Using DVDs

I have got to start backing up my HD and in addition to an external drive I thought I would use DVDs. I have never used DVDs and I have a simple question about writing to them. When I back up my photos to a DVD do I have to use a new DVD each time or can I just keep adding new pictures to a DVD until it is full?

Simple answer. It depends. If you're using an application that supports it, you can leave a DVD, like a CD, "open" for further writing until it's full. However this "open" DVD won't be readable by all devices that can read DVDs, only by those which are compatible with the application you use to write the files.

There are CDs and DVDs that are re-writeable - usually designated as DVD-RW or CD-RW. Which means you can burn additional information to the disk after the first burn. But as Jon mentions not all readers can read these "multi-session" disks. Also longevity is questionable with re-writable disks. Stick with single burn disks.

Johnny V wrote in post #4095063
Also longevity is questionable with re-writable disks. Stick with single burn disks.

for emphasis!

Yeah, what Johnny V said. and..

DVD's hold 4.7gb, CD's about 700mb. If you are backing up too frequently to fill a DVD then use CD's. Its about a 7:1 ratio in both time to burn and storage space. Going by current prices DVD's are about 2X the cost of CD if both bought in packs of 100, which means DVD's are 3.5X more efficient than CD if you fill them. I am currently burning DVD's using WinRar to create a file to exactly fill a 4.7gb DVD. Last backup run was Jun-Oct and filled 5 DVD's, entire photo archive now fits on a 50-disk spindle stored in a dark closet. I use DVD's as my tertiary backup, secondary is a hardrive on a backup pc. Looking into one of those terabyte network drives...waiting for price drop.

APG-Angus wrote in post #4096318
Last backup run was Jun-Oct and filled 5 DVD's, entire photo archive now fits on a 50-disk spindle stored in a dark closet. I use DVD's as my tertiary backup, secondary is a hardrive on a backup pc. .

Keep mothballs out of that closet!!! Benzene harms organic dyes.

Wilt wrote in post #4096386
Keep mothballs out of that closet!!! Benzene harms organic dyes.

Good advice, I have no moth balls in my entire house, this closet is all office products, other computer media, computer cables, manuals, etc.

APG-Angus wrote in post #4096453
Good advice, I have no moth balls in my entire house, this closet is all office products, other computer media, computer cables, manuals, etc.

PVC is used to make up the sheaths of some cables, and PVC is among the worst of the organic dye assailants!

Ever have a photocopy that stuck to a sheet protector? PVC attacking the ink. Attacks color prints, attacks other organic dyes.

Thanks for the information. I didn't realize a DVD could be either R or R/W like a CD. I think I will use CDs to back up and then when I have enough to fill a DVD I will transfer the pictures to a DVD. Then I can have backups on an external HD, CDs, and DVDs. Does that make sense or is there a better way?

Sparky98 wrote in post #4097048
Thanks for the information. I didn't realize a DVD could be either R or R/W like a CD. I think I will use CDs to back up and then when I have enough to fill a DVD I will transfer the pictures to a DVD. Then I can have backups on an external HD, CDs, and DVDs. Does that make sense or is there a better way?

That sounds great!

Just make sure you don't keep all your backups in one place as a fire or theft could occur wiping out all your images. Francis Ford Coppola backed-up files like crazy...unfortunately the backups were all in one place and everything was stolen.

http://news.bbc.co.uk …entertainment/7​019644.stm

http://blog.intego.com …ike-francis-ford-coppola/

You should also be careful that not all media are created equally. Just because the disc is cheap, doesn't mean it is a good deal. You may want to spend the extra money on quality media such as Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden and avoid the likes of Memorex. Some discs can start deteriorating after a few years. The "made in Japan" discs are usually of good quality.

Your burner will also impact the quality of your discs, and you should burn at slower speeds.

See the following on handling and caring for discs:

http://www.otrr.org …DCareandHandlin​gGuide.pdf

laidback71 hit the nail on the head! Verbatim and Taiyo Yuden are the most consistent in higher quality than most. Even if you have a 20x DVD burner burn at 8x or 12x for a higher quality burn.

Also visit http://club.cdfreaks.c​om/ forums. Lots of interesting info on media but also info on burners - which is just important as media in creating archival burns.

Here is the burner forum:

http://club.cdfreaks.c​om/forumdisplay.php?f=​61

I have a couple of LiteOn burners that are flashed with custom firmware to improve burns that are better than factory firmware could have done.

Here's the firmware page for Sony/LiteOn and Samsung burners.

http://codeguys.rpc1.o​rg/firmwares.html

Depending on how orginized you are, you might want to just consider an external drive (in addition to your other one). Then you could keep one off-site and just bring it when you want to back-up. I just saw one somewhere that was 500Gb for about $125. Just a thought.

Data backup (second copy for insurance against data loss) a CD or DVD is fine. For data archive (long time storage), only magnetic media has proven track record (50+ years)...the CD and DVD are theoretical lifetimes!

Sonic Record Now! will also tell you how many dvd discs you will need based on the amount of data that is selected to copy. All you have to do is drag and drop the files or folders to a list and the program calculates how much media you'll need, then it copies them when you're ready. This method is simple and really maximizes the discs.