Lost dozens of PT projects thanks to iCloud

[lanstrad]

Guys, please don't tell me to ask Apple : I did in parallel. But want to ask to those who may have used iCloud.

In the last few days, I needed to make space on a macbook (which I very rarely use for PT). Tried to backup DOCUMENTS and DESKTOP on iCloud but as it was too slow to act (nothing done after an hour, with the mac heating like hell), I decided to just erase lot of stuff from the HD.

Damn it also erased on the main mac I am using for production (just read lately that you cannot use iCloud with same Apple ID, different macs, because Apple has decided that you want all stuff, same stuff on all computers (very logical after all ....... why would'nt I want same stuff on 2 macbooks and one desktop ... )

Discovered today that PT can't find any of the projects because the PT folder in DOCUMENTS on my desktop has disappeared!

Anyone ever faced such an issue ? I just can't believe I'm paying Apple like $20 per month and they don't have a backup in case of such an accident, with such a confusing cloud service...

[JFreak]

Nobody told you using iCloud for serious work is a bad idea?

[Eric Lambert]

Very sorry to hear that. Do you have a TimeMachine drive active, or some sort of backup?

I don't think Apple can be expected to keep backups of everyone's folders and in fact I don't know of any cloud storage company which does so without specifically being instructed to. Imagine the space that would require.

[Darryl Ramm]

Lost dozens of PT projects thanks to (multiple) user mistakes....

You say Projects but you mean sessions right? Sessions are the normal storage for Pro Tools. Projects are things in Avid cloud, with data cached locally,.. and I'd sure not rely on those.

Where are all your backups?

You are responsible for backing up your computer. There are many hundreds of posts on DUC talking about this, talking about how you should have things backed up in multiplier separate places. ideally using different approaches... and sounds like you also ignored all the posts on DUC about not enabled iCloud syncing your Documents.

And you screwed yourself because you needed more space... why mess with stuff you don't understand, just add an external drive. Amazon has Samsung T7 SSDs (which I've recommended here often) with next day delivery to many places in the USA for $139 for 2TB. Maybe its two days delivery in Montreal? Or maybe you go out and buy some from a retailer.

Cloud storage if used correctly can be a great location for one of your backup sets. But if you are syncing it to a computer then its a finger slip away from disaster and it is not a backup, it's primary storage. So now you really need other backups. And it's up to you to know what you are signing up for with cloud services, most cloud vendors/cloud storage services are clear what they provide and that is not archival/backup services.

If you want to try to see if anything can be recovered. All you can likely realistically do is stop using both Macs, shut down both and find a data recovery consultant who can look at them for you. You should clearly not be trying to do anything more here yourself. You might be facing costs of multiple hundreds of dollars even to find out most or all of everything is lost. You'll need to find somebody local who has a good reputation as a Mac expert.

[Stephen Bond]

Agreed. I find Apple not always as simple as one expects.

This might help?

https://www.production-expert.com/pr...ile-management

Stephen

[sw rec]

Speed issues notwithstanding (and that’s NEVER been an issue for me,) this is the best justification in the world for using a separate drive for your sessions. $100 will get you a couple of terrabytes, and save you thousands of dollars worth of brain damage. In my humble opinion. I know that doesn’t solve the problem, but would minimize it, going forward.

[Rich Breen]

Originally Posted by lanstrad

...Discovered today that PT can't find any of the projects because the PT folder in DOCUMENTS on my desktop has disappeared!

Anyone ever faced such an issue ?

I've been down this road with clients who turn "Desktop and Documents" ON in iCloud - it's nice in theory, but poorly executed, extremely confusing, and not appropriate for media work like Pro Tools. When you turn iCloud D&D ON, your files are moved up to iCloud and (depending on specifics) *removed* from your local drive. Are you *sure* that your files are not up in iCloud? According to Apple (and my experience) here's what happens when you turn it OFF after being ON:

"When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them."

