Best way to backup iphoto library to another computer

Hi,
I am looking for most efficent method to backup iphoto library from one iMac27(running Lion) to another iMac21(running Snow Leopard).
My iPhoto library is approx. 20GB. So I am also concerned with performance too.
Also, I only want to backup if iphoto library on iMac27 changes. There is no point to keep backing up all the time if the library has not changed.
I would also like to be able to schedule backup at certain time of the day. (Primarily overnight when I am not using the computer)
I have looked at Chronosync. It looks like it has the features I am looking for however I am concerned if it performs well.
What would you recommend for a solution to this process?
Thanks and I look forward to your reply.
...Bruce

Let me inform you of some things if I may.
A lot of people "run out of room" or want to make a backup and naturally look to their other machine as a source of space they are not utilizing, this isn't the best approach.
So let me inform you of your options.
1: You can backup your entire boot drive contents in a rotating in time fashion with Apple's built in TimeMachine, which only restores, it's not bootable. You use a external storage drive for this. Just hook it up and go.
2: You can make a hold option key bootable clone backup of your entire boot partition contents (not Lion Recovery Partition) in a permanent fashion that only changes if you change it or schedule it to change making a clone drive. Carbon Copy Cloner and you use a external drive for this. (best method as it's bootable in case your computer fails to boot normally)
3: You can manually or automatically use software that "syncs" the contents of two folders to a storage drive (even in either direction). SyncTwoFolders
What your asking to do is publish a shared folder on your network that resides on the Snow Leopard machine, you access it from the Lion machine over the Local Area Network and save your Lion iPhoto Library there using SyncTwoFolders like software.
You can do this, however it's not advised, first off network transfers are slow and cumbersome to setup and maintain. Second your taking up precious drive space on the other computers drive.
If this is what you want to do, then repeat your question again in a new topic, as my other machine is down and haven't done that in quite some time to remember the details exactly.
The larger picture I see is it appears to me you have no backup plan at all, and I think a separate storage drive for each computer, which if you hook it up to OS X, will ask to make a TimeMachine drive, will then do so, copying and backing up your entire drive so you have a constant backup of everything.
Also you should maintain a extra separate storage drive for each machine to keep a extra copy of your files in a permanent fashion, or to free up room on oyur boot drive, like what your trying to do with the other Mac.
With each computer with it's own backup, they are not so dependent with each other if your needs change for instance and the machines have to be separated.
The golden rule of backups is to maintain two seperate, easy accessible, hardware backup copies of your data at all times.
TimeMachine is ok and works mostly, but not if it gets messed up if your machine gets messed up, or if your TM drive mechanically or software fails without your knowledge. So maintaining a another copy of your data on a storage drive in a pernament fashion is also advised.
You can learn about TimeMachine here
http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html
And I've written a rather complicated advanced post here as a rough draft, but packed with information
https://discussions.apple.com/message/16276201#16276201
A bit much, but I hope that helps.

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Hi everyone...
i want to know wich is the best way to backup all iPhoto library...
should I just copy everything that is in "iPhoto Library" folder to my extern hard drive? will i have any kind of problem if i want to restore my data?
thanks

sauble
A friend suggested I backup all the photos I already have in iPhoto before I start playing around any more
Good advice
Do I use a disc instead and burn them?
If you don't have a HD, this is the next option.
If I do that, are the photos still accessible if I want to use them again?
Yes. Depending on how you burn them: If you select all of them and go File -> Export and the burn them from the Finder, your pics will be backed up, but you will have to reimport them to iPhoto on restore.
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Welcome to Apple Discussions!
Presumably, the old iMac is pre-Firewire? If it is, it really would be very slow for backing up. You can use these methods to network the two machines on my FAQ:
http://www.macmaps.com/network9X.html

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What is the best way to backup a 30gb library to disc? I'd like to burn my library to dvd's and store away from my house. Wasn't sure if you just create an album and burn to disc or what?
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As Patrick says I'm backing up the iPhoto Library in my Pictures Folder. This contains everything: Photos, albums, keywords, events etc.
The most simple way to do it is to simply drag the Library icon to the external HD. Let it copy over. However this can be tedious when you back up regularly, so I use a back up utility that does incremental back ups: That is the first time, it copies the entire library, thereafter it simply keeps the back up up-to-date with the Library. I use DejaVu for that. Chronosync is another app that will do it. There are many others. Search on MacUpdate.
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Every couple of months I test the back ups to make sure they are working correctly. It’s very easy to mis-configure a back up application, and the only way to protect against that is to do a restore.
Regards
TD

What is the best way to backup iPhoto?

Is there some kind of wizard to do this or should I just manually back up my photos on a blank DVD?

Tim:
It depends on the type of backup you want to do. If you want to just backup your original files, then burn the Originals folder (or as much as you can get on one DVD disk and the rest on another) to DVD disks. If you want to preserve the iPhoto organization, keywords, slideshows, etc. then you will have to: 1 - burn the entire iPhoto Library to another media, a DVD disk if it's small enough or another hard drive via the FInder; 2 - burn abut 4G of selected rolls via the Share->Burn menu to a DVD disk and the remaining rolls to a second disk. That will give you disks that will be usable in iPhoto like this.
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I've written an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

What is the easiest way to transfer iPhoto library to new computer

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Connect the two Macs together (network, firewire target mode, etc) and drag the iPhoto library intact as a single entity from the old Mac to the pictures folder of the new Mac - launch iPhoto on the new mac and it will open the library and convert it as needed and you will be ready move forward.
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1 - a referenced library is extremely problematic and is strongly not recommended - especially one spread accross several volumes
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3 - this is likely to cure the slowness too
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https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4491
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4921
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TD

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MajDamage
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Best way to backup iphoto library to another computer

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