jibjab32

Q: how to backup iPhoto pictures?

iPhoto crashes each time I open it (Mac OSX stand-alone computer). I see this addresses in an email from 2015 and the first direction is to back up your photos. How do you do that?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Dec 11, 2015 3:11 PM

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Q: how to backup iPhoto pictures?

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  • by clodo9,

    clodo9 clodo9 Dec 17, 2015 12:43 PM in response to Allan Eckert
    Level 2 (194 points)
    Dec 17, 2015 12:43 PM in response to Allan Eckert

    allan,

    i thought i had been clear about this in this thread :

    It's very easy ( and efficient, and unexpensive ) to backup your MOST IMPORTANT PHOTOS on DVDs

    As stated above, i'm not suggesting backing up your whole iPhoto library on DVDs, but just your most important and cherished photos ( still, you can put quite a lot of pics on a 4.7 GigaByte disc ! ).

    Now, again, i'm not suggesting DVDs are a backup strategy , but they very well can be a solid part of a backup strategy . Let's remember that many, many people out there do NOT have ANY backup of their data...For them, a simple DVD backup could save the day.


    i usually call this the " gold-nugget backup ", aimed at the numerous computer-users who do not have any backup, or who feel safe with only a time machine backup, or even an EHD . " Gold nugget " because the only files here are the ones you would not-even-dare-think-about-losing : the tens or hundreds of old family photos you patiently scanned, then dated, etc. The more recent, digital pictures of your children growing up. For most of us, these "cherished" photos will easily fit on a 4.7 GB DVD.

    You certainly have witnessed yourself,, because of your implication on this site, many sad situations that none of us could solve, where a user lost precious data, in spite of a time machine and/or EHD backup. In all these cases, a simple "gold-nugget" backup would have saved the day.

  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Dec 17, 2015 12:55 PM in response to clodo9
    Level 9 (53,457 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 17, 2015 12:55 PM in response to clodo9

    You can advocate anything you wish.

     

    For me I will stick with my triple backup to disk drive using three different software packages as opposed to your so called "golden nugget" backup. I would not trust that for anything at all. I have been bitten in the past by the DVD corruption that Terence talks about so I don't backup anything to them any more.

  • by clodo9,

    clodo9 clodo9 Dec 17, 2015 1:06 PM in response to Allan Eckert
    Level 2 (194 points)
    Dec 17, 2015 1:06 PM in response to Allan Eckert

    allan,

    do you only READ what's there ???

    " aimed at the numerous computer-users who do not have any backup, or who feel safe with only a time machine backup, or even an EHD . "

    what word(s) in this sentence is (are) not clear to you ?

    PS : a triple-copy backup will not be affected by "corruption"

  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Dec 17, 2015 1:30 PM in response to clodo9
    Level 9 (53,457 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 17, 2015 1:30 PM in response to clodo9

    I read it. I understand it. I still say that there are better solutions then what you are suggesting.

     

    If there are user who don't understand, let them come here and we will teach them the correct method to protect their photos.

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Dec 17, 2015 3:22 PM in response to clodo9
    Level 10 (139,475 points)
    iLife
    Dec 17, 2015 3:22 PM in response to clodo9
    In all these cases, a simple "gold-nugget" backup would have saved the day.

     

    There is much inaccurate even in that.

     

    1. You keep saying simple, but you don't mean simple. You mean manually created rolling back up with multiple redundancies.

     

    2. Without that it only takes one faulty disk and all is lost.

     

    If you keep saying simple and so not specify the multiple redundancies then you create a false sense of security for the reader. One copy is simple, yes. But given the quality of consumer media, it's risky. Rolling back ups and redundancies are not simple. But they are safer. So, be clear. Explain the  advantages and disadvantages of the system you're suggesting. When I mentioned Flickr i mentioned the downside that some people see in the privacy implications. Now a person can explore and decide for themselves. By all means advocate optical media but also mention the limitations and implications of it. Then the reader can make an informed decision.

  • by clodo9,

    clodo9 clodo9 Dec 18, 2015 5:13 PM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 2 (194 points)
    Dec 18, 2015 5:13 PM in response to Terence Devlin

    terence,

    really, you are an artist ! You can make "burning a DVD" into  " manually created rolling back up with multiple redundancies ". .. I say burning a DVD is simple.

    You add " Without that it only takes one faulty disk and all is lost ". No terence, every DVD is perfectly independant of the others.

