I am convinced that there is a purpose to a PC crash, other than making you feel physically sick. Firstly it reminds you why all the image files are not stored on the PC (lessons learnt in the past prevented that) and secondly it allows you to find all the application software discs and licence numbers that were stored safe somewhere about 4 years ago and cant now be found for love nor money. In addition you learn so much all over again. How to reload plugins into PS. How to download and store the icc profiles for the various papers and how to recalibrate the monitor. All this in addition to the fact that you can rewire all the peripherals (card reader, tablet etc), remembering why some work better than others in certain USB ports and why the 2TB drive has to use Firewire or it behaves badly.
So, after a reinstall of Windows XP Pro and 3 days of getting back to square one there is still a nagging feeling that the external HD (Image Central) needs backing up too. I had considered another similar device, perhaps with an IP address so it could be accessed from anywhere, but there is an alternative, and its online. I am still researching who I will use, but these guys are offering a web based storage system that in itself is backed up to a second physical location. In theory my images will never be lost or feel threatened ever again.
I feel for you...
ReplyDeleteI've not had a crash, but I've still spent the last three days archiving loads of photographs to 3 different external hard drives. Call me paranoid if you want, but I'd be near suicidal if I lost everything!
Not experienced it yet, but I'm assured that it will happen one day by those 'in the know'. I seem to have a shelf full of backup gizmos, but then I'm sure there's something I've forgotten.!
ReplyDeleteIt all started with Logmein. Software that allows total remote control of the PC from a remote PC. I switched it OFF remotely and that was bad news. At some stage Capture NX2 went down too, so deleted it and reloaded, reboot and halfway through start up, blue screen (haven't seen that for years)and not even the chance of Safe Mode as an option. My IT guru tells me there was a disk error and data was lost that could not be retrieved. I am now backing up all images to Livedrive.com. There is a cost but its versatile, no storage limit and I can then access all files from any location.
ReplyDelete