Tar a photos library to backup to Dropbox

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Level 1

9 points

Tar a photos library to backup to Dropbox

I've seen questions similar to but different from this. I'm not looking to have a Photos library in its normal state on Dropbox at all. I simply want to use the space on Dropbox to store a backup. My Photos library is on an external drive and not my Mac, due to disk space. For security, I want a backup of the library as well, and since the original is already on the same drive I use for Time Machine, the backup needs to be somewhere else.

I tried just uploading the Photos library to Backdrop, but it failed, complaining about the folder structure. I'm wondering, can I just tar the Photos library and then store the tar on Dropbox?

Photos-OTHER, macOS Sierra (10.12.6)

Posted on Dec 17, 2017 12:05 PM

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Answer 1

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LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Dec 17, 2017 3:37 PM in response to ayendesigns

the Photos library should not be on the same volume as a Time Machine Backup

Ok you do not have them on the same volume which is what I suggested and eliminates one issue but does not remove the other major issue that when the drive fails (and it will) you have no backup for your Photo Library

and

I don’t have the Time Machine and Photos volume mounted simultaneously

means that you have no p=backup at all of yoru Photos library

If I move it to a second external, I’d then need a third for the backup?

No - two drives, one for the Photos library and one for the TM backup of your system and external drive

LN

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Answer 2

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Dec 17, 2017 3:04 PM in response to ayendesigns

A few problems

the Photos library should not be on the same volume as a Time Machine Backup - it creates problems and of course means you have no backup, you need another external drive for your Photos library and any other data that you care about being backed up -- Where is it safe to store a Photos Library? Requirements for the external drive

and DropBox or any other cloud service is not an appropriate location - it needs to be on a local hard drive correctly formatted

LN

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Answer 3

swandy

Level 4

2,545 points

Dec 17, 2017 1:57 PM in response to ayendesigns

Had to look up what TAR was referring to and I don't think it will work. Because the Photos Library is already a single file and from what I have Googled about TAR, it is meant to combine multiple files together and then compress them (NEVER a good idea with one of these Library files from what I have read).

What I don't understand is why Dropbox - which I admit I have never used - would care about the internal file structure of the library file and why it would not just copy the entire file. I used to you CrashPlan (until they decided to discontinue their service for home users) and their software never had an issue with my Photos Library file.

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Answer 4

ayendesigns Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 17, 2017 3:26 PM in response to swandy

I’m not certain. If you change directory to a library file there are many many folders in it.

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Answer 5

ayendesigns Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 17, 2017 3:26 PM in response to LarryHN

Two different volumes on the same device. I’ve never had an issue, though I don’t have the Time Machine and Photos volume mounted simultaneously. The Photos library is 100Gb, more than I can sacrifice on the Mac. If I move it to a second external, I’d then need a third for the backup?

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Answer 6

ayendesigns Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 17, 2017 5:27 PM in response to ayendesigns

P.S. To the support community staff... I appreciate your editing my contact info out of one of my replies. I would point out three things, however: 1. I would have done it myself, if there were a way to edit my response once sent, 2. The reason it was present was that (as I'm sure you're aware) despite begging since iPhone 4, there still is not a way to have signatures not be sent on replies, and I didn't notice it was there until too late, and; 3. The wording of your email was somewhat offensive in that it implied I needed to read the terms and conditions, presumably to understand I shouldn't include contact information, which presumes I had meant to include it. Including a phrase such as "perhaps you didn't mean to include the contact information, but in case you did" would be nice. Thanks!

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Answer 7

ayendesigns Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 17, 2017 3:33 PM in response to ayendesigns

“backup” being a manual backup copy of the Photos library.

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