Have a Backup Plan. Regardless of platform

[Shan]

Originally Posted by gtomassetti

But I have a question for Shan: Can you explain the thinking behind your sequential W8 partition scheme?

Thanks,

Gary

Different states get used for different situations. If I wanted to create a new partition just for Internet related stuff, I could use the 3rd image. When a new version of PT comes out with a full installer, I always use the 5th image and do a fresh install of PT(no update). If adding new programs or plug-ins make the system unstable, I'd just do a restore using image 8 to get back to normal and move along. Perhaps I want to try a new DAW out, I'd probably put image 3 on a new partition(or drive) and give it a clean slate.

I can pick and choose any state when it comes to making a separate cloned drive, in case the system cant boot. If I need to do a complete re-install of OSX or Windows, I have image 1 that can be done in minutes instead of over an hour via the OSX/Windows way.

Since I test out a lot of new software in various alpha/beta states and do some amateur developing, a system can really act up. Uninstalling software doesn't always get rid of everything and revert changes to the system, hence I'll go back to an image before the mess. Not everything works nice side by side with PT, so I'll keep them separated. My Graphics/Video programs have an image and partition without PT for example. If I get a new computer or update some major components, I have various states I can use to get up and running quickly.

I use the exact same procedure on my Mac Pro which has two OSX partitons, two Windows partitions, and a separate drive full of images. My personal choice in OSX is Disk Utility. The above are a few examples of how I use images.

Besides just images though, I also recommend people use partitions and separate cloned drives of there system. If for some odd reason you cant boot, just boot into another partition. If that doesn't work, drop in your cloned drive and get back to work. you'll have zero downtime.

A few here who know me personally can attest that I'm the master of hosing my system from trying to trail blaze with obscure ideas that don't always work. That alone makes me thank the computing world for disk imaging, partitions and separate cloned drives.

I'm sure others will chime in with how they use their images, partitons and separate cloned drives. If you have other ideas for their use, definitely post them. One idea breeds another.

Shane

[gtomassetti]

Ah, I understand now. You obviously believe in belt, and suspenders, and duct tape, and Velcro…

I do too, and some people might roll their eyes, but my pants have never fallen off…

I have always said, and I try to impress this on my students, you can never have too many backups, or bootable system drives, or too much RAM.

(I'll be curious to see what PT 11 is like, with the 20 GB I have.)

I'll tell you this, back in December, when my 10.3.3 update went loco in my MBP (Here's the link), I was able to use my USB hybrid drive as the boot disk, and as soon as I ensured that PT launched correctly on that drive, I cloned it back to the SSD with CCC and was up and running.

And THAT'S why I always have backups!

Of course, I do have one horror story from many years ago, when I was using an Ensoniq sequencer and I somehow managed to reinitialize the keyboard to the way it was when it came out of the box, and saved THAT state to the floppy. Lost about 8 hours of work, and subsequently went to the local bar and drank large amounts of Stoli.

But even in that case, I had a backup floppy, so I only lost one day's work, not several months' work…

Cheers,

Gary

[Shan]

Originally Posted by gtomassetti

Of course, I do have one horror story from many years ago...

I think we all have that one horror story that finally gets one on the image/backup/partition bandwagon.

I still have all my 3.5" backups from my Ensoniq EPS days all in storage somewhere.

Shane

[gtomassetti]

Originally Posted by Shan

I still have all my 3.5" backups from my Ensoniq EPS days all in storage somewhere.

Another Ensoniq user! Awesome!

I started with the ESQ-1, moved to the SQ-80, then the VFX-SD, then the SD-1, and finally the TS-12, which — 20 freaking years later — STILL lives in my studio as my primary note-entry device for Finale and whatever VI's I'm using at the moment.

When I upgraded from the VFX to the SD, I actually drove the keyboard to the Ensoniq factory in Malvern, PA (about a 4-hour drive) and had the MB replaced. Joe Paschall, one of their main gurus, gave me a guided tour of the plant. It was pretty cool.

And yes, I still have my floppies (as well as the sample libraries) lying around, too!

[Shan]

Originally Posted by gtomassetti

I started with the ESQ-1, moved to the SQ-80, then the VFX-SD, then the SD-1, and finally the TS-12...

All good stuff. It was a fun hardware era. My old EPS finally died at the end of a tour. It now resides in it's original shipping box taking up space. I cant completely part with it just yet.

