Just Got an External Hard Drive!

[Jill]

OK... I was tired of constantly having to worry about filling up my hard drive so I bought an external (Seagate 160g).

For those who have transferred their photos to their external, would you please give me advise how to handle?? I am using the organizer...I've got my images tagged, etc. Anything to watch out for, that type thing.

Thank You!!

[Wendy]

Hi Jill ...

... So pleased that you have bought one .. they are so good.!

Hopefully one of the Windows users will be able to help with moving the files :)

Wendy

[jwhitten]

Hi Jill,

I'll start by saying that I hate the organiser. :)

You will do well to back up the originals of your images without any association to the organiser or any other imaging software on your pc.

Create a folder structure that makes is easy to identify your images. I have a top level folder called PhotoArchives, then I branch off from there giving the folders names that conform to the date and content of the images.

The idea of a back up drive is to protect your images. To that end, back them up without any tags from programs you are using.

But, since I am not an organiser fan, you may not find my advice what you are looking for. :)

Joe

[Jill]

Thanks for the replys so far!!

Now, this prompted me to ask... Can't I have my "working" pictures on the external drive?? I had in mind for this external to act like a 2nd drive plus a backup.

I hope I have not confused the issue.

Thanks, again.

[troush]

Well, Jill, that depends on how often you expect lightning to strike your house :) ...

Sort of just kidding.

I use my external for strickly backups. It is Unplugged from the wall (power) and the computerand only plugged in while I am doing backups and no storms in the area (Denver is famous for great electrical storms). If lightning strikes your house and goes into your electrical system and fries your computer and your external is plugged in, it will probably fry the external as well. (The other reason for leaving it unplugged is if the house catches fire or floods you can grab it quickly and exit.)

You can partition your external hard drive (have a x: and y: for example) and put your photos on x: and your backups on y:. Don't ask me how, but I'm pretty sure it's possible.

People who are very serious about backups have 2 (or more) external drives (or lots of CDs/DVD) that they back up to and rotate off site (somewhere else, like work or a friends house or...). I've been thinking about backing up to DVD's to keep in the Safety deposit box... But for now, just backing up.

-Trish

[BettyC]

I've had a Maxtor external hard drive for almost a year now and love it! I use mine like Trish does and it's only hooked up when I'm using it. Otherwise, it's unplugged and its USB cable is unhooked from the computer also. It's just been great!

I don't use the Organizer, but transfer pic folders from My Pictures and then put a representative pic on the outside of the folder by doing the right-click on it and choosing Properties and then Customize and then choose a picture that will remind me of the contents of that folder. Rather simplistic system, but it works for me and that's what counts, I guess.

I see that Trish will grab her external hard drive in case of flood or fire. I'll grab mine and run in case of earthquake!

Betty

[troush]

Betty,

Mostly just Fires and Tornados. Where I live, the risk of flooding is relatively low, although there are 3 reserviors within 10 miles, and a creek near-by. The thunderstorms in the spring and summer here are quite severe - we even stayed in the basement one time last spring for about 45 minutes. We take those rotating thunderheads pretty seriously.

-Trish