topic Re: Backing up to CD-R in Modeling

Backing up to CD-R

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Feb 2004 17:05:09 GMT

With the large file sizes I am using a CD to do a daily back-up of the changed files. I have one CD per client.

What CD read and write methods are you using?

I have used DirectCD on "old" computer with my MATSHITA CD recorder. My new 4780 with the Samsung Drive does not seem to support DirectCD.

Adaptec DirectCD is a program that allows you to write files directly to a CD-Recordable (CD-R) or CD-ReWritable (CD-RW) disc in much the same way that you copy files to a floppy diskette or removable drive.

DirectCD provides a file system based on UDF v1.5 and writes data to the CD-R or CD-RW disc using packet writing technology. This file system gives you drive letter access to your CD-R or CD-RW drive.

I don't know if packet writing technology has gone by the waste-side.

Re: Backing up to CD-R

MMontgomery — Fri, 20 Feb 2004 17:26:58 GMT

I'm using the CD-recording capability built in to Windows XP. I haven't experienced any trouble reading the CDRs in other drives (yet). It looks like it's a proprietary system that Microsoft uses for it's built-in recording software - 'Windows XP Publisher' is the name assigned in the driver details.

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Feb 2004 17:37:40 GMT

MM,
Thanks for the reply. Is the Built-in CD writing like the "Drag & Drop" done with Zip disks or Floppy?

Thanks

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Feb 2004 17:51:59 GMT

The Adaptec company is now Roxio, and DirectCD 3.0 is no longer supported. The new product is "Drag-to-Disk" which comes contained in Easy Media Creator 7. My new computer came with Nero any opinions?

Re: Backing up to CD-R

MMontgomery — Fri, 20 Feb 2004 19:10:32 GMT

Yes it's drag and drop as if you were placing files into a new folder. In WinXP, when you place a blank CDR into the recorder, it asks what you would like to do and I have mine default to simply open a blank folder representing the contents of the blank CDR.

After dragging all the files and folders you need burned, you just click the 'Write these files to Disk' command and it creates the CD.

It's nice and easy.

I've also got NERO on my computer, but haven't seen the need for it with XPs CDR creation capability

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Stephen Dolbee — Fri, 20 Feb 2004 19:55:08 GMT

Jay,

We use DirectCD with CD-RW's. I like the fact that it is just as easy as writing to floppy disk. Drag and drop does it.

Steve

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Anonymous — Sat, 21 Feb 2004 02:12:01 GMT

I use Nero 5.5.9.9 on Win2K.
It's very ease and nice to use.

What I usually do is moving everything I want into the CD
to a 700MB partitions. Organize it (drawing, diferent files, folders...)
and then burn the CD.

MMontgomery does this XP tool save multisection disks?

"MMontgomery" whote...

> After dragging all the files and folders you need burned, you just
> click the 'Write these files to Disk' command and it creates the CD.

Re: Backing up to CD-R

ci-JoshOs — Sun, 22 Feb 2004 20:31:28 GMT

If your drive supports it,Mt Rainier is the way to go now. it uses a modified version of the UDF system and is a lot faster, easier to use and reliable. A good program is Write-CD-RW Pro from SAI.
http://www.softarch.com/us/products/wcdrwWinfeature.html

Re: Backing up to CD-R

stefan — Mon, 23 Feb 2004 08:46:04 GMT

IIRC, the Windows XP built-in system is made by Roxio. But I could be wrong.

I usually use Easy-CD-Creator (my version still supports directCD, but that system is not that good for taking files elsewhere, since it requires UDF-software to be installed with the other party and that's not always feasable).

Make the distinction between your internal needs and with files going to other people. With the price of a CD-R it's just writing CD-R's for me. About the same "hassle" as writing to a floppy, but everyone can read them.

I'm still not sure if I will be able to read all of this in a few years, though. I have gotten rid of my old floppies and some of my old CD-R's are not readable anymore, so I'm not to keen to wipe the data of my Harddisk as well.

P.S. - I just started with digital video and that eats Gigabytes... Comparing that with my music-efforts, this is huge. And I thought audio files were large. I have an edit of the video for my kid, from about 30minutes and it takes 8 GB of capture files and about 7 GB as the edited file. I'm putting it back to DV-tape, to free up the hard disk again.

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2004 11:15:06 GMT

I have used Direct-CD and Easy CD Creator with good results (I still do occasionally, but it is much easier on the Mac and that is also the machine I use most these days).

I do not recommend CD-RW disks (or writing multi-session CD-Rs). They are slower to write/rewrite, are more expensive, and I have heard (from local experts) that they are unreliable. CD-R disks are so inexpensive (25¢ to 50¢ around here depending on quantity and brand - a little more if you buy them in the supermarket ) that I see no point in the reusable ones. I usually copy a project to CD at significant points such as completion of SD, or DD phase or issuance of drawing sets (i.e. Permit Set, Bid Set, CDs etc.).

