Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Computers & Peripherals => Topic started by: Cornfield on May 18, 2020, 06:17:16 pm

Title: Lightroom real time backup
Post by: Cornfield on May 18, 2020, 06:17:16 pm

Is there a chance of corrupting files if a real time backup system is used while using Lightroom? 

I have a friend who insists this kind of "backup" syncing between a master Lightroom folder that contains the catalog, images and all other files and folders to an external hard drive is safe.

Title: Re: Lightroom real time backup
Post by: Joe Towner on May 19, 2020, 12:10:40 pm

Depends on the OS and the product being used.  Doing things like a backup (TimeMachine, Acronis TIH, etc) where it's tied into the filesystem and can handle open files (the Lightroom catalog is locked, but you can still make a OS level backup) is fine.  Scripted stuff that isn't able to handle the open files will throw an error, but that won't destroy anything.

Other than slowing things down, it's fine.  The Lightroom Catalog won't necessarily be up to date, but that's why you'd do a backup after closing Lightroom - either with the Lightroom backup process, or the backup process treating the catalog as a normal file.

Title: Re: Lightroom real time backup
Post by: Cornfield on May 19, 2020, 12:56:15 pm

Thanks for your reply Joe.  It was mainly the catalog I was thinking could be damaged.