Photo Storage on Cruising Yachts

[Reefmagnet]

If you cant upload to cloud, duplicate using 2 (or more) portable hard drives and every year post one off to a friend or relative for safe keeping and replace with a new unit. If you run windows, google "robocopy" or use the backup software that comes with most portable hard disks for the duplication.

[CarlF]

+1 portable USB hard drives.

1 Terabyte drives are now $50. I alternate backups onto two drives. This is also a backup of images of ships papers, insurance, passports and so forth. Store one in a waterproof bag in the ditch bag. Once a year I delete everything but the "keepers" of the previous year. Then I make a 3rd backup that I give to my son to hold ashore at his house.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

I know it's a bother doing photo albums on the boat, and they are so heavy. But, they are also very easy to look at.

If you have the willingness to print out the best ones, and album them, that may be the best. I would also try to store on flash drives. I would expect there to be unforeseen problems with cloud storage, simply because the more complex something is, the more failure modes it has.

So I agree with the poster who wrote to print them and enjoy. Buy good inks and a good printer and enjoy.

Sorry, Zee, that you lost precious photos. The problem, though, is that we can remember erroneously, not sure that matters much in the overall scheme of things.
But I agree that ether storage is uncertain at best. If we accept that from the get-go, maybe it's easier to stomach.

Ann

Ann, you beat me to it. Kodak paper.

[LoudMusic]

https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Port...ore%2B2tb&th=1

Hard to go wrong with that.

The key word in all this is "portable". There are USB drives which require external power supply. You do NOT want that. It needs to be powered by USB for simplicity so you don't have to keep up with the power cable as well. The portable drives fit this need.

And it's all so cheap now you might as well get two, or even three, and keep multiple copies. Original on your laptop/computer, first copy on a portable, and another copy on another portable.

If you've got someone back home you could mail them to that could be good as well.

[barnakiel]

I use bigger USB (flash) sticks. The limitation is the speed.

Online storage is great but it assumes you have broadband onboard (at least now and then).

REMOVING the card when full and using a clean new card is a neat way to store as you save on transfer time.

Cheers,
b.

[ozdigennaro]

JohnEasley has it right. "Print out ..." -- are you kidding. NO MORE PAPER.

[tp12]

Originally Posted by robregje

The safest,

theoretical, way is having three storage media and then use a free downloadable raid 5 app.
This stores, devides, the data as follows data devided in two and spread equal over all three media so that always one half is on two media.

In understandable terms; if something is stored in three spots, rarely two go down.

Grtz Robért

To the OP: I would do something like this in your situation. There are also USB RAID controllers cheap now which present to the operating system as a disk: this makes the whole thing easily transferable between computers.

Create a folder where everything under that is backed up to the cloud when you're connected to wifi as well. Google drive is now called Google Backup and Sync is an option to do it. Or just sync the lot; cloud disk is cheap.

The other thread discussing the build your own pc....this is actually easier than you think these days. A PC like that really can be the center of most, if not all, systems on board and can be built with sufficient redundancy to be reliable. IMO. It would solve your photo storage requirement.

[pmclachlan]

Paper
Choose the best and print them out.
They will still be good 100 years from now.
Your great grandchildren will praise your foresight.
Peter

[leftbrainstuff]

RAID 6 NAS plus 2 extra backups on board in waterproof pelican cases.

Cloud storage when in wifi range. We use a bitttorrent tool and scripted uploads to Amazon Glacier.

I have plenty of cheap but good quality hard drives and a hard drive cradle. I see 1 to 3 hard drive issues per year on the NAS. I hot swap them out and usually repair them with Spinrite.

We rotate backups when we travel back to Oz. 5 backups in 2 countries and 3 physical locations.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by zeehag

... i wonder if that was asian hooker long time, mexican long time, or ny minute long time.. results pending...

The most succinct essay on “relativity” I’ve ever read. Thanks!

[belizesailor]

I dont do a ton of photography/video so massive capacity is not an issue for me, but I use SD cards and internal device memory with automated backup to cloud.

For backup I use DropSync. It automatically syncs to cloud when network is available (you can prohibit specific networks...like your shared cell phone hot spot). Works great and means I dont have to remember (...or rather forget) to backup. I use it to automatically keep everything backed up from my phone & tablet, not just fotos.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by GordMay

The most succinct essay on “relativity” I’ve ever read. Thanks!

Einstien & Hawkins would likely enjoy it too! [emoji41]

[uhu]

Originally Posted by Tessellate

...
Cruisers that report frequent HDD failures are more likely exposing them to salty air / water, or dropping them, or not taking care of them in some other way. I keep mine in a plastic ziplock bag when not in use.

... .

with harddrives, as well as CD/DVD-drives, it does make a BIG difference how you store them.
Vibrations and "bumps" have a different effect if they are stored flat (horizontal = BETTER)
or on their "edge" (vertical = disc spinning upright like a bicycle wheel = more prone to failure).

... don't ask me how I know ...

[BlueChicago]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Port...ore%2B2tb&th=1

Hard to go wrong with that.

The key word in all this is "portable". There are USB drives which require external power supply. You do NOT want that. It needs to be powered by USB for simplicity so you don't have to keep up with the power cable as well. The portable drives fit this need.

And it's all so cheap now you might as well get two, or even three, and keep multiple copies. Original on your laptop/computer, first copy on a portable, and another copy on another portable.

If you've got someone back home you could mail them to that could be good as well.

+1 on Western Digital drives.

[ReneJK]

Originally Posted by uhu

with harddrives, as well as CD/DVD-drives, it does make a BIG difference how you store them.
Vibrations and "bumps" have a different effect if they are stored flat (horizontal = BETTER)
or on their "edge" (vertical = disc spinning upright like a bicycle wheel = more prone to failure).

... don't ask me how I know ...

that shouldnt really matter ?
If they are power down properly the heads are parked and locked properly and there's no way they can touch or damage the data area



weird if you experience differences in how you store them



btw the best way to store them is :
- use an ESD bag

- use the original packaging with padding

- use silicate bags to keep moisture out