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jclin10
jclin10
Known Participant
June 23, 2020
Question

iMac with external HD - where should I store the Catalog file, photos and backup files?

  • June 23, 2020
  • 2 replies
  • 347 views

Greetings,

 

I'm trying to clear up some space on my iMac, to which is attached an external HD (RAID 0).

 

Where is the ideal place for me to store the:

 

1. Catalog file

2. Photo files themselves

3. Backup files

 

In a way that gives me more space on my iMac without compromising performance in a significant way?

 

Thanks!

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

GoldingD
GoldingD
Legend
June 23, 2020

Backups should go on a separate drive, Not on your boot/system drive, not on the same drive as your catalog, not on the same drive as your photos.

 

As for backups on your boot/system drive, I assume you backup that drive, that backup needs to be on a separate drive. And as that drive gets lots of activity, not a great place for other backups like your catalog or photos.

 

If your catalog and your backup of your catalog are on the same drive, then when (that is when) that drive fails, you will loose both.

 

If your Photos and the backup of your Photos are on the same drive, when that drive fails, you loose both.

 

 

    jclin10
    jclin10Author
    Known Participant
    June 23, 2020

    Thanks! Is the backup that Lightroom does automatically a backup of the catalog or the photos themselves?

     

    Also, how long do you need to typically keep the backups? They start to take up a lot of space!

    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    June 23, 2020

    The backup that Lightroom Classic does automatically is just the catalog file. It does not backup the photos, which you have to do somehow (either manually, which I don't recommend; or automatically via third party software, which I do recommend).

     

    I keep the catalog backups for quite a while, probably months. I guess it depends on how much space you have for catalog backups (which should go on the external drive) and your tolerance for risk (lower tolerance means you keep them longer).

    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    June 23, 2020

    Catalog usually goes on your fastest disk, which is normally the internal drive.

     

    Photos and backups can go on your slowest disk, which is normally the external drive.

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