How do you save/backup your projects?

[oxbee]

Hi,

I am really afraid of reinstalling my PC. I don't know exactly how to backup my project files so that my musics will play exactly as they were created when my system will be reinstalled and everything reinstalled from zero.

Do I have to create patches for my VSTi and save them? How can I be sure my backup is safe with all the files in it?
Is there a recommended size for .trkarch? (it seems one of mine went wrong because it was too big ~400 Mb)
What about VSTi?

Please tell me how YOU do and your experience.

Thank you

[glurgle]

The way I did it is thus...

If you have multiple edits of the same song, and don't want to back up the same audio files over and over again then what you want to do is archive the project. To avoid having HUGE projects backups you need to get rid of orphan clips. I haven't had a problem with this yet (though I've managed to do about every other possible stupid thing to break the archiving system )

Go through and delete any edits in the project that you are *sure* you don't want, then click on the "find orphan clips" button and delete these items from the project. Do *not* delete the source files as it's really not necessary. (and could screw you if you use those files in another project)

Then export that project using the same procedure as before and choose the option to "Save as files in a directory." Then save to a new directory (something like C:\song backup\song name)

Rinse and repeat, then when you're finished, burn those directories to CDs (you're going to need more than one) or DVDs (probably only one or two)

You can also export as .trkarchs, but I find the directories more convenient in case I want to lift tracks direct off the cd without having to unpack the edit somewhere on the hard drive. I'm not using compression when backing up anyways, which is the only benefit the .trkarch system has over files in a directory.

*Very important and worth mentioning. If you use samples in the sampler they are NOT backed up with your project, (they are not files in library projects) so you will need to save these seperately, either manually or by backing up your samples directory (you do have a directory for your samples right? ) The same goes for any samples used in VST samplers.

As to VSTs you don't need to save presets, as all plugin settings are saved with the edits.

Anybody else please feel free to clarify and improve on my method, I don't know that I've mastered tracktions archive system just yet

[P.T.]

I guess my edits arn't that big. I don't keep a lot of audio files in my edits.

I just take the most recent edit and the most recent tracktion file and burn them to CD.

If I make changes that I want to back-up I burn the new lattest files.

[IIRs]

I export the edits as archives.. this way Tracktion only saves the bits of audio I actually used (plus handles) as I often record long takes that I snip little bits out of..

All your plug-in settings should be saved, but NOT any samples they use, so check you have those backed up too.

[cbit]

i work exclusively with audio at the 'end' of writing a track.. i select the 'final' edit (i hace only one definitive version of a track at the end), and i export an archive of just that edit.. i select the option to minimise audio handles.. and ask for all iles to be saved inside a directory. then i burn that directory to 2 cds.. works really well for me, very neat.

[oxbee]

Ohh. many thanks for your answers and especially glurgle for the long quote!

It seems that VSTi presets saving is not mandatory. It could be a pain to do that

Really, thank you for your comments and feel free to add your way.
I think I will dive into the hole and reinstall my PC. Hum, I will probably do a multiboot with W2k before just to test.

[AndrewSimon]

Hmm

I work differently.
I have one hard drive for the programs (C drive)
I have a second drive for DATA only including all music projects.
Then I have a third drive for daily back up of the second drive.
I have a small software scanning the DATA drive every night at 2AM for changes and creates a mirror back up on the back up hard drive.
It saved me several times.

[miasch]

was thinking of buying a seagate external hd to drag and drop backup everynight. good idea? don't really know the reliability of external hd's.