[briaboy]

Is this the one you mention Darryl Ramm?

https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Porta..._title_ce?th=1

Is it compatible with Mac computers?

thanks.

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Lost dozens of PT projects thanks to (multiple) user mistakes....

You say Projects but you mean sessions right? Sessions are the normal storage for Pro Tools. Projects are things in Avid cloud, with data cached locally,.. and I'd sure not rely on those.

Where are all your backups?

You are responsible for backing up your computer. There are many hundreds of posts on DUC talking about this, talking about how you should have things backed up in multiplier separate places. ideally using different approaches... and sounds like you also ignored all the posts on DUC about not enabled iCloud syncing your Documents.

And you screwed yourself because you needed more space... why mess with stuff you don't understand, just add an external drive. Amazon has Samsung T7 SSDs (which I've recommended here often) with next day delivery to many places in the USA for $139 for 2TB. Maybe its two days delivery in Montreal? Or maybe you go out and buy some from a retailer.

Cloud storage if used correctly can be a great location for one of your backup sets. But if you are syncing it to a computer then its a finger slip away from disaster and it is not a backup, it's primary storage. So now you really need other backups. And it's up to you to know what you are signing up for with cloud services, most cloud vendors/cloud storage services are clear what they provide and that is not archival/backup services.

If you want to try to see if anything can be recovered. All you can likely realistically do is stop using both Macs, shut down both and find a data recovery consultant who can look at them for you. You should clearly not be trying to do anything more here yourself. You might be facing costs of multiple hundreds of dollars even to find out most or all of everything is lost. You'll need to find somebody local who has a good reputation as a Mac expert.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by briaboy

Is this the one you mention Darryl Ramm?

https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Porta..._title_ce?th=1

Is it compatible with Mac computers?

thanks.

All Samsung T7 drives are contemptible with Mac, I suspect they are the leading portable external SSD used with Macs or any computers, but for our use you should reformat them from exFAT to APFS.

I would just use the plain T7. Definitely not the supposedly secure version with fingerprint ID (just another gimmick to fail). The "Robust" version you linked to is not typically more expensive, it's just a different/larger case, not sure the IP65 rating is worth anything but if you prefer that go for it, I'm pretty sure the Robust and non-Robust versions is the exact same SSD inside.

https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Porta...0874XWW23?th=1

These things are small, they can replace having a high-end USB-stick for transfers, and they are fast enough for sessions and sample drives for many users. And they are nice low-cost options as backup drives.

This is an NVMe over USB 3.2 Gen 2 aka 10Gbit/s drive. Which is the fastest USB any Mac supports today. ... some Apple Silicon Macs do have well documented issues with USB performance on Thunderbolt ports, which might not affect these drives. And sure won't affect them if you use them on a USB only (not Thunderbolt) port. You can always check performance with BlackMagic Disk Speed Test. Here is the original article: https://eclecticlight.co/2022/04/18/...-usb-3-1-gen-2 and https://9to5mac.com/2022/04/18/m1-ma...ts-speed-tests.

I would not buy any Western Digital/Sandisk SSD over data corruption problems and them not handling stuff well. I would not buy any other store brand external drive. Just buy a Samsung.

If you are on a modern Mac and performance really matters then you'll be on a NVMe/PCIe/Thunderbolt drive, not a NVMe/USB T7. And while considerably better performance that takes more faffing around, I've discussed that elsewhere, but for sheer convenience, pretty good performance and Samsung quality/reliability the T7 is an amazing little drive.

And no don't trust any SSD for long term archival storage and don't have all your backups done the same way, on the same media.

And as always the first thing you do with a new SSD is check it's firmware version and update if needed https://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=425632. Here using the Samsung Portable SSD application download from Samsung's website (a version of the installer is also on the drive itself, but just get the latest off the Web). And then reformat the exFAT drive to APFS and all set to go on a Mac.

[briaboy]

Many thanks, very helpful.