CDs are good for archiving but for regular daily backup I recommend two external hard drives with one rotated off-site every week. USB 2.0 is acceptable if you already have it (USB 1.1 is too painfully slow for backing up large amounts of data); Firewire (aka. iLink or IEEE1394) is best if you've got it or want to make the investment in a card. The big advantage of the hard drive backup is that you can restore or replace a crashed drive in very little time restoring from CDs is an onerous chore.

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2004 17:52:14 GMT

Folks,
just wondering...

Now that DVD-R are unnexpensive, had anyone started
playing with them?
I'm planning to get one quite soon, what about it?

One DVD can save many CDs

funny to think, when I started playing with computers
a 1,44 MB floppy was endless.

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Stephen Dolbee — Mon, 23 Feb 2004 18:10:54 GMT

avcamara wrote:
Folks,
just wondering...

Now that DVD-R are unnexpensive, had anyone started
playing with them?

I have a dvd+r/rw, but haven't used dvd media to store data yet. I can still store several archicad jobs on a single cd. However, if archicad and lbk files continue to get any bigger, I will probably switch over.

Steve

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2004 19:33:32 GMT

The only problem with DVD-R is speed. The fastest ones (last time I checked) were rated at 4x (relative to the speed of an audio CD) which is VERY slow compared to the 52x CD writers. I think it is only worthwhile for backing up a large project that won't fit on a couple of CDs.

On the other hand, it does come in quite handy sometimes. It is still a bit amazing to me that it's built-in to my PowerBook.

Re: Backing up to CD-R

stefan — Tue, 24 Feb 2004 08:48:35 GMT

DVD-R speeds are not the same 1x as with CD-R speeds!

CD: 1x=150KB/s
DVD: 1x=1.385KB/s

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Feb 2004 11:47:30 GMT

stefan wrote:
DVD-R speeds are not the same 1x as with CD-R speeds!

CD: 1x=150KB/s
DVD: 1x=1.385KB/s

I am certainly no expert in this area, but are you sure that CD-R recording is over 100 times faster (surely there is a typo in your numbers). At the rate you quote it would take over 900 hours to write a full DVD. Perhaps you meant to say 1.385MB/second?

This number sounds about right. It takes my internal drive about an hour (as I recall) to write a full DVD and it is rated as a mere 1x drive (the 1.385MB/second comes to about 0.9 hrs for a full burn). I just checked Lacie's website and they have a new 8x DVD which should therefore burn 4.7 GB in under 8 minutes. That is fast.

I stand corrected and am glad to know that the DVD+/-R formats are getting fast enough for real backup functions. I guess the 1x speed must be the rate that a movie is played. It makes sense to me now. Thank you for pointing this out.

Re: Backing up to CD-R

stefan — Tue, 24 Feb 2004 12:52:53 GMT

In our part of the world 1000 = 1.000 (we use a "," for the decimals)

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Rick Thompson — Tue, 24 Feb 2004 14:41:39 GMT

For what it is worth.... I backed up for years on CD's. My work is based on existing plans, so back up is my life I also work out of the house. The 2 issues I have are HD crash's and fire. I now have 2 small external firewire HD's. I rotate them every month or so between work and a safty deposite box. The firewire will check and back up 10 gig's in a few min. It is so much easier and faster than CD's, I find I backup everything now... including the user system Library. I also back-up regularly now. It cost more to get set up, but is so much easier and safer (the off site rotation) than burning CD's.

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Stephen Dolbee — Tue, 24 Feb 2004 14:45:41 GMT

Matthew wrote:
I do not recommend CD-RW disks (or writing multi-session CD-Rs). They are slower to write/rewrite, are more expensive, and I have heard (from local experts) that they are unreliable.

Matthew,
I have found that CD-RWs are not quite as reliable as CD-Rs too. However, it just seems the logical choice when jobs constantly need changes and modifications. Don't you end up with several CDs of the same job all at different stages? How do you keep them organized?

Just wondering.
Steve

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Feb 2004 15:06:56 GMT

Stephen wrote:
Matthew,
I have found that CD-RWs are not quite as reliable as CD-Rs too. However, it just seems the logical choice when jobs constantly need changes and modifications. Don't you end up with several CDs of the same job all at different stages? How do you keep them organized?

Just wondering.
Steve

Ordered by project, date and phase of work and kept in a drawer, box or safe. This varies by client. I keep mine in a drawer unit of my own making. I am thinking of getting a fireproof box for record sets, or maybe a safe deposit box at my bank. I keep the CDs in sleeves since even the slim jewel cases take up too much room. Archival backups to CD I just stack in the muffin tins they come in.

Re: Backing up to CD-R

Djordje — Tue, 24 Feb 2004 15:21:44 GMT

For daily backups, or transferring (taking work home, beuh) the best way is the USB SmartDrive or whatever is the commercial name - 256MB or more, usually enough.

I found the DVD-R readability problematic. Probably will iron itself out in time.