    Also " given the quality of consumer media, it's risky ". As stated above, i've experienced this method for years, with ZERO lost data...The proof's in the pudding, as you say...

    With the "three copies" method ( two of them stored away from home ) there is no chance the three copies can fail simultaneously. By the way, this is also why YOU use three external disks ... difference is a DVD costs me fifty cents, while your EHD costs you fifty pounds...

    Basic "gold nugget backup ": each Event ( or Album ) must be Exported on the Desktop in its own folder ( naming each folder by the name of the Event ( or Album ) included ). Tip : at the end , put all the folders in ONE folder ( still on Desktop ), so that you can know the total filesize of what you are about to burn : if more than 4.5 GB, take some folders out. If much less than that, you can still add more pics . You will get this filesize by right-clicking ( Ctrl-clicking ) on that "papa folder" and then clicking "Get info".

    Use DVD+R if possible , they read better, burn better ( see DVD+R on Wikipedia for more ).I use Verbatim AZO dye right now, they have a good rep .

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Dec 18, 2015 11:18 PM in response to clodo9
    Level 10 (139,475 points)
    iLife
    Dec 18, 2015 11:18 PM in response to clodo9

    But there is it again. You're confusing burning a Disk with making a back up. At least now you've begin to talk about multiple copies because of media failure, now explain two more things:

     

    What's a rolling back up? And how is that done?

    What do you suggest for folks to do when Optical Media drives get more and more difficult to find?

     

    As for the cost difference in media - well your next mac will require you to purchase an external optical media drive, so that pretty much balances that out, plus there are the savings in time and convenience as using a HD - even multiple ones - can be automated - that is triggered by things like changes made to the dataset, triggered when a disk is connected, triggered on specified times and so on. Even better, you can back up not only the images but the entire Library, edit history and all.

     

    If you want a free, "gold nugget" back up, that's safe from the poor quality of optical media, is less work and includes off-site back up, and doesn't require any additional hardware, is quite OS independent, is not a technology that is dying, and has additional benefits like access from anywhere: Flickr.

  • by clodo9,

    clodo9 clodo9 Jan 4, 2016 10:32 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 2 (194 points)
    Jan 4, 2016 10:32 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    you write : « You're confusing burning a Disk with making a back up « . Well, sorry, terence, but burning your most important files to a dvd IS making a backup of these files... AND a very solid, easy, inexpensive and dependable backup at that!


    You ask of me « now explain two more things:

      What's a rolling back up? And how is that done? «


    ...Funny you would ask me to explain a concept that YOU brought ( needlessly ) in this thread...I never referred to a « rolling backup » at any time.

    And then «   What do you suggest for folks to do when Optical Media drives get more and more difficult to find?  «

    Like paper, optical is a « dying technology » that is still running strong ( and will be for years to come because of its reliability ). In fact, optical drives are getting better ( and less expensive ) every day . And, just for the record, my dvds will still be in good shape long after your three EHDs have gone to « heaven » ( which is definitely not to be confused with « the Cloud » ).

    Now, again, i'm not suggesting a dvd-backup of your most cherished files is a replacement for a standard « system » backup . No, it's a complement , a « belt and suspenders » type of backup that can fill the security gap you will find in ALL the other backups ( for the weak points of all these backups, do read PV's « backups and archives » referred to above ).

    As for your suggestion of Flickr, i'd have a few questions of my own :

    - is there a way to browse through your backup from time to time, to see if everything is backed up correctly?

    - since this kind of backup ( like most backups ) is a mirror backup of your system, if you accidentally delete files from your computer, doesn't the flickr backup also delete these files?

    - you write «  additional benefits like acces from anywhere « … for anyone who can « get » your password? Sorry to bring that up, but these days, when malware is getting sneakier by the day, some questions must be asked : can my precious data be tampered with ? ...My three-copy-dvds ( two copies away from home ) are bullet-proof. By the way, i suggest three copies NOT because of « media failure », but for the same reason you also run three EHDs : redundancy, the backbone of data archiving.

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jan 4, 2016 12:10 PM in response to clodo9
    Level 10 (139,475 points)
    iLife
    Jan 4, 2016 12:10 PM in response to clodo9

    It's the dishonesty that's wearing.

     

    ...Funny you would ask me to explain a concept that YOU brought ( needlessly ) in this thread...I never referred to a « rolling backup » at any time.

