Backup your Lightroom Libraries!!!

I don't use the lightroom library thingy, I import from current location, much safe if things go bottoms up.

mcmadkat wrote in post #3304941
I don't use the lightroom library thingy, I import from current location, much safe if things go bottoms up.

Well, I could be wrong.. but I think that database is where all the changes made to the images are saved...

Do yourself a favor...Use Acronis True Image and schedule the creation of a complete disk image of your harddrive every night (no user intervention required) on a cheap $50 USB external drive. Create Acronis Secure Zone on the external harddrive which can only be accessed by Acronis. At boot you have the choice to reimage the harddrive from the Secure Zone or an Acronis boot disk you can create ahead of time. You don't have to worry what to back up...everythings covered! You can configure it to send an email upon the creation of a successful image after each backup. Great application...

Bakewell wrote in post #3305004
Do yourself a favor...Use Acronis True Image and schedule the creation of a complete disk image of your harddrive every night (no user intervention required) on a cheap $50 USB external drive. Create Acronis Secure Zone on the external harddrive which can only be accessed by Acronis. At boot you have the choice to reimage the harddrive from the Secure Zone or an Acronis boot disk you can create ahead of time. You don't have to worry what to back up...everythings covered! You can configure it to send an email upon the creation of a successful image after each backup. Great application...

Yeah I just made an image of my C:\ and saved to a internal SATA drive strictly for backups.

I am forever extolling the virtues of Acronis True Image and have been using it for several years (since back when they used to give it away free!) and I can honestly say that it has saved my life on more than one occasion.

Be aware that if you are using SATA II disks, you will need the latest version of True Image to be able to restore a "disk image" to them (earlier versions just don't recognise the disk as a target to restore to).

It's a fabulous product (well I would say that as I'm still living!) and they are great people to deal with if you happen to have any problems.

TJ

mcmadkat wrote in post #3304941
I don't use the lightroom library thingy, I import from current location, much safe if things go bottoms up.

Uuummmm, yes you are. When you Import files from their current location what do you think you are importing the files to? Duh, it is the Lightroom Library. All of your changes are stored here unless you Auto write to XMP. In this case the changes are written to the files directly (Jpeg and DNG) or to sidecar files (RAW).

Bakewell wrote in post #3305004
Do yourself a favor...Use Acronis True Image and schedule the creation of a complete disk image of your harddrive every night (no user intervention required) on a cheap $50 USB external drive. Create Acronis Secure Zone on the external harddrive which can only be accessed by Acronis. At boot you have the choice to reimage the harddrive from the Secure Zone or an Acronis boot disk you can create ahead of time. You don't have to worry what to back up...everythings covered! You can configure it to send an email upon the creation of a successful image after each backup. Great application...

I have True Image if you were refering to me. However I prefer to only use a disk image of the OS and like to see my files mirrored for my Data and Photos drives. This way I can only restore one Folder if I need to.

In2Photos wrote in post #3306447
I have True Image if you were refering to me. However I prefer to only use a disk image of the OS and like to see my files mirrored for my Data and Photos drives. This way I can only restore one Folder if I need to.

That'll work...However, when you create an image of the entire disk you have the option restoring the disk OR individual files and folders to the original or a new location.

I keep several redundant backups off site of all my data. My question is that I can't find the setting in lightroom for automatic backup of the database? Is this only available in Mac?

Edit, Preferences, General Tab - 'Automatically back-up library' - On the PC it is anyway...

Bakewell wrote in post #3307056
That'll work...However, when you create an image of the entire disk you have the option restoring the disk OR individual files and folders to the original or a new location.

I figured that, just not familiar enough with the program yet.

Bakewell wrote in post #3307056
That'll work...However, when you create an image of the entire disk you have the option restoring the disk OR individual files and folders to the original or a new location.

... except that, unless you have made changes and installed further applications or made changes to your OS, it's not really necessary to do a "full" backup every-time. In this scenario it's best to do a sequential backup, where only the changes are backed-up and "appended" to the original Acronis image.

As far as data is concerned, that may as well be handled in its own image, then select the files you need, when/if you need them.

TJ