceBack software that came with my Seagate external drive. It has worked great for me.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/29/2005 12:40:06 PM · #5

Originally posted by Kylie:

Have you tried the Syncback?

jemison

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

03/29/2005 12:47:23 PM · #6

For image files, I have been looking at Archive Creator. It is not freeware, but has some very interesting and useful features. It makes an html index which you can place at various places, including on each of a set of CDs or DVDs that it creates. It will span multiple disks, and you can open the html page and it will show thunbnails of all your archived photos on the set as well as link to the original and/or mid sized jpgs. It also will put each of the index files generated ove multiple backups into a Master Index on your hd (or other specified location) so that you can view all your thumbnails and be directed to the proper disk as well.

It seems very slick, and I think I will purchase it. It has a 15 day unlimited trial.

03/29/2005 12:48:03 PM · #7

Originally posted by rex07734:

Originally posted by Kylie:
I think that only WIndows XP Pro (vs. "Home") edition has the included back-up software. I tried a few programs that I was very disappointed with until I tried the BounceBack software that came with my Seagate external drive. It has worked great for me.

Have you tried the Syncback?

I am not sure if you meant to ask me or the person who posted the thread. For me, no I haven't.

03/29/2005 12:49:14 PM · #8

Originally posted by Kylie:

Originally posted by rex07734:

Originally posted by Kylie:
I think that only WIndows XP Pro (vs. "Home") edition has the included back-up software. I tried a few programs that I was very disappointed with until I tried the BounceBack software that came with my Seagate external drive. It has worked great for me.

Have you tried the Syncback?

I am not sure if you meant to ask me or the person who posted the thread. For me, no I haven't.

Meant to ask you. Try it. It think it is one of the best. And the price is great.

03/29/2005 01:01:41 PM · #9

Originally posted by rex07734:

Originally posted by Kylie:

Originally posted by rex07734:

Originally posted by Kylie:
I think that only WIndows XP Pro (vs. "Home") edition has the included back-up software. I tried a few programs that I was very disappointed with until I tried the BounceBack software that came with my Seagate external drive. It has worked great for me.

Have you tried the Syncback?

I am not sure if you meant to ask me or the person who posted the thread. For me, no I haven't.

Meant to ask you. Try it. It think it is one of the best. And the price is great.

I am hppy with my ability to back up right now, but I was interested in the feature of being able to see thumbs of all your archives that have been offloaded. The "Archive Creator" mentioned below does that and that would be great to have if it really works smoothly and easiy. (ACDSee promised that, but was a horror.) Does Syncback have that to your knowledge?

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

03/29/2005 01:09:40 PM · #10

No not that I know of.

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

03/29/2005 01:12:22 PM · #11

I'll be interested to follow this, as I am looking for something similar (W2000P OS)

Until now, I have been burning CD's when I remember (and wasn't often enough).
My recent hard drive partition demise left me with a mess. I had to run a file recovery software (2+ days to run it) process to find all jpegs and copy them to a new drive. Upside was that I recovered over 5,800 images. Downside was some were damaged and a number having the file size reported very wrong, (like a 160x120 thumbnail for the website being reported at 8+MB) and that all the original file names are gone, all being renamed file0001.jpg and so on, and there is no sorting order at all - 5,800+ images all tossed in the blender and came out wherever.

UGH! but with a hint of a smile anyway - wasn't a total loss!

03/29/2005 01:17:46 PM · #12

Brad, have you tried the syncback?

03/29/2005 01:24:07 PM · #13

Originally posted by Kylie:

I have been told you can use PS to make a contact sheet JPG and then use that one file as an index to a CD or other archive. I have not used PS for that...keep meaning to try it, but too busy.

i also have used Genie backup Manager v 3.0 (it was free) current is 5.0, and it works well and backs up your IE favourites and Outlook databases (my two most common uses) I used it to back up all my jpg files, mp3 files...just use the extension. //www.genie-soft.com/products/gbm/default.html

Message edited by author 2005-03-29 13:25:32.

03/29/2005 01:25:47 PM · #14

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

Originally posted by Kylie:

I am hppy with my ability to back up right now, but I was interested in the feature of being able to see thumbs of all your archives that have been offloaded. The "Archive Creator" mentioned below does that and that would be great to have if it really works smoothly and easiy. (ACDSee promised that, but was a horror.) Does Syncback have that to your knowledge?