    No? What's this then:

    but this little problem is readily solved by the fact that we make a new copy of the "cherished" files every now and then ( at least every year ) , was it only because some files were added, or rearranged, or "improved", etc !

    I love your comparison to paper, which is not a dying technology, but of more interest in the digital space might be the precursors to optical media: the floppy disk and the zip drive... where are they now? Of course you can still get floppy drives, but easily? Would you want to? And you still claim it's reliable because you only lose one ro two disks to corrosion every now and then. Like I keep saying, and you don't answer: how many failed disk before you think it's not reliable.

     

    There is exactly one model of Mac lot with a built--in optical drive. One. External media drives are getting cheaper. Why? Because there is less and less demand for them. Same thing happened with all the other technologies.

     

    Never heard of Flickr? The largest photo site on the Internet?

     

    Yes you can browse all your images, yes from any computer connected to the Internet. No, this is not a "mirror of your system" (really, you've never heard of Flirckr? Really?), so no there is no reason why deletions should be mirrored online. And yes, tamper-proof.

     

    Seriously, go look at Flickr. Google it. You've heard of Google haven't you?

  • by clodo9,

    clodo9 clodo9 Jan 4, 2016 6:12 PM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 2 (194 points)
    Jan 4, 2016 6:12 PM in response to Terence Devlin

    terence,

    you write :

    " Like I keep saying, and you don't answer: how many failed disk before you think it's not reliable " : like i keep answering, and you don't seem yo understand : i've been using dvd backups for years, and have never lost a bit ( much less a Byte ) of data. "John the greek" mentioned above, has been using dvd backups for more than twenty years, don't you think he would've "discovered" they weren't reliable by now?.. As you say across the pond " The proof's in the pudding "...But, as we say in French " Il n'est de pire sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre " ( " There is no worse deaf than the one who does not want to hear " ).

    Also :

    " There is exactly one model of Mac lot with a built--in optical drive "...Well, well, wadyaknow...Are you telling me that Apple is still carrying a "dying technology"..? Here's what Apple says about it's "Superdrive"  ( right here, on this site ):
    The sleek, compact USB SuperDrive.

    Everything you need in an optical drive.

    Whether you’re at the office or on the road, you can play and burn both CDs and DVDs with the Apple USB SuperDrive. It’s perfect when you want to watch a DVD movie, install software, create backup discs, and more...Hey, did they say " create backup discs "..?


    You then go on, about Flickr :

    " Yes you can browse all your images, yes from any computer connected to the Internet ". Aw, shucks, i'm not really into putting my dearest-pic-backup on the internet, accessible "from any computer"...

    But here you go :

    " And yes, tamper-proof ". O terence, how not to admire your faith, simple, pure, unFLICKRing!

    And then :

    " Seriously, go look at Flickr. Google it ". As you well can imagine, i heeded your amicable advice, and found this :

    " Flickr may delete accounts without giving any reason or warning to the account's owner"...Hmmmm, after giving it some thought, i guess i'll stick to my dvds...


    P.S. : If flickr is as good as you say, why then would you be juggling with three or four EHDs ..?

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jan 5, 2016 1:03 AM in response to clodo9
    Level 10 (139,475 points)
    iLife
    Jan 5, 2016 1:03 AM in response to clodo9

    John the Greek was the one who mentioned how he had lost disks to corruption. Not me. You quoted him. See? Reliable?

     

    So, Apple have marketing material for a product they sell. And your point is?

     

    Now we get to the point were I am unable to decide if you have a serious issue with language or are perhaps just a troll. The other possibility - boneheaded stupidity - I'll leave aside from politeness. My suggestion of Flickr was - as you well know, and this is why I think you're just a troll - a direct comparison with your suggestion of optical media.  Therefore I'm no longer addressing you now. Call back when you grow up.

     

    To folks who might have been following this conversation: Bless you.

     

    The best way to back up your iPhoto or other Photo Library is a rolling back up to external disk, with redundancy - that is multiple copies on different disks. This can all be automated. Therefore it's easy to maintain once set up.

     

    Other possibilities for a limited back up - that is, of only your photos - include online photo-sharing sites, such as Flickr, SmugMug, Google Photos and Optical media.

     

    The online services all offer the same password-protected access and have the added bonus that you can access your images from anywhere with a computer and your password. Yes, like every online service, if you read the terms and conditions, there are various legal CYAs in there that cover extreme situations. But then no one is advocating these services as a sole back up.

