Once Again - The Importance of Backups

Dim Reaper

I have just carried out what is without doubt my most stupid mistake so far this year.  Having bought the new Alexandra 8 Pro bundle and associated add-ons and freebies, I decided to to a couple of test renders before going to bed.  I always install my content using an unzipping program which is great for batch unzipping to the DS content directory.  For some reason, for the first time ever, I forgot to tick the "Merge Folder Contents" box so upon loading Daz Studio I discovered that I only had one item installed - all other content in DS was gone and the contents of the Content folder had been replaced a couple of dozen times.  I had a few seconds of absolute panic before I remembered that I do have a folder of backups...it was just a matter of how recent it was taken.

Turns out that my last backup of the Content folder was taken at the beginning of November 2017.  I've just had to endure 30 minutes of file copying, and now I'm at the stage where I can re-install the content bought over the past few months - fortunately also kept on a backup drive.

I was very fortunate this time.  The backup isn't as recent as it should have been, but I've only lost about an hour of time to copy from the backup and then reinstall later content - it could have been much worse.  Once I've done that, my project for tomorrow evening is to create a "February 2018" content backup to another drive.

Just a reminder to everyone out there - don't put off your backups of any important files.  As far too many of us know, an up-to-date backup drive is worth its weight in gold.  Despite my stupid mistake, I am feeling very lucky.

 

bluejaunte

I have Macrium Reflect (free) do daily backups. It gives a lot of ease of mind, even just knowing that I can overwrite a file like a morph and know I can get the previous version easily.

Dim Reaper

bluejaunte said:

I have Macrium Reflect (free) do daily backups. It gives a lot of ease of mind, even just knowing that I can overwrite a file like a morph and know I can get the previous version easily.

I hadn't heard of that program, but I just Googled it and bookmarked the page ready to take a look at the weekend.  Thanks for mentioning it.

bluejaunte

Sure, yeah it's great. Dead easy to use. Actually I feel bad using the free version, I should really reward them and buy it. Never let me down, it can make a nice rescue disk too so you can just shove that in and have it restore your system partition from yesterday, a week or a month ago, depending on how far back you're keeping the backups. I did a few times for various reasons and never an issue.

Peter Fulford

Dim Reaper said:

I always install my content using an unzipping program which is great for batch unzipping to the DS content directory.  For some reason, for the first time ever, I forgot to tick the "Merge Folder Contents" box so upon loading Daz Studio I discovered that I only had one item installed - all other content in DS was gone and the contents of the Content folder had been replaced a couple of dozen times. 

 Forgetting to tick one box results in the deletion of all previously installed content? I would be inclined to adopt an alternative installation routine.

 

LeatherGryphon

I've found a very simple and efficient way of compressing my data.  I run a program which scans through my disk and counts all the ones and zeros and keeps each tally in a 64-bit number, then I save those two numbers on a thumbdrive.  I'm still working on an uncompression algorithm.

Pack58

I think that's the first time I've actually laughed in weeks (grumpy old sod).

LeatherGryphon

Dim Reaper

Peter Fulford said:

 Forgetting to tick one box results in the deletion of all previously installed content? I would be inclined to adopt an alternative installation routine.

You are quite right.  It's simple laziness on my part.  When I used mainly Poser, I had a folder named "Installs" that I would always install content to first, then sort the items into the folders that I wanted and then move to the Runtime directory.  Since I started using Daz Studio, I have gotten out of that habit, but it's definitely time to resurrect it.

Taoz

Peter Fulford said:

Dim Reaper said:

I always install my content using an unzipping program which is great for batch unzipping to the DS content directory.  For some reason, for the first time ever, I forgot to tick the "Merge Folder Contents" box so upon loading Daz Studio I discovered that I only had one item installed - all other content in DS was gone and the contents of the Content folder had been replaced a couple of dozen times. 

 Forgetting to tick one box results in the deletion of all previously installed content? I would be inclined to adopt an alternative installation routine.

Such a feature should have a warning box pop up before being executed...

fastbike1

@Dim Reaper "When I used mainly Poser, I had a folder named "Installs" that I would always install content to first, then sort the items into the folders that I wanted and then move to the Runtime directory."

DIM does both those steps for you. Just sayin'

ArtsyDragon

I totally hear you on doing backups. I hadn't done one, didn't realize how much time had passed or how much content I'd loaded until I had a catastrophic crash. Mine was not due to a program issue like you mentioned, just a basic 'file corrupt' on everything I tried to load one day after a sudden hard boot. I have been five days trying to get my base loaded. 

The good news, did it to an external. When I am finished with this phase, I'll be copying to another external.

I hope things go better for you, man!

barbult

LeatherGryphon said:

I've found a very simple and efficient way of compressing my data.  I run a program which scans through my disk and counts all the ones and zeros and keeps each tally in a 64-bit number, then I save those two numbers on a thumbdrive.  I'm still working on an uncompression algorithm.

You never cease to amaze! 

namffuak

LeatherGryphon said:

I've found a very simple and efficient way of compressing my data.  I run a program which scans through my disk and counts all the ones and zeros and keeps each tally in a 64-bit number, then I save those two numbers on a thumbdrive.  I'm still working on an uncompression algorithm.

Makes sense to me - digital content is just a collection of '1' bits and their relative location to one another after all.

Cybersox

LeatherGryphon said:

I've found a very simple and efficient way of compressing my data.  I run a program which scans through my disk and counts all the ones and zeros and keeps each tally in a 64-bit number, then I save those two numbers on a thumbdrive.  I'm still working on an uncompression algorithm.

Careful!  I think you can only talk about the "ones" here and not the "zeroes."  The mods don't like people discussing nought-y bits.

Taoz

LeatherGryphon said:

I've found a very simple and efficient way of compressing my data.  I run a program which scans through my disk and counts all the ones and zeros and keeps each tally in a 64-bit number, then I save those two numbers on a thumbdrive.  I'm still working on an uncompression algorithm.

I've encrypted my disk the same way. Only problem is that the key is 4 TB.

fastbike1

@Cybersox "Careful!  I think you can only talk about the "ones" here and not the "zeroes."  The mods don't like people discussing nought-y bits."

Ouch! Well played.