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Author Topic: Back-up drive failure  (Read 2287 times)

bill wood

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Back-up drive failure
« on: February 15, 2016, 05:16:39 pm »

So my back-up drive failed today, all the images are gone from the back-up drive.  .  I was working with 2 external hard drives, both of which LR recognized and the catalogue recognized both.  When I imported I would import to one and make a copy to the other.  That way LR recognized both copies.  So how do I back-up my remaining  hard drive and have LR recognize the files and folders in the new drive?

I run a Imac late 2013 with Yosemite.

Thanks for any help!!
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stingray

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Re: Back-up drive failure
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2016, 05:43:25 pm »

You may get a lot of different suggestions.

1. How many images have you got on your existing, working main drive.
2. Does your catelog contain your original and backup copies (just making sure I understand your actual situation).

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bill wood

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Re: Back-up drive failure
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2016, 05:59:47 pm »

You may get a lot of different suggestions.

1. How many images have you got on your existing, working main drive.
2. Does your catelog contain your original and backup copies (just making sure I understand your actual situation).



I have 135,000 on my main drive.  My catalogue did contain both my original and back-up images, because the catalogue showed that I had 270,000 images. (When I processed an image in on the main drive, changes would be written to the back-up drive also.)   The catalogue now shows 135,000 images.  I want the back-up drive to be in the main catalogue so that if I work on an image, the changes are written  the file in both drives.
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stingray

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Re: Back-up drive failure
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2016, 02:30:56 am »

There are several approaches.

One option is to export your catelog as a catelog to a new replacement drive, selecting all images and selecting the option to also copy the images. When that process is complete, then you can reimport that catelog. You should now have your images on both drives and your catelog will have all the correct metadata for images on both drives. I would first run the option in Lr to check for any missing files, so you can try and fix any anomalies before you start major file operations and avoid confusing any issues which may pre exist with the actual recovery process. Also I would make sure that you do not have the option to prevent duplicates set.

However, I do not understand how if you make changes on your production image that the changes are automatically applied to the backup images.  Do you manually synch the settings.

If you do not know how to find the Lr feature to check for missing files, then Google it. I am posting this on an iPad and have not got Lr available to me right now to get the menu location. I will post more specific notes on this when I get to my office machine. The find missing images process creates a collection which contains a list of all missing files. With 135,000 images built up over time, there may be some surprises within your existing production data.

Try the export as catelog for say a small sample  folder of images first,  to be happy you have the mechanics and all the settings  correct, or better still, do a dry run on a different machine with some test data.
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David Sutton

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Re: Back-up drive failure
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2016, 10:10:55 pm »

So my back-up drive failed today, all the images are gone from the back-up drive.  .  I was working with 2 external hard drives, both of which LR recognized and the catalogue recognized both.  When I imported I would import to one and make a copy to the other.  That way LR recognized both copies.  So how do I back-up my remaining  hard drive and have LR recognize the files and folders in the new drive?

I run a Imac late 2013 with Yosemite.

Thanks for any help!!

Hello Bill.
I'm not on a Mac, but just a suggestion if I have read your post correctly. I'd never have all my backup drives connected at the same time. Stuff happens.
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HSakols

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Re: Back-up drive failure
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2016, 11:53:27 pm »

Maybe this will help answer your question???  How to get lightroom to identify your drive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVYkkPa2aZw
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BobShaw

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Re: Back-up drive failure
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2016, 01:11:15 am »

Not actually sure what you are asking, but your backup system does not work.
As David says, you never have all of them connected at the same time. One power surge and all gone.
If you do recover it use TimeMachine with multiple rotating drives. It just works.
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pflower

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Re: Back-up drive failure
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2016, 04:48:13 am »

You don't say how your drive failed - total hardware failure or something else.  But if not a terminal hardware burn out then for me the absolutely essential piece of software for Macs is Diskwarrior.  My main external drive failed the other day in that none of my Macs would recognise it or mount it.  Diskwarrior recovered it and has it running happily again - if the problem is corruption of the disk and not hardware related then DW is a life saver and has recovered a number of disks for me over the past 15 years or so.
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Rhossydd

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Re: Back-up drive failure
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2016, 04:24:59 am »

This drive failure could be a good time to review your workflow and understanding of backing up and archiving.
As others have said; just making copies on a second hard drive that's part of the system, doesn't really count as a back up or archive.
I'm puzzled as to why you think loading everything twice into your LR catalogue would be a good idea. It will slow things down and actually increases your risk of losing data.

I'd suggest watching the Lula video; Digital Asset Management: Where the #%*! are my Pictures? especially the last one on archiving.
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stingray

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Re: Back-up drive failure
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2016, 05:10:21 am »

Quote
I'm puzzled as to why you think loading everything twice into your LR catalogue would be a good idea. It will slow things down and actually increases your risk of losing data.

This is a key point.

Also, per my query earlier ....

Quote
However, I do not understand how if you make changes on your production image that the changes are automatically applied to the backup images.  Do you manually synch the settings.

Your first priority is to create a backup copy of your existing images and catelog, whatever means you are most comfortable achieving that objective. When you get back on an even keel, I agree, it would be worth reviewing your workflow / backup options.
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