How do you manage all of your files?

[Cherylndesigns]

I just got a new 2T External Hard Drive. It's my second 2T EHD.

I'm curious to know how all of you manage all of the big files we get as digi scrappers?

 

[Cherylndesigns]

What do you keep on your computer hard drive?
What do you move to your EHD?
If you have more than one EHD's, what do you move to them?
Lastly how do you keep track of what's where?

I'd LOVE to hear how you all "manage" your files.

 

[Jam-on-toast]

I have an "archive" EHD where I keep master files of my template collection, the layouts/albums that have been printed and the kits I don't use anymore - retired, designers I don't CT for, etc...

The kits I'm working with I keep on my HD and the print-ready layouts are backed up to Cloud. I'm not particularly worried about my computer crashing - I have a new one and in most cases data can be retrieved. In addition, being on CT's means I rarely get to work with older kits - I LOVE working with older kits but I also love getting new ones, so it wouldn't be a bit deal. I would HATE to lose my album pages (those are all backed up on cloud) and my template collection - that one is regularly backed up to archine EHD.

 

[faerywings]

Everything is on my computer. I have two HDs, one is set up for the system/windows stuff. The other is divided. The D drive is all documents. The E: is all scrapbooking stuff and photos. That is about as organized as I get

 

[marijke]

On my MacBook Pro I only have a small HD ...
my digistuff is on EHD
my layouts is on another EDH
all our photos -> two EHD
A backup is on a file server ...

 

[Cherylndesigns]

I have an "archive" EHD where I keep master files of my template collection, the layouts/albums that have been printed and the kits I don't use anymore - retired, designers I don't CT for, etc...

The kits I'm working with I keep on my HD and the print-ready layouts are backed up to Cloud. I'm not particularly worried about my computer crashing - I have a new one and in most cases data can be retrieved. In addition, being on CT's means I rarely get to work with older kits - I LOVE working with older kits but I he collection - that one is regularly backed up to archine EHD.T

I have Back Blaze running 24/7, so I have that backup too. I'm looking forward to seeing what you all do as I'm just starting with my new 2T EHD. I love using old designs too - that's a good idea to keep them all seperate. I designate which files I want to print, but maybe I'll start putting them in one of my clouds. That's a good idea.

 

[Cherylndesigns]

Everything is on my computer. I have two HDs, one is set up for the system/windows stuff. The other is divided. The D drive is all documents. The E: is all scrapbooking stuff and photos. That is about as organized as I get

Sounds organized to me, Chris. Back when I had a desktop computer, I had an extra hard drive installed on it. My "Central Control" is a laptop now, so I'm running my HD, plus an EHD plus the second one I just got.

 

[Cherylndesigns]

On my MacBook Pro I only have a small HD ...
my digistuff is on EHD
my layouts is on another EDH
all our photos -> two EHD
A backup is on a file server ...

Sounds about like my setup. What backup are you using? I use Back Blaze.

 

[ClaireG]

I have a server, courtesy of my IT hubby. And we share it. All my kits and PSDs and Photos are stored on it, it gets backed-up nightly It just got upgraded and is now a whopping 40tb!! And I have 5 ALL to myself

 

[ClaireG]

Oh and I have an external harddrive that everything new goes on first, so I can clean it to my liking (OCD much?!) that is 2tb and it also goes with me when I travel and I take a small amount of kits from each store I play at to travel with.

 

[ClaireG]

I have an "archive" EHD where I keep master files of my template collection, the layouts/albums that have been printed and the kits I don't use anymore - retired, designers I don't CT for, etc...

The kits I'm working with I keep on my HD and the print-ready layouts are backed up to Cloud. I'm not particularly worried about my computer crashing - I have a new one and in most cases data can be retrieved. In addition, being on CT's means I rarely get to work with older kits - I LOVE working with older kits but I also love getting new ones, so it wouldn't be a bit deal. I would HATE to lose my album pages (those are all backed up on cloud) and my template collection - that one is regularly backed up to archine EHD.

I like the idea of an archive EHD. My EHD is not truly an archive, but when we were moving last year I backed up everything there and I haven't cleared it off, so it's a snapshot in time I might have to reconfigure it and consider it being an archive drive.

 

[marijke]

Sounds about like my setup. What backup are you using? I use Back Blaze.

A back up in on the file server on two big EHD from 12 TB ...

 

[Cherylndesigns]

A back up in on the file server on two big EHD from 12 TB ...

That's a lot of TB!!

 

[svanderhaegen]

I have stuff scattered over several EHD, since I started digiscrapping in 2006.
I know I really should organize all of my files, but the thought of it is just so overwhelming. It's going to take so much work and be so time-consuming. The majority of my files are on my external hard drives, and I have made some attempts to keep things in order. For example, my pictures from this year are stored on my laptop, and I make a point to back them up every month. Similarly, I keep most of my recent downloads on my laptop, and I make sure to back those up regularly. However, my layouts are all stored on the external hard drives, except for those that were created this year, which are saved in PSD format on my laptop.
having an organized file system would make my life so much easier. It's just frustrating to think about all the time I'm going to have to spend organizing everything.

