Hard Drive is full - Original Music Files vs. Back-up Files

[cicada]

I always knew it would come to this, so here goes. Even though I picked up a 250G external hard drive, I have it filled up with music files (flac's and shn's). I convert everything to WAV's and make cd's for listening... then dump the WAV's. I also have been compiling everything on dvd's to backup everything (flac's & shn's). I have some material I will want to continue to share, so I will leave them on the hard drive for now. But, there is a bunch of stuff I don't need to access for a while. My question: Are the backup files just as good as the original files I pulled from here (and elsewhere).

Of course, I have been running TLH on the incoming files. I am working hard to make sure everything is lossless in the first place (no MP3). So, is there any good reason NOT to open up all that space on the hard drive? I can always import those files from the backup dvd at a later date, right?

[Five]

only if the st5 checksums match (and 99% they won't). also you need to keep the checksums and info files for each show somewhere where you can find them.

audio cdr is a poor storage medium. it is very difficult to get exact wav files back off of them, and by the time you figure out how to get it exactly right you will also realize that you want to just keep the original files.

for dvds, you odds are much better, so long as you hang onto the original txt file and info where you can find it and/or use the EXTRAS_TS method.

much more detailed information relating to this topic in the two links in my signature. and also here:
http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/showthread.php?t=26012

summary: I cannot stress the point enough that you should keep your original FLAC/SHN/APE data files due to the extreme difficulty in recovering this data without errors from audio cdr format. For DVDs use the EXTRAS_TS method for best results, then you have a playable DVD with all of the extras right on it without having to burn 2 copies.

[diggrd]

I also have been compiling everything on dvd's to backup everything (flac's & shn's). As long as you have done this faithfully I think you are OK although it is always prudent to have 3 sources of material for redundancy. I would consider using par files (http://www.par2.net/) on the archive DVD complilations of flac and shn that you make. I like to have 20% of the disc set aside for redundant recovery data.

[cicada]

summary: I cannot stress the point enough that you should keep your original FLAC/SHN/APE data files due to the extreme difficulty in recovering this data without errors from audio cdr format. For DVDs use the EXTRAS_TS method for best results, then you have a playable DVD with all of the extras right on it without having to burn 2 copies.
Cool - I will make sure to hold onto the additional txt files, checksums or other source documents for the future (looks like I should generate my own checksums for the few recordings where they were not included originally?). And... I will put some cash away for another Hard Drive for 2007. Thanks for the lo-down!

I seem to remember a thread here that went into depth about archival strategies. I have been thinking that it is better to have a bunch of smaller hard drives (100G or 200G) rather than one big one (like terabyte), because of the likelihood that these products are prone to crash. It is better to lose a little than a lot.

Also, thanks to Diggrd… I will I will look at the par files as another strategy. Even though I have never done any redundant data recovery, yet... it doesn't mean I won't have to in the future. I’ll leave space on those dvd’s from now on.

I hope everyone is enjoying the winter solstice (here in the northern climes). Thanks!!

[cicada]

Upon further consideration, I realize that I may have missed the meaning when this came up originally (I thought I understood this reply from Five, but my ignorance has re-surfaced). summary: I cannot stress the point enough that you should keep your original FLAC/SHN/APE data files due to the extreme difficulty in recovering this data without errors from audio cdr format. For DVDs use the EXTRAS_TS method for best results, then you have a playable DVD with all of the extras right on it without having to burn 2 copies.The flac and shn files could be saved to dvd as I meant to suggest above. At some point in the future I could reteive these and import them to my hard drive for sharing. Is this acceptable? Was FIVE cautioning me that the WAV files would be introducing a generation (& possible loss) or was I being cautioned NOT to rely on the flac and shn dvd compilations?

[AAR.oner]

he's saying you should burn the flac/shn shows as data [to either CDR or DVDR]...then to trade in the future, you'll just put the disc in, drag the show's folder to yer desktop, and then burn another data disc as yer trade

by converting the lossless files to wav, burning the wavs as an Audio CDR, and then re-extracting from the audio cdr [even using EAC], "generational loss" can occur...only burn Audio CDR copies for your personal listening, and the original lossless fileset should be burned as data for archiving

[Five]

^that's right

burn the data to CDR, DVDR, removable HD, whatever, just don't rely on audio cds (the kind that you use in a normal oldschool home player).

as for archiving strategies, the main trouble with digital is that it sort of fades away. lossless files can be "tested" every few years and backed-up to another place from time to time. life expectancy of CDR/DVDR media is still a bit of a mystery, some say as little as 5yrs, for HD more like 10yrs.

if you're still uncertain, don't be shy to ask more questions