updating edited photos from one hard drive to another

[helenb40153403]

I use Adobe bridge to view/edit my photos but store them on an external hard drive with a second external hard drive as back up.   I do all my editing and saving on the first hard drive but from time to time, would like to copy these edited files to the second hard drive so that if the first hard drive fails, I dont have to re edit all over again from the raw files.  At the moment, I am copying and replacing all the photos from the first hard drive to the second hard drive.  There must be an easier and quicker way to do this so that only the files that have been changed/edited in the first hard drive are updated on the second hard drive ?

[gary_sc]

What you need to do is to use backup software. Backup software will compare what is in one drive and compare it with the items in a 2nd drive (can do this folder by folder or entire drive depending on how you set things up). It will then replace the updated items and leave the others alone.

If you are on a Mac I STRONGLY encourage the use of Chronosync. If you are on a PC, I'm sure that someone from that world will chime in for what they recommend.

Good luck!

[helenb40153403]

Hi Gary - thank you for that. I use a Mac book pro so I have taken your advice and downloaded Chronosync - hopefully I will work it out from here . Thank you. 

[gary_sc · Accepted solution]

Hi Helen,

OK, great. I did not want to go into any great elaborations about a product that might not be able to use but now that I know you're on your way, let me explain a bit. 

Chronosync uses a process called "bitcount" to transfer files. As it moves things, it counts bits of data and when after its done, it counts them again. If things do not "add up," it lets you know that there was an error and with what files. The way that you wish to use Chronosync is the same way I've been using it for over 20 years. I've found it reasonably fast and very efficient. I have to say "reaonsably" becuase if you have a folder with (say) 10,000 files in it, it will take longer than a folder with 100 files. It is one of the four top Helping Applications that I could not imagine working without on my Mac.

Below is a screenshot of one of my saved Actions. Note that I've set this to "Mirror," and that I've set one of the checkboxes to Sychrnoize Deleations. This means that if I delete a file on one hard drive it will be deleted in the other. Otherwise I'll end up with the backup hard filled up with files that I do not want and deleted from the primary hard drive. 

And one tip: on the very top, you'll see a button called "Trial Sync." If you press that before you press Syncrhonize, it will do the latter faster (I do not know why).

Best and good luck!

 

[Lumigraphics]

Chronosync is great, there are other sync programs, I use Free File Sync myself which is similar. Much better than manual copy/paste.

[helenb40153403]

Thanks for that Gary.  I downloaded it on a trial basis for 15 days to see if it does what I want.......and it does.

 I set it up as back up left to right - is that a big difference to setting up mirror left to right ?  And I didn't synchronise the deletions but I will next time.  Do you know if the folders have to have exactly the same title or does that matter ?  

Thanks for the tips - much appreciated.

[gary_sc]

Hi Helen,

Good questions!

Nope, direction you set things up is entirely on your discretion. I have chosen to have my "from" folder on the left and "to" folder on the right. By keeping that constant, I'm less likely to make a mistake (if I occasionally altered the direction on an arbitrary basis I'd be done for ;>)).

Folder name is also arbitrary but again, I like to have the same name also to help remove confusion for myself. 

For many many actions, computers do not care what direction things move in, what they are called, etc. But the human dynamic is more vulnerable to mis-reading, mis-seeing, or just doing things faster than the brain is rationalizing what's fully going on. When I'm in a hurry, tired, or just not paying attention, I make mistakes. Anything I can do to limit and/or prevent mistakes is part of my computer work process. So even if the computer or application, doesn't care, I do.

Enjoy!