Picture file backup

[douvidl]

I find myself in the position of having a huge picture file, 439gb on my hard disc which is maxed out with only 53gb available (640gb Max).   I also use a LaCie 1tb external for the time machine backup.  It has only 440+- gb available.  I have ordered a LaCie 2tb external.
 
I don't know how to define the pathway once I move the Hard Disc picture files to the new LaCie external.  i.e. How does lightroom know to access the new LaCie and how does the Time Machine know where things are if it backs up only the Hard disc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  (I have already deleted a huge bunch of picture files from the Hard Disc.)

David

[Jeremy Roussak]

I find myself in the position of having a huge picture file, 439gb on my hard disc which is maxed out with only 53gb available (640gb Max).   I also use a LaCie 1tb external for the time machine backup.  It has only 440+- gb available.  I have ordered a LaCie 2tb external.
 
I don't know how to define the pathway once I move the Hard Disc picture files to the new LaCie external.  i.e. How does lightroom know to access the new LaCie and how does the Time Machine know where things are if it backs up only the Hard disc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  (I have already deleted a huge bunch of picture files from the Hard Disc.)

David

I thought for a moment that you had a single picture occupying 439Gb! I assume you mean your photo library is that size.

If you use LR to do the copy (it will see the new disk once it's connected), it will know where the files now live; and if you use it to delete the old files, it will know that they've gone.

Time Machine will automatically back up all connected disks, unless you tell it not to.

Jeremy

[douvidl]

Jeremy;
I will move the files from the hard disk to the new external, eg no picture file on the hard disc.  Are you saying Lightroom will find them on external?
But if I process via LR on the Hard disk and finish a file, and export to the hard disc, time machine will do its thing.  But what if i leave the processed file on LR?
Will time machine still update the new file. 
It all seems very iffy.
David

[Jeremy Roussak]

Use LR to copy the picture files.

1. Connect and switch on the new disk.
2. Launch LR
3. In Library module, choose "Create new folder" and create a new folder on the new disk.
4. Drag-copy all your photo folders from the old disk to the new one, within LR.

Done. LR now knows where your files live on the new disk.

Time machine will realise that you have a new disk connected and will back it up automatically, starting at the next scheduled backup. If you don't delete the old photo files before then, you'll end up with two copies of each on your TM disk, which is probably not what you want. Expect the first backup to take quite a while! TM isn't clever enough to realise that the files on your new disk are the same as the ones on your old.

I did this when I bought a new hard disk. It worked like a charm, although my library was only about 15% the size of yours.

I'm not sure what you mean by "leave the processed file on LR". There is no processed file until you export from LR: there's only a source file (raw, or whatever other format) and a series of instructions on how to process it held within LR's database. TM will, of course, back up LR's database (although some have reported problems with such backup while LR is running).

Jeremy

[douvidl]

Jeremy;

Should I delete the hard disk photo file  right after it is copied to the new LR folder?

David

[Jeremy Roussak]

Should I delete the hard disk photo file  right after it is copied to the new LR folder?

There's probably no reason not to do that; the photos are backed up to your TM disk and won't be deleted from that disk immediately. I'd make sure that I'd copied them all to a separate drive that was unmounted while all this was going on, though. I'm never fully relaxed until my photos are backed up to at least three places, at least one of which is somewhere other than my home.

I'm neurotic; and not ashamed of it, in this context anyway.

Jeremy

[douvidl]

Jeremy;
Thanks for the response and help.  I need to think this through for a while, but I shall get back to you.  At the end though, I will have my photos on the TM disk as well as the new external where I've created the file via Lightroom.  All very Talmudic.
David

[douvidl]

Jeremy;
Ok.  I've got the second external set and mounted.  I'v copied LR3 to that disc.  My photo folders are scattered amongst a number of catalogues.  Some I have no idea how to copy the pictures folders to the new empty folder.  Methinks somethings off.
David

[Jeremy Roussak]

Jeremy;
Ok.  I've got the second external set and mounted.  I'v copied LR3 to that disc.  My photo folders are scattered amongst a number of catalogues.  Some I have no idea how to copy the pictures folders to the new empty folder.  Methinks somethings off.
David

You say "copied LR3 to that disc"; I'm not sure what that means. Have you coped the app, the catalogue, your photo folders, or some combination?

I'm happy to try to help but I suspect this conversation will be of limited interest to others, at least until we arrive at a solution. Send me a PM with your email and we can continue off-forum.

Jeremy