Backing up to multiple discs

[stereo type]

I need to backup data to DVD. Is there any cd/dvd writing software (WIN XP) that will span multiple discs when the session is too large for 1? I have Sonic but haven't found this option.

I realize I could use dedicated backup software like Backup Now or Retrospect, but I think you must use those apps to restore. I prefer to just make discs that can be restored straight from the backup.

[albee1952]

How I do it is like this. First, I "clean house"(no use in backing up junk audio files) by consolidating all the audio tracks. Then I "select unused audio" and "remove" it all. Then I "save session copy" to the hard drive. I always test by opening the new session copy and playing it back. Now if the the copy is still too large for a DVD, I will move half or more(but not all) of the audio files to a new folder and burn that folder to a seperate CD or DVD, burn the remaining session onto a DVD and store them together. To restore/run the session, you need to first copy the session to a hard drive, then copy the audio files(from the 2nd disk) into the session's audio folder. With LE sessions, once you remove unused audio, the session should fit on a single DVD(4.7 gig!!). Of course TDM sessions may have 3 times the audio. If you really want to save every audio file, highlight most of the audio files(in the session audio folder) and move them to a new folder to burn onto a second DVD. If you are archiving for the long haul, its good to burn 2 of each disk and use a different brand of disk for each copy. That's the "real man's" backup.

[stereo type]

How I do it is like this. First, I "clean house"(no use in backing up junk audio files) by consolidating all the audio tracks. Then I "select unused audio" and "remove" it all. Then I "save session copy" to the hard drive. I always test by opening the new session copy and playing it back. Now if the the copy is still too large for a DVD, I will move half or more(but not all) of the audio files to a new folder and burn that folder to a seperate CD or DVD, burn the remaining session onto a DVD and store them together. To restore/run the session, you need to first copy the session to a hard drive, then copy the audio files(from the 2nd disk) into the session's audio folder.

That's all well and good. And pretty much just a variation of any way I currently do it. It would just be SO much easier if I could load the sessions into a program, like Sonic or Nero and it burn as much as possible to the media of choice, then the program ask for another when needed until finished. This is how dedicated backup programs work. But archives have to be restored by the same program which adds a level of danger when archiving for the future. If future operating systems don't run the program or the program doesn't have updates for future platforms; doesn't support future drives; bugs, errors or just generally unkown stuff happens, you've got no way to restore. I suppose I could keep a dedicated computer for just this purpose, which is a real possibility. But even that could be problematic. Theortically, just a plain old data off the drive copied to disc should always be readable.

With LE sessions, once you remove unused audio, the session should fit on a single DVD(4.7 gig!!). Of course TDM sessions may have 3 times the audio.

I know what you mean but that's not necessarily true in all cases. For instance, even my sessions for LE are 10 -12 songs arranged each to a PT session in a main folder by artist/group name and date. Then there are the bouced mixes plus any soundtrack or alternate versions. The main folder usually comes in around 14-20GB depending on instrumentation and track count. Again, it would just be so much more constistant and organized to be able to burn backups of that main folder and have it span as many DVDs as needed rather than have to manually separate all that up into 4.7 GB segments.

[spkguitar]

You could always use a multi-part self extracting archiver like WinRar.

But who knows? Years from now we might not even be using DVDs anymore, and getting the data off the disks at all might be an extreme hassle (case in point: anyone still have a 5.25 floppy disk drive? Hell even 3.5 floppy drives are getting more rare these days)

[stereo type]

I'll look at WinRar. I hadn't thought about that.


Here's a soution I miss:

On my old Mac systems (OS9) I had a little program called CD Folder Partitioner. On OSX I have a program called Tri-Backup. They will reorganize folders into smaller folders. ( Like a 16GB folders to 4- 4GB folders) The resulting folders will be named <foldername>001, <foldername>002, etc. You can then burn each folder to a dvd, label them 001, 002 etc. of however many and be done. Even though the programs will restore from these archives, you don't have to do that. You could just copy them all back from the dvds to a drive. Even though it might for instance split an audio files folder into 2 different folders, each folder will be named respective to where it came from so it's pretty easy to re-organize things if you for some reason couldn't use either program.

You'd think there'd be something like CD Folder Partioner ot TrBackup on the PC format. I haven't found it yet. Is that sort of what WinRar can do?

[cultureofgreed]

If you use Winrar on a 4+ gigabyte folder it going to take a while to compress and expand . Your better off just buring the audio to multiple DVDs.

[Bob Legs]

someone chime in if they know , but Im sure winrar is lossy compression.

I use a little utility that comes with roxio easy cd creator.
cd creator will burn a spanned set of dvds and uses a small program to extract on to the disc aswell.
however, its not always reliable, and does take a long time to extract.

your best bet is to separate your audio files into individual 4.7 gig folders within the audio files folder and then burn them. like albee said.

[spkguitar]

Lossless Data Compression

The RAR format is on the list, including WinRar.







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