Need More storage

Hey everyone, I need more storage,
I currently run
232gb SSD for windows
3TB HDD for all of my photos, videos and lightroom catalog
2TB HDD for other stuff, music, exported/edited photos etc

and then I use another 3TB external HDD to back up important stuff (it's 85% full)

What should I do, drive speed isn't a huge concern, more so reliability of storage

Options are install another internal HDD
3GB Seagate Baracuda internal HDD $160nzd
4GB Seagate Baracuda internal HDD $205nzd

or move my existing external HDD to the inside and get a 4TB external for back ups $239nzd

What are you thoughts?


note: I don't have more than $250 to spend

Might be time for some culling...

reliability of storage and not concerned about speed = NAS

Have a look at Synology, Qnap, or even WD NAS.

I'd agree with the above, go for a NAS. I have been 5 years using NAS, I wouldn't revert to not having one.

My operating system disks are typically 120GB, with only around 40GB used. You probably have a massive amount of junk on it. Clean it up, put your caches on it. If you have space you could consider putting catalogs on it too.

• Treesize Free run in admin mode will help find the space.
  
• Run "disk cleanup", that will help.
  
• You can change your restore point settings to use less disk : control panel -> system -> system protection then find the right setting and move the slider. You can delete old restore points
  
• Delete all the temp files, which tend to live in places like c:\users\username\appd​ata\local\temp
  

NAS might be outside of your budget at the moment, but I wonder about a more pressing issue that you do not seem at all to have addressed...
What happens to any of your data when the HDD that it is currently stored on decides to no longer allow access to the data stored on it?!

All of your data currently is dependent upon a single POINT OF FAILURE, and all will be lost when (not 'if', but 'when') that harddrive decides to fail.
Data redundancy and data backup (two different concepts) both help fend off data destruction.

There are RAID USB-connected harddrives, and there are NAS-connected harddrives which are RAID units, too. RAID 1 has data redundancy (which does not protect you in case of fire or flood striking your home)

First: Move your LR catalog to the SSD (speed!).

Then: I am not quite sure what you are asking, because it is not quite clear what you need. Do you need more backup or more HD working space? I am not quite sure how useful a 3 TB or even 4 TB drive is to backup more then 3 TB of data?

If you only have $250 to spend then get the largest HD this money can buy and go from there. I had very good experience with Western Digital - but can not comment on the Seagate.

Nevertheless, deleting data might be the only way to go, if 1 new drive is indeed your only option.

drmaxx wrote in post #18344646
First: Move your LR catalog to the SSD (speed!).

Have you tried it? I have - ran that way for two months, and found it made no noticeable difference to LR performance.

Unless the OP is a special case, I would agree that deleting useless stuff is the best solution.

Archibald wrote in post #18344667
Have you tried it? I have - ran that way for two months, and found it made no noticeable difference to LR performance.

Nope - never made a real competitive comparison. Just assumed that - but the more I think about it the more I agree that probably for most of the steps the catalog is probably not the bottleneck.

drmaxx wrote in post #18345003
Nope - never made a real competitive comparison. Just assumed that - but the more I think about it the more I agree that probably for most of the steps the catalog is probably not the bottleneck.

Of course the real bottleneck is the editing. But I had thought loading a photo would be quicker with the catalog on the SSD. But as I said, there was no discernible difference.

After a couple of months I moved the catalog back to my USB external hard drive, and wondered if I would then see a difference - thinking that we often don't notice fast, but would notice slow. But again, no noticeable difference.

cloud storage?

Heya,

If you need storage right now, just get a big fat hard drive. I think you can get an 8TB now that will hold you over a while.

But really, the above point about culling data and managing data is probably the best way to go in the long run. Instead of keeping everything, cull more frequently, and manage the space optimally. Don't buy a hard drive with the idea that it will last for years, they're not reliable, none of them are, they are good working tools when they're working, but don't consider a hard drive on its own to be long term storage, more just short term storage and working space.

Long term you probably would be wise to start planning towards a system where you cull data, and reduce your overall storage needs for the future, and start building towards a modular setup that can be accessed in several ways, like the mentioned N.A.S. setup, where you can drop in a drive, and keep expanding capacities to a point, without just having tons of disks to access and catalog.

Very best,