Best way to backup Pro Tools Sessions?

[djmusicman]

Hello! Need a little clarification. Wanting to consistently backup my pro-tools 9 sessions in the best way via external hard drive. Reading different things. One source says best way is to SAVE COPY IN... then check ALL AUDIO FILES. 2 questions here:

1) Do I also need to check any boxes under the ALL AUDIO FILES box (session plug in folder, etc.) or does it choose these by default? If so, what other boxes do I need to check? After checking ALL AUDIO FILES the only one selected under it by default is ALL NON/WAVE AUDIO FILES.

2) How is that different from closing the session then copying the folder and "pasting" it to another location? I've been using this procedure in the past.

3) Any problem with also backing up the session to my desktop (mac) that I run protools sessions on? (as recommended I use external drive for the recording process and keep original files there)

4) Any other recommended, more accurate ways to backup protools sessions?

Thanks in advance!

djmusicman

[Andrew_Malloy]

1) Do I also need to check any boxes under the ALL AUDIO FILES box (session plug in folder, etc.) or does it choose these by default? If so, what other boxes do I need to check? After checking ALL AUDIO FILES the only one selected under it by default is ALL NON/WAVE AUDIO FILES.

Yes, it is a good idea just to be sure that everything moves along with it.

2) How is that different from closing the session then copying the folder and "pasting" it to another location? I've been using this procedure in the past.

If all of your audio is on that drive and folder, then it is pretty much the same. If you are using loops from a library, sound effects from a library without copying them to the folder or recording many tracks across multiple drives, then it is not the same.

3) Any problem with also backing up the session to my desktop (mac) that I run protools sessions on? (as recommended I use external drive for the recording process and keep original files there)

4) Any other recommended, more accurate ways to backup protools sessions?

Thanks in advance!

Not problem a problem to do this to a certain extent. Hard drives are ALWAYS prone to failure. I'd rather archive sessions on DVD. It's cheap, pretty reliable and it doesn't chew up any space on my drives. You can also back up in triplicate for about $3 and it takes up very little space in the studio. Remember, your data isn't completely safe unless it is in at least 3 locations.

You may need to compact your session data to do this. It removes all unused audio files and takes completely and trims all of the audio files down to only what is actually in the session and gives about a second of space to be able to re-trim the edits. In essence, cuts out the silence in the recording that was edited out of the region.

[djmusicman]

Thanks Andrew for the clarification. I did try to access some old files I backed up in the past by "copy/paste" and a some audio files/links were missing. gulp! Will deal with that later. In meantime I'll "save copy in" from now on.

If I read you post correctly I'll check the session, root, preserve folder boxes but leave the "dont copy fade and elastic boxes unchecked. Enforce Mac/PC compatibility recommended?

Re DVD backup a preferred DVD format? DVD-RW , DVD+RW etc. I'm somewhat new to this.

Thanks again!

djmusicman

[Andrew_Malloy]

I don't like to archive to DVDRW because I don't feel it as bulletproof as a standard DVDR. Again, this is for long term storage and this is more of a precaution in case I ever need the session again.

"Save Session Copy In" really is the way to go. You don't need fade files because Pro Tools can regenerate them or if you are working in PT10, it doesn't use them at all.

Enforcing compatibility is a good plan too. You never know when you may need to transfer the session to another system and it doesn't really hurt anything.

[djmusicman]

Thanks Andrew!

Basically checked everything except preserve folder hierarchy and did not save fade files. When I tested the copy on PT everything seemed fine.

PT file backup successful!

djmusicman