Shane

[sunburst79]

My storage nightmare goes something like this. I had a pair of WD drives that went back to WD on a RMA. They had my images. i figure i should be OK for a week without right? So I'm running Acronis making a backup from my system drive to a spare drive I found after the other drives left. For reasons that evade me I had the drive outside the case with the power and data cables connected. I'm sitting there watching Acronis's progress and out if the corner of my eye I notice a orange semiconductor on the drives circuit board. This strikes as somewhat odd since I don't remember a orange component. As I grab the drive to take a closer look one of the semiconductors bursts into flame while I had the drive in my hand. They have a fantastic 3D glow as they burn from the inside out. Needless to say I now have more backups.and spare drives. Kinda freaky to lose your drive and see it go up in your hand.

My point in the thread was to hopefully stimulate people review what they are backing up and how they go about.

[Shan]

Originally Posted by sunburst79

My storage nightmare goes something like this...

I plugged a firewire drive into my brand new dual CPU Tyan motherboard. Booted up the computer...and that was the end of the drive right there. Tyan incorrectly labelled the firewire pins on their motherboard. They had to answer for that one(and did)!! Unfortunately, I was working on a very large production for a major. The last time the song was backed up was a few weeks prior. There were many all nighters(and a lot of Red Bull) that ensued afterwards to meet the deadline. I even hired engineer guru kris75 from the DUC to clock some hours with me(and many DUCers offered to help via online). That was probably the start of my backup paranoia.

Even as far back as 2 months ago I plugged in a backup drive of a project that was stored away for about 2 years. The result was smoke coming from the drive and it was hosed right there. All drives will fail eventually. Backup your backups!

Originally Posted by sunburst79

...As I grab the drive to take a closer look one of the semiconductors bursts into flame while I had the drive in my hand. They have a fantastic 3D glow as they burn from the inside out...

Nothing like having a custom fireworks show in the palm of your hand...with some colorful real-time language added for sound effects.

Shane

[sunburst79]

Originally Posted by Shan

I plugged a firewire drive into my brand new dual CPU Tyan motherboard. Booted up the computer...and that was the end of the drive right there. Tyan incorrectly labelled the firewire pins on their motherboard. They had to answer for that one(and did)!! Unfortunately, I was working on a very large production for a major. The last time the song was backed up was a few weeks prior. There were many all nighters(and a lot of Red Bull) that ensued afterwards to meet the deadline. I even hired engineer guru kris75 from the DUC to clock some hours with me(and many DUCers offered to help via online). That was probably the start of my backup paranoia.

Even as far back as 2 months ago I plugged in a backup drive of a project that was stored away for about 2 years. The result was smoke coming from the drive and it was hosed right there. All drives will fail eventually. Backup your backups!



Nothing like having a custom fireworks show in the palm of your hand...with some colorful real-time language added for sound effects.

Shane

There is a certain sense of amazement that comes from realizing "Hey that glow is coming from inside the chip! I've never seen that before," luckily never again either.

Don't assume your backups are safe. Or that nothing can happen to your existing drive. I'm only slightly paranoid. The whole windows home server thing is a great way to stream media and store files. If you have a router and more than one PC its a great way to retask a old desktop full of older slow drives.
.

[EGS]

Another backup story. Running Sonic Solutions (yuk) doing a corporate-industrial VO session (probably 1992-ish). No session backup, data got hosed, had to re-book VO talent and wipe egg off face. To this day, I'm nutzy about session backups, drive images, etc.

[EGS]

Originally Posted by gtomassetti

Another Ensoniq user! Awesome!

I started with the ESQ-1, moved to the SQ-80, then the VFX-SD, then the SD-1, and finally the TS-12, which — 20 freaking years later — STILL lives in my studio as my primary note-entry device for Finale and whatever VI's I'm using at the moment.

When I upgraded from the VFX to the SD, I actually drove the keyboard to the Ensoniq factory in Malvern, PA (about a 4-hour drive) and had the MB replaced. Joe Paschall, one of their main gurus, gave me a guided tour of the plant. It was pretty cool.

And yes, I still have my floppies (as well as the sample libraries) lying around, too!

Ha !!! I had the original Ensoniq Mirage 8-bit sampler !!! Then, I added a Mirage rack version, then an ASR-10. Got rid of all those, but I still have a TS-10 in my studio. And yes, and a big box of Mirage sample floppies in storage that the TS-10 can read. My oh my...