What if you lost your digital images?

[SmartWombat]

I use Image Recall - friendly "Don't Panic" on the front of the box

Three-layer strategy.
1) on the day, transfer images to Phototainer
--- confirm they got there by checkin 1st and last image numbers on each backup
2) at home, transfer to the PC
---- confirm that the files are all copied
3) convert RAW files to JPEG
--- make adjustments as necessary
4) resize JPEG to 640x480
5) transfer all from PC to DVD
6) copy from PC to external USB portable HD
7) when the 200G drive fills up, erase files from PC
8) when the external USB 200G drive fills up, buy a new one

So I have many copies.
Phototainer (emergency backup) - of only 40G
DVD backup (used to use CD)
External HD archive (one disk per year)
Internal HD working copy

I think that's enough
Though I may turn to making extra backup DVDs of the RAW files.


Tips?
1) Keep up to date.
Your images are only as good as your software and hardware !
Camera firmware
CD/DVD drive firmware
Computer operating system
CD/DVD burning software

2) QUALITY
Don't buy cheap media and expect your images to last forever.
On the other hand, I lost 3 Memorex CDs burned on the same day as a Kodak CD
I've had 3 of 10 DVD-9 from Verbatim fail to burn (no idea if the data will last)
Big brand names on the media may not help

3) Watch out for static
Dry, dusty conditions especially - memory cards are vulnerable

4) Watch the little light
Your camera probably has a light to tell you when the card is in use.
Don't switch it off, or remove the card, while the light is on.

5) Eject the media
Your PC or Mac should have a way to eject the memory card
Use it to make sure all data is flushed before removing it

6) Don't delete.
Buy more memory cards if necessary.
You will, one day, delete that really good image instead of the duff one next to it.

7) Don't keep duff media
You could use it by mistake !
My !G and 340M Microdrives are now very small doorstops.
My 512K card is almost history, it doesn't work in the 20D.

I have so far been bitten by 1, 2, 6, and 7

[another view]

Paul, good point about the backups. I guess I hadn't gotten to that point but as they say, an ounce of prevention...

From my personal experience, two sets of backups is necessary. Last winter my internal HD crashed, and it somehow wiped out a big folder full of images on my (connected) external HD at the same time. Fortunately I had another copy on CD which I re-loaded on the HD.

Another temporary backup - format the cards when you're ready to re-use them, not as soon as you're done downloading. That way, if anything happens before you get the backups made (which should be a top priority anyway) you still might have another copy. When you copy the files from the card to PC, select "copy", not "move" so they're not erased from the card, too.

[freygr]

clip...
5) transfer all from PC to DVD
clip...

Please note DVD R & CDR are only good for about 5 years. There are a lot of variables mainly the storage temperature determines their usable life. An archivist told the current photographer at my day job to move the images off CDs to magnetic media, as tapes have a 50-80 year life.

GRF

[Tomr406]

I use Image Recall - friendly "Don't Panic" on the front of the box

Three-layer strategy.
1) on the day, transfer images to Phototainer
--- confirm they got there by checkin 1st and last image numbers on each backup
2) at home, transfer to the PC
---- confirm that the files are all copied
3) convert RAW files to JPEG
--- make adjustments as necessary
4) resize JPEG to 640x480
5) transfer all from PC to DVD
6) copy from PC to external USB portable HD
7) when the 200G drive fills up, erase files from PC
8) when the external USB 200G drive fills up, buy a new one

So I have many copies.
Phototainer (emergency backup) - of only 40G
DVD backup (used to use CD)
External HD archive (one disk per year)
Internal HD working copy

I think that's enough
Though I may turn to making extra backup DVDs of the RAW files.


Tips?
1) Keep up to date.
Your images are only as good as your software and hardware !
Camera firmware
CD/DVD drive firmware
Computer operating system
CD/DVD burning software

2) QUALITY
Don't buy cheap media and expect your images to last forever.
On the other hand, I lost 3 Memorex CDs burned on the same day as a Kodak CD
I've had 3 of 10 DVD-9 from Verbatim fail to burn (no idea if the data will last)
Big brand names on the media may not help

3) Watch out for static
Dry, dusty conditions especially - memory cards are vulnerable

4) Watch the little light
Your camera probably has a light to tell you when the card is in use.
Don't switch it off, or remove the card, while the light is on.

5) Eject the media
Your PC or Mac should have a way to eject the memory card
Use it to make sure all data is flushed before removing it

6) Don't delete.
Buy more memory cards if necessary.
You will, one day, delete that really good image instead of the duff one next to it.

7) Don't keep duff media
You could use it by mistake !
My !G and 340M Microdrives are now very small doorstops.
My 512K card is almost history, it doesn't work in the 20D.

I have so far been bitten by 1, 2, 6, and 7

This worked for me

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