As a hurricane like Ike gets closer and closer, it prompts us to do some things that have been on our to do list, but that haven’t been too pressing. One that everyone I know seems to agree on is archiving their digital photographs. They are precious memories that could all too easily be destroyed with the loss of a computer.
The digital revolution has made it so convenient to overshoot that most people have thousands upon thousands of digital photos stored on their computers, because it can be overwhelming to go through them, print and archive the ones they love. The problem is that hard drives fail and computers can be damaged. So, please do not rely soley on this one place to store your precious memories.
What can you do? How can you make it less overwhelming to get started if you’re behind? Well, there are lots of options, varying in cost from free (we all like free!) to hundreds of dollars. If you’re like me, you’ll choose multiple options, just to be sure!
1) Upload your images to an online service - for FREE! I use google for my email, calendar, etc, so it only made sense for me to use their Picasa Web Album service, since I can easily click to it from any other application, and I don’t even have to bookmark the site or remember yet another login. But, there are tons of others that are very similar. Even the sites where you can print will store your images online for months at no charge. Picasa gives you over 1000 MB of free storage, so start backing up today!
2) Backup to CD’s or DVD’s. Each has pros and cons. If a disk gets corrupted, losing the amount of data on a CD would be much less painful than the amount of data on a DVD. But, with DVD’s, you have more stored on each one, and less physical disks to store. Both CD’s and DVD’s can get corrupted, and the scary part is that it could be in 10 years… or it could be in 10 days. So, don’t count on these as long term storage! But, if you’re going to use this option, consider the archival gold products, which are rated to 100 years. I still wouldn’t put all my eggs in one basket, so to speak, but definitely a better alternative. Also, consider making duplicate copies of your disks as you make each one. Store one at home, and one in another location: grandma’s house, safe deposit box, off-site storage, etc.
3) Use an external hard drive. An external hard drive is similar to the hard drive in your computer, so it can hold lots of information, but it’s not in your computer, it’s external. So you can plug it in and backup as needed. Or, should you need to leave your home quickly (due to a fire, or uh-hem, a hurricane) you can just grab it and go. Again, keep in mind that hard drives do fail, so consider a second backup source as well.
4) Use a RAID system. It’s basically two hard drives in your computer, one that you use to access and modify files, and the other that is an exact copy of the first. So, it cuts your actual storage in half, but you always have your files backed up in case one of the hard drives fails.
4) Use an online backup service. What’s that? Well, it’s not just a host for photographs like Picasa. It backs up your entire computer, or just the files you choose. Check out carbonite. It’s just $50 per year, regardless of the amount you backup. Use it to backup your photographs, and other important files too. The initial backup may take days or even weeks (check the details of the one you choose), so it’s not the best option if you’re in a hurry (for instance, if you’re evacuating from a hurricane!) But, do it to be prepared for whatever comes at you next!
5) Don’t forget to actually print your photographs. Okay, I know you don’t want to print all of them. But, it’s important to at least print your favorites. If you have lots of prints, they can be hard and heavy to transport when you’re trying to get out of your house in a hurry. But, it’s important as a long-term archiving process, in case the digital media fails.
Now, which one do I use? I use them all! Seriously. Now, I’m just like everyone else. I’m behind at printing my snapshots and at burning my backup DVD’s. But, for peace of mind, I have my RAID backup and my carbonite online backup, and the other options I use as needed. If I could recommend just one, it would be carbonite. I just can’t get over how cheap it is, and the fact that it backs up ALL the files on my computer, for such a small fee per year! But, for now, just start burning disks and uploading to Picassa before we lose electricity!
STAY SAFE!