     

    Optical Media is also a possibility but remember that cheap disks are unreliable in the long term, and even expensive ones which make great claims, simply haven't been around long enough to be proven. Also, factor into your decisions that optical media is going the way of the floppy disk. It will be more difficult to get burners and readers in the future.

  • by clodo9,

    clodo9 clodo9 Jan 9, 2016 6:25 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 2 (194 points)
    Jan 9, 2016 6:25 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    as for the litany of insults, please ponder the words of that lady of "Downton Abbey" : " vulgarity is no substitute for wit " ...You are a fan, aren't you ?

    Now for the more serious matters :

    -"reliable ?" do you ask : yes, John the Greek ( as i ) has "lost" a few discs in more than twenty years...He didn't say he lost any data, nor did i ! By making three copies of each disc, and making a new copy more or less each year, we have, after let's say three years, NINE copies of our files ( at a cost of less than five dollars... ).

    -"So, Apple have marketing material for a product they sell. And your point is?" point is quite obvious : would Apple sell a technology if it was as worthless as you pretend it to be ?

    -"troll" : nope. No troll here. Sorry. Wrong number. In this thread, like in others, i'm simply trying to answer a question, honestly, clearly. Here, the user has no backup : i merely suggest, as an option, at least, a simple dvd backup. That's where YOU come after ME... Good side : this allows me to prove my point, methodically...because, let's face it, you are a redoubtable debater, terence, the kind of fierce, no-holds-barred debater that can make you wonder if, after all, the earth is not flat ... 

    -"Flickr" : we're talking here of a person's dearest fotos ( genealogy, old scanned fotos, children growing up , etc ) . You have full control of your dvds, but not of Flickr, nor of any other big company or "online photo-sharing site".

    -"The best way to back up your iPhoto or other Photo Library is a rolling back up to external disk, with redundancy - that is multiple copies on different disks"  : i never disputed this. A three or four EHD rolling backup is absolutely recommendable, BUT cannot be realistically pushed on any and all computer owners! The "gold nugget" dvd backup i suggested here is aimed at :

    -1) users who DO NOT HAVE ANY BACKUP ( like the one at the source of this thread ) ! There are millions of persons out there who have no backups, for two main reasons :

    a) cost : many people have a hard time just feeding their kids: a hundred dollar EHD just can't make it up the "priority list",

    b) computer-knowledge : many people fear the task of "installing", and then "managing" an EHD, and sure enough, this forum sees quite often cases of an EHD having been installed without having been formatted "Mac OS journaled", hence rendering their "backup" useless !

    You must admit a triple-copy dvd backup of your most important files is better than nothin' !

    -2) users who have A SINGLE EHD AS A BACKUP : there are multiple examples on this iPhoto forum of people who have lost their fotos on both their computer AND on their EHD. Here again, a simple and unexpensive dvd backup of their most important pics would have saved the day ( or, should i say, part of the day ). As for the reliability of EHDs, most people are not aware of their fragility and relatively short lifespan ( which is why, by the way, three or four EHDs are recommended for a "serious" backup). About the reliability of a SINGLE EHD, again, i urge anyone who has not yet done so, to read the enlightening

    Methodology to protect your data

    right here on this apple site, at :

    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6031


    -"remember that cheap disks are unreliable in the long term" : couldn't've said it better myself : use DVD+R ( they burn better, read better : see wikipedia for tech reasons ) of reputable companies, AND bought from reputable stores to avoid counterfeits ! Still less than a dollar a pop ( less than fifty cents if you buy a hundred-dvd stack ).

    Now, you've noticed i'm not pushing here for "professional" or "archival" grade dvds, for the simple reason that we're not aiming here at fifty tear archiving, but at backing up our most important pics, for the next few years, just in case a BIG badluck happens to our computer ( and attached EHD, if applicable ) : fire, flood, robbery, fall, coffee, hard disk failure, malware, etc. The three-copy ( two copies stored outside your home ) routine, made yearly, or as needed, is unassailable, especially after a few years, as noted above.

    -"It will be more difficult to get burners and readers in the future" : Let's not try to cross the bridge before getting to the river...As of Mark Twain's, the news of optical's death are greatly exaggerated...


    P.S. : Why all this long, dogged fight ? Because if the option of a "limited dvd backup" ( "limited" to only essential files ) was better known, this could save a lot of grief to a lot of people, simply. If this thread could prevent just one parent from coming on this forum with a " I lost all the photos of my children growing up ! " it will have been well worth it.

