anewsome
So my normal routine before any and every gig is to plug up my entire system at home and make sure everything still works and at the same time I get a fresh re-sync from my mp3 server on my network. I do this for the hard drive installed in my coffin and then I re-sync the spare hard drive in my road ready case.
Well yesterday the main hard drive failed. Windows kept asking to format it because it was not recognized but it wouldn't format anyway. I thought it was my laptop so I switched to my backup laptop. Same thing, drive would not open up so I swapped it with the backup drive and that drive works fine.
I tried the drive on a third computer and it is dead. It won't open up, won't format or anything. This drive is new (only about 5 or 6 months old) and it is dead. This is why I carry a backup. Luckily this happened at home when I was checking it out and not in the middle of a gig.
I was so paranoid about going to the gig with no backup hard drive, that I opened a new 250GB I had and put that into an external USB case just so I had a backup still. It may come in handy someday.
Well yesterday the main hard drive failed. Windows kept asking to format it because it was not recognized but it wouldn't format anyway. I thought it was my laptop so I switched to my backup laptop. Same thing, drive would not open up so I swapped it with the backup drive and that drive works fine.
I tried the drive on a third computer and it is dead. It won't open up, won't format or anything. This drive is new (only about 5 or 6 months old) and it is dead. This is why I carry a backup. Luckily this happened at home when I was checking it out and not in the middle of a gig.
I was so paranoid about going to the gig with no backup hard drive, that I opened a new 250GB I had and put that into an external USB case just so I had a backup still. It may come in handy someday.
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 2:02 am
vantinedj
How do you sync the drives? What do you use?
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 2:19 am
Pionara
Wow anewsome...lucky (as you said) it wasn't at a gig!!!
My case is making some real funny noises right now. The trauma of getting moved around every weekend must be finally getting to it. I think tomorrow i'll be switching over all my main stuff to a couple of back ups myself.
Hopefully your problem don't occur again.
And hopefully i can get mine sorted!!! I'd be devastated if I lost my 5,000 odd tracks!!!
P
My case is making some real funny noises right now. The trauma of getting moved around every weekend must be finally getting to it. I think tomorrow i'll be switching over all my main stuff to a couple of back ups myself.
Hopefully your problem don't occur again.
And hopefully i can get mine sorted!!! I'd be devastated if I lost my 5,000 odd tracks!!!
P
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 2:27 am
acw_dj
Remember, "information that exist only on one place, don't really exists"...
Have a backup, Anewsome have ensure that he will playat the gig no matter what.
(I have my 300GB disk in warranty (My backup)) Hope not have any inconvinience this days...
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 6:28 am
Raw-Bear
@Pionara
5,000 tunes? About one year ago I lost over 11,000 tunes when my hard drive failed. Thank God for Cd's. I had to re-rip a whole ton of stuff (3 months of work) but it was and is worth it.
I now have over 30,000 tunes on 4 hard drives. 2 are back up and 2 I use as externals. I learned the hard way too about back up.
5,000 tunes? About one year ago I lost over 11,000 tunes when my hard drive failed. Thank God for Cd's. I had to re-rip a whole ton of stuff (3 months of work) but it was and is worth it.
I now have over 30,000 tunes on 4 hard drives. 2 are back up and 2 I use as externals. I learned the hard way too about back up.
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 7:16 am
anewsome
vantinedj I am a linux guy so all my sync is done with linux tools. Probably not a lot of interest to windows users, I use a program called rsync. I have a lot of exposure as far as losing data on hard drive failure for everything *except* mp3s. I will never lose my mp3 collection. The setup is like this:
1.) The mp3 server is where I rip and encode all CDs
2.) The mp3 server is backed up to another server right next to it nightly (using rsync)
3.) The mp3 server is rsync'd to my 250GB hard drive at work, nightly
4.) The mp3 server is rsync'd to BOTH my backup hard drives before each and every gig
5.) I own all CDs in my mp3 collection, they are also at my house.
Now granted, a nice fire at the house will most certainly wipe out 1, 2 and 5 for sure. Maybe 4, depending on if my gear is in my truck and whether or not it's in my driveway or on the street. The only thing that would wipe out 1-5 would be a very serious natural disaster. Trust me, if 1-5 are wiped out,.. probably I am too. At that point, the last thing I'm worrying about is mp3s.