 

[Cherylndesigns]

I have stuff scattered over several EHD, since I started digiscrapping in 2006.
I know I really should organize all of my files, but the thought of it is just so overwhelming. It's going to take so much work and be so time-consuming. The majority of my files are on my external hard drives, and I have made some attempts to keep things in order. For example, my pictures from this year are stored on my laptop, and I make a point to back them up every month. Similarly, I keep most of my recent downloads on my laptop, and I make sure to back those up regularly. However, my layouts are all stored on the external hard drives, except for those that were created this year, which are saved in PSD format on my laptop.
having an organized file system would make my life so much easier. It's just frustrating to think about all the time I'm going to have to spend organizing everything.

It's a big job, I won't kid you. I had to start getting stuff off my laptop - my memory is getting too full and I don't want that. I've been working on organizing my files for about two weeks now, ever since I got my new 2 T EHD. I did get a great idea from Olga @Jam-on-toast in an earlier post. She said she keeps all of the layouts she's going to print on one of her EHD's. That spurred me to decide to send all of mine to Flickr. I have Flickr Pro and it's unlimited. It solved my "To Be Printed File" and gets it off my computer/EHD's. Now, when I get ready to print my layouts, they're going to be on Flickr in their own album.

If you're just starting, you might keep a notebook as to what's where. I also make little labels and scotch tape them to the bottoms of my EHD's. I know that a lot of us deal with these issues, so I'm sure you'll get some other suggestions. I think a lot of people forget to empty their recycle bins, too.

 

[Robloz55]

repeating my answer from another thread...

I just spent 5 hours today transferring 400+ GB worth of Scrapbook pages, bundles and kits from my old 1 TB HDD to my new 2TB EHD.

It took 5 hours!! My PC is very old. As in 11 years old!! (Purchased in 2011 with Windows 7 - currently upgraded to Windows 10)

Fortunately I am in the process of purchasing new PC Parts so that my son can build me a new PC!!

Once my new PC is built, up & running, I plan to transfer the entire 400+ GB of Scrapbooking stuff, back to the new HDD which has 8 TB of Storage!!!

That should enable me to keep all my bundles, kits, elements and pages all in one place for the next 10 years at least!!

 

[EvelynD2]

My kits get sent to my external hard drive once I make layouts with them. I have a folder for each designer's teams that I am on. My Oscraps folder has a file for each designer that I have made layouts for. The layouts are stored in the product folder. Reading all these comments has gotten me to looking at bigger external hard drives! Mine is 2T and probably over half full. I use Back Blaze to back up my files.

 

[Cherylndesigns]

repeating my answer from another thread...

I just spent 5 hours today transferring 400+ GB worth of Scrapbook pages, bundles and kits from my old 1 TB HDD to my new 2TB EHD.

It took 5 hours!! My PC is very old. As in 11 years old!! (Purchased in 2011 with Windows 7 - currently upgraded to Windows 10)

Fortunately I am in the process of purchasing new PC Parts so that my son can build me a new PC!!

Once my new PC is built, up & running, I plan to transfer the entire 400+ GB of Scrapbooking stuff, back to the new HDD which has 8 TB of Storage!!!

That should enable me to keep all my bundles, kits, elements and pages all in one place for the next 10 years at least!!

I'm sure you're anxious to get your new computer - that will be wonderful. Good luck with getting all of your files organized.

 

[Cherylndesigns]

My kits get sent to my external hard drive once I make layouts with them. I have a folder for each designer's teams that I am on. My Oscraps folder has a file for each designer that I have made layouts for. The layouts are stored in the product folder. Reading all these comments has gotten me to looking at bigger external hard drives! Mine is 2T and probably over half full. I use Back Blaze to back up my files.

That's pretty nuch what I've been doing too, Evelyn. I have lots of memory on my computer, but these huge files fill it up fast. I also use Back Blaze - that's such peace of mind, isn't it?

 

[Robloz55]

I'm sure you're anxious to get your new computer - that will be wonderful. Good luck with getting all of your files organized.

Pc is now built, up and running. Thank you for asking.

My Scrapbooking folder is now on the 8 TB HDD in my PC along with everything else from the old PC. My entire life literally!!

Time taken to move that 400+ GB folder back to its new home took just under 90 minutes!!!

And yes I save kits, collections and bundles under the designer names as well.

 

[Cherylndesigns]

Pc is now built, up and running. Thank you for asking.

My Scrapbooking folder is now on the 8 TB HDD in my PC along with everything else from the old PC. My entire life literally!!

Time taken to move that 400+ GB folder back to its new home took just under 90 minutes!!!

And yes I save kits, collections and bundles under the designer names as well.

That's such awesome news! Congratulations and it sounds like you're ready to go, Robynne! What a great feeling!