  • by clodo9,

    clodo9 clodo9 Jan 22, 2016 6:44 PM in response to jibjab32
    Level 2 (194 points)
    Jan 22, 2016 6:44 PM in response to jibjab32

    DVD BACKUP

    A BEGINNER'S ABC of a dvd "gold nugget" backup

       ( only your most important pics )

    from iPhoto



    Let's say the pics you NEVER want to lose are:

    -four EVENTS ( the building blocks of iPhoto ), each event containing the scanned old fotos of the families of each of your four grandparents, the events named : Smith, Johnson, Craig and Wright,

    -two ALBUMS containing the fotos of your son and daughter growing up, albums named Sara and Pete,

    -two "collections" of fotos with the KEYWORDS "cottage" and "cats",

    -and finally, all your fotos with a FIVE-STAR rating.


    STEP A : create empty folders on the Desktop

    STEP B : put the fotos in the folders

    STEP C : burn the folders to a dvd


    STEP A : create empty folders on Desktop :

    open Finder, click "Desktop", and create, on the desktop, ONE folder, and name it "FOTO BACKUP JAN 2016" ( well, maybe not exactly, that, but kinda ). Now, in that folder, create NINE folders with the names of each "collection" of fotos, like this :


    finder.JPG



    STEP B : putting the fotos in the folders :

    open iPhoto, open the Event "Smith", press Command + A, thus selecting all the pics in that Event ( would you want NOT to include some pics, Command-click each unwanted pic ). Then click "File" up there, then "Export" : this dialog will come up:



    exp 1.JPG




    The settings you see here are "one-size-fits-all" settings i recommend for a start. With some experience, you might want to adjust them to your needs.

    Note: on the line "File name" === "Use Title" , the "Title" means  the name of the foto as you see it in iPhoto, especially renamed fotos ( usually happens with scanned fotos, that come out with names like "sc3216598065" ).

    Now click "Export". This dialog appears :



    exp 2.JPG




    we are now choosing where the pics will be exported : choose "Desktop", then click on the "FOTO BACKUP" folder, then on the "Smith" folder, then "OK" down there : the chosen pics will be exported to the "Smith" folder.


    Use the same procedure for the three other Events, two Albums ( opening the albums, selecting all the pics ), two Keywords , and five-star-rated "collections".


    STEP C : burning the folders to a dvd :

    When all the desired fotos are in their respective folders, in the Finder window , click on the main "FOTO BACKUP" folder. You want to know how much stuff is in there ( in MegaBytes, or GigaBytes ) because a standard DVD contains only 4.7 GB of data ( though a surprising number of pics can fit in that filesize ). So, click on the "gear" up there ( or right-click (Control-click) that main folder) , and select "Get info". In the Info panel that shows up, if the size is smaller than 4.5 GB ( we don't want to fill the dvd "to the brim" ), then hit the "gear" again and select  " Burn " FOTO BACKUP JAN 2016 " to Disc ".

    When this first disc has been burned AND verified , burn two more copies the same way. Identify each disc with a CD marker ( sold at electronic stores ) as "Foto bkp jan 2016", adding, on each disc "copy 1 of 3" , "copy 2 of 3", "copy 3 of 3" . Put the discs in dvd paper envelopes, in tin cans of sufficient diameter...old fashioned, but very efficient ..! Copy 1 stays at home, copy 2 goes at Jenny's place, and copy 3 at granny's...( yes, some leeway is allowed as for the last two places ).


    NOTE 1 : such a dvd backup can be "read" by ANY computer, ANY OS ( Windows, Mac, Linux ), ANY version of iPhoto or Photos, etc, etc, etc.


    NOTE 2 : handle dvds carefully, a scratch can be lethal. As soon as they're in their envelope, and in their tin can, they are safe ...and for a long time...


    NOTE 3 : use DVD+R : they read better, burn better. For tech details, see "DVD+R" in Wikipedia

    NOTE 4 : the dates you've put on old scanned photos will be kept ( Finder does not show that "date taken", or "date original", but you will see it with Preview ) and also the keywords, and descriptions you may have added to the pics ( "date taken", keywords and descriptions will also be read by any Windows PC ! )

    NOTE 5 : make new backups as often as necessary ( that's what the "tin can" was all about ! ) including all the pics on the dvds, not only the new ones that may have been added


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