1.) The mp3 server is where I rip and encode all CDs
2.) The mp3 server is backed up to another server right next to it nightly (using rsync)
3.) The mp3 server is rsync'd to my 250GB hard drive at work, nightly
4.) The mp3 server is rsync'd to BOTH my backup hard drives before each and every gig
5.) I own all CDs in my mp3 collection, they are also at my house.
Now granted, a nice fire at the house will most certainly wipe out 1, 2 and 5 for sure. Maybe 4, depending on if my gear is in my truck and whether or not it's in my driveway or on the street. The only thing that would wipe out 1-5 would be a very serious natural disaster. Trust me, if 1-5 are wiped out,.. probably I am too. At that point, the last thing I'm worrying about is mp3s.
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 8:16 am
jpboggis
Under Windows I use a program called Allway Sync (www.allwaysync.com) to syncronise my music collection between my laptop, desktop PC, external hard disk and Linux server. The Linux server is backed up via rsync to another remote Linux box. I also keep the external hard disk at work when not in use and am going to get a second in the new year.
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 11:43 am
lmichel
Interesting ideas here. I use two shuttle type systems in a coffin style case. I like them better than laptops because they can be upgraded and are easier to repair when a failure happens. But here in the Northern US it gets very cold and my sound equipment stays in a trailer when not in use. So instead of freezing and thawing the harddrives in a trailer and at a gig five nights a week, I use removable USB powered mini-drives. two 100Gb in each system. That way, at the end of the night, the music (and microphones) get packed in my briefcase and the rest gets put in the trailer.
These little drives are a great piece of technology that make setup easier and backup painless.
Thanks,
Lance
These little drives are a great piece of technology that make setup easier and backup painless.
Thanks,
Lance
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 1:25 pm
vantinedj
I've always found it difficult to backup my music. Moving from folder to folder. I too always have backups. Just worry about the day the c drive crashed... But can't be paranoid. I have all my music and karoake backed up. I DON'T WANT TO RIP AGAIN! Took too long. I have al cd's but we all know how long that takes. I just could never find a program to back up. I would usually either format and resend all info or try to figure out what songs I needed to move. A big PITA! How long does a sync take on that always sync. Only $20 not bad at all. Is it reliable? Does it run in the background and eat up resources or only when you turn it on?
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 1:54 pm
Parabellum
The main operating system you can easily back up with Norton Ghost or any program of that matter. Using a laptop myself I will, when I go back into gig's, also have a spare c drive. A bit of good laptop u can swop one in 2 minutes. I use Lacie harddrive's myself and soon I get Alu suitcase's with foam inside, all cut on the out on the back up drive's. So for the future I have one suitcase for all the sparepart's. A spare part laptop will also be going in place in the future. U just can't have that at a gig, a crashing laptop and no spare one. Even cpu's and ramm's can faillure at any time. But that's all in the case with electrical equipment, it can let ya down at any time. Sure, u can test upfront before a gig, but that doesn't exclude the possabillity of any faillure at a live performance.
Specially in these days, the temperature and humidity is a pain in the ass. To avoid condenss, u really should set-up ya gear, 2 hours upfront in the place where ya gonna perform. The transfer from home too the gig brings so manny temp changes with it that not manny DJ's look at this aspect. It mostly results in errors or faulty hardware faillure. The 2 hour time for this is a save period. After 2 hours u can power it up and be confident that condess is not an issue on ya hardware :o)
Specially in these days, the temperature and humidity is a pain in the ass. To avoid condenss, u really should set-up ya gear, 2 hours upfront in the place where ya gonna perform. The transfer from home too the gig brings so manny temp changes with it that not manny DJ's look at this aspect. It mostly results in errors or faulty hardware faillure. The 2 hour time for this is a save period. After 2 hours u can power it up and be confident that condess is not an issue on ya hardware :o)
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 4:05 pm
jpboggis
Allways Sync checks the files in the source and destination(s) and only transfers what's changed (E.g: New files added, etc.), so even for a large collection, it's quite fast. I've been using it since early this year and have not had any problems with it so far. I also use it to backup other files besides music (It allows multiple sync jobs to be created.)
You can control the direction of the sync (E.g: Source -> Destination, vice-versa or both ways) and whether files that have been removed get deleted or not (By default no.)
By default, you have to manually analyse (Looks for what's changed) and then syncronise the files. You can optionally automate this if you wish (So when you connect an external hard disk it automatically syncs, etc.)