I have been told you can use PS to make a contact sheet JPG and then use that one file as an index to a CD or other archive. I have not used PS for that...keep meaning to try it, but too busy.

i also have used Genie backup Manager v 3.0 (it was free) current is 5.0, and it works well and backs up your IE favourites and Outlook databases (my two most common uses) //www.genie-soft.com/products/gbm/default.html

So you create the "contact sheet", but not just for a printable record, but to acutally keep viewable on the drive as a reference of what is in what folders?

03/29/2005 01:36:04 PM · #15

Originally posted by Kylie:

So you create the "contact sheet", but not just for a printable record, but to acutally keep viewable on the drive as a reference of what is in what folders?

You made me do it! It looks like some action, in PS 7.0 it takes teh jpgh files in teh folder, does a free transform to the size you choose and calls teh image 'contactsheet'. I then saved it as a jpg (default is PSD). I pus an "a_" as the first character in teh filename so that this file is first in an alphabetic directory. I then had to save it as quality 5 to get a reasonable size for DPC. I think it chose a 300k file size, approx. I have no idea what it would do with a RAW file (PS CS might be OK with it).

Another PS option is to make a Web Gallery - it took a directory, with 2 subs, and made a web page w/ thumbnails and navigation of about 200 images, 360Mb originially and 14.5 mb end result. Viewable in any web browser. Kinda cool.

Message edited by author 2005-03-29 13:48:33.

03/29/2005 01:51:38 PM · #16

Web gallery looks like this - click on a thumbnail and a bigger pic shows up

03/29/2005 01:58:27 PM · #17

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

Web gallery looks like this - click on a thumbnail and a bigger pic shows up

Thanks! So, do you think this would be practical for archiving lots of images?

03/29/2005 02:15:53 PM · #18

Originally posted by Kylie:

Thanks! So, do you think this would be practical for archiving lots of images?

My thoughts on archiving (not that i've given it lots of thought...)
If you use CD or DVD, you need some way to find the file you want in the future - a)a way to physically look it up (a filing system) b)a way to see that image (saving JPG is no problem. Some backup software uses a proprietary file system..lose the program and noway to access the backup!)

I have heard of folks making contact sheet CD case liners.
I have thought of doing the contact sheet JPG or Web version - put them on each CD AND keep them on your HD - search the HD and when you find the pic you want, you can then go and grab the CD/DVD for the original or editied file.

What i lack is a way to look up the files...i know you can use EXIF or other meta data, but you have to enter it for each and every photo or at least by directory.

Say, i want to find Xmas images - easy, a december date works well. Same for most any other holiday. BUT if i want playground pics of my kids, or flower pics, or other general pics, i am SOL.

My Rebel makes it somewhat easier than my past cameras, as it will continously numebr the images, and every 100 makes a new subdirectory. I then save the pics on my HD by the month and year taken, and often name the subdirectory with the contents ("easter", or "kids at playground and denny's house"). The meta data certainly has benefits, but i will never have the time to back thru 7,000 photos now and view and enter that data!

03/29/2005 02:21:47 PM · #19

I want the impossible - I want a software that does it ALL and simply!! lol I just set up a new PC and am really trying to keep it clean and simple. I tend to "collect" photo software, which is just a time waster if you are using too many. I just purchased the new updated ThumbsPlus which you can use to do the kind of tagging you were talking about. I use the same "calendar" method as you to organize my pics, but it is getting harder now to easily find some when I need to. However, going back through all my photos and adding key words . . . . . yikes! I am also wary of it slowing down the process when you come home with a whole slew of new shots. I don't have a lot of time, and if I go back to naming and categorizing every last shot, that is less time to spend on editing, etc.

gwphoto

03/29/2005 02:44:42 PM · #20

It all depends on how much you want to do. I have ckecked out a bunch of them and I settled in iView Media Pro.

zerocusa

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/29/2005 09:30:50 PM · #21

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

I am using WinXP pro. I know what u mean using the backup function. I use Acronis True Image to back up my other files. The problem is the image files created can only be view with that software. No so useful for backing up images only.

zerocusa

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/29/2005 09:32:20 PM · #22

K,will give syncback and archive creator a try :)