For what it costs, it's very good value. The license is per computer - You will need one per computer you want to run it on, but providing the destinations are accessible from the master computer (E.g: External hard disk via it's drive letter, laptop drive via Windows file sharing, etc.), you will not need any additional licenses.
You can control the direction of the sync (E.g: Source -> Destination, vice-versa or both ways) and whether files that have been removed get deleted or not (By default no.)
By default, you have to manually analyse (Looks for what's changed) and then syncronise the files. You can optionally automate this if you wish (So when you connect an external hard disk it automatically syncs, etc.)
For what it costs, it's very good value. The license is per computer - You will need one per computer you want to run it on, but providing the destinations are accessible from the master computer (E.g: External hard disk via it's drive letter, laptop drive via Windows file sharing, etc.), you will not need any additional licenses.
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 4:21 pm
acw_dj
I will suggest something that work in desktops. Use a RAID controller. Some Intel Motherboards has "Intel Matrix Storage" is an unboard RAID controller that let you have more performance and save your data. If a harddisk fail, you could take it out, put another one and your system not loose any file in the process.
It's a working option. I like the Allways Sync software, seems good to me.
Posted Tue 20 Dec 05 @ 7:40 pm
kamakuakane
I don't know what brand drive you are using, but you might want to invest the extra money and by raid edition hard drives which are rated for server use. They are better built and will withstand the torture or mobile use.
Posted Wed 21 Dec 05 @ 4:32 am
anewsome
Desktop hard drives are made cheaply which is why they typically have only a 1 year warranty. Server hard drives typically have 5 year warranties but are so expensive that it's actually cheaper to buy 2 desktop hard drives. Raid is not really an option for me because of space constraints, so I will happilly continue to buy desktop hard drives and carry backups. I will install a RAID 5 when I get a resident gig.
Posted Wed 21 Dec 05 @ 4:57 am
DJ_Gauge
you know what sucks.
when your laptop harddrive craps out on you in the middle of Iraq, with no windows disk and no other form of entertainment other than vdj.
-gauge
when your laptop harddrive craps out on you in the middle of Iraq, with no windows disk and no other form of entertainment other than vdj.
-gauge
Posted Wed 21 Dec 05 @ 6:00 am
apopsisdj
My main music collection is always on 3 hardrives, and i just ordered a new 300GB Maxtor, this make me sleep better at nights...
@Gauge,.. it's time to go home !
@Gauge,.. it's time to go home !
Posted Thu 22 Dec 05 @ 2:37 am
anewsome
Well my mp3 server is synced to:
* a backup server right next to it
* a 250GB usb drive sitting here at work
* my primary gig hard drive
* my backup gig hard drive
RSYNC keeps all of these copies in sync daily! The ipods and portables don't count cuz those are only partials. That's 5 copies if you're keeping track :-) I guess you could say I'm a little paranoid,.. but I also like listening to music at work.
Now if I only had enough hard drive space to keep 5 backups of *all* of my data,.. which currently is around 2TB.
* a backup server right next to it
* a 250GB usb drive sitting here at work
* my primary gig hard drive
* my backup gig hard drive
RSYNC keeps all of these copies in sync daily! The ipods and portables don't count cuz those are only partials. That's 5 copies if you're keeping track :-) I guess you could say I'm a little paranoid,.. but I also like listening to music at work.
Now if I only had enough hard drive space to keep 5 backups of *all* of my data,.. which currently is around 2TB.
Posted Thu 22 Dec 05 @ 6:45 pm
Pionara
@Raw Bear
Wow man...30,000 tracks? VERY IMPRESSIVE!!!
Anything you haven't got?
hehe...:o)
Wow man...30,000 tracks? VERY IMPRESSIVE!!!
Anything you haven't got?
hehe...:o)
Posted Thu 22 Dec 05 @ 7:16 pm
anewsome
My collection sits at exactly 28,449 mp3 files. I always think I have *EVERYTHING* and then I'll listen to another DJ and sure enough there will be 1 or 2 songs I don't have. I also am sitting on 1258 premium music videos (MPEG2 DVD Quality), 234 movies (Divx encoded), 828 tv shows. However I wish I had a backup of the tvshows last year,.. I used to have more than 2,000.
Posted Thu 22 Dec 05 @ 10:14 pm