Libraries and Backups

I have a bit of a unique problem.
I just got my macbook about five months ago and have loved everything about it. not too long ago my uncle bought the leopard and ilife 08 family packs and let me install them on my computer.
i used time machine to back-up my macbook. about a week ago, my macbook crashed and when i tried to restart it. the hard drive couldn't be found.
i had applecare so my local apple store replaced the hard drive no questions asked. great.
however i explained to them that i had leopard and ilife 08 on my computer before it crashed and they still only installed tiger. i asked them if they could put leopard back on. but they told me they wouldn't and if i wanted it i would have to get it back from my uncle. this normally wouldnt be a problem, but i am moving overseas in less than week which makes that an impossibility.
so now i don't have time machine and therefore can't properly access any of my backed-up files.
i am not too upset with most of the files i lost (most of them can be installed again. however i am not able to find any of my photos on my external harddrive. i had about a thousand pictures in iphoto before the crash.
i found the pictures folder on my backup drive but 'iphoto library' is just a file not a folder. i tried to open it in iphoto anyway, but it didnt find anything.
are all of my pictures gone for good? how can i access them?

Welcome to the Apple Discussions. If you're going overseas I strongly recommend you purchase Leopard and take the disks with you. If you have problems you won't be able to get to your uncle for a reinstall. It's either that or stick with Tiger as you do have those disks and they will be available for recovery if necessary.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created 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. It's compatible with iPhoto 08 libraries and Leopard. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

Similar Messages

Compatible Tape Libraries and Backup Software

Hi all,
Having trouble digging up any good info on this. I'm building a Solaris 11.1 filer and would like to attach a tape library to back up the filesystem via NDMP. Libraries I'm considering at the moment:
Quantum i40/i80 (HP LTO-6 drives)
Overland Storage NEO 400S (IBM LTO-6 drives)
Backup software I'm considering:
Symantec Backup Exec (runs on a Windows Server)
Dell/Quest Netvault (runs on just about anything)
Ultimately the question is, will either of these tape libraries work with the Solaris 11.1 NDMP implementation and either of the two backup solutions above? Thanks in advance.
-Anh

I just use a script of my own and just call it using cron. All though I don't hold enough data to warrant incremental backups. Here it is.
gary@reddwarf ~ $ cat /usr/local/bin/backup
#!/bin/bash
#backup script for $1
rm $2/backup*.txt
FN="$2/backup-`date +%d-%m-%y`.txt"
STIME=`date +%s`
export FN STIME
echo Setting backup options > $FN
#mt -f /dev/st0 compression 1
mt -f /dev/st0 drvbuffer 1
mt -f /dev/st0 stoptions buffer-writes
echo - >> $FN
echo Starting backup of $1 on `date` >> $FN
echo - >> $FN
tar cvpPWf /dev/st0 $1 -X $1/exclude >> $FN ## -X does not work on this version of tar
#tar cvpPWf /dev/st0 $1 >> $FN
ETIME=`date +%s`
export ETIME
BTIME=`expr $ETIME / 60 - $STIME / 60`
export BTIME
echo Backup of $1 complete and verified in $BTIME minuites>> $FN
#mt -f /dev/st0 offline
There are some incremental backup scripts floating round the fourms.
There are plenty other examples in this thread http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=56646
You should be able to coble something together from these. You will have a much finer control writing a little script

Help with Multiple libraries and one storage location for files

I cannot get an answer to this question anywhere and was really hoping that The [H] would be able to help.
Here is my current set up that allows my wife and I to have completely independent libraries and ratings, but use the same files:
-Shared folder with MP3s on a network drive.
-Two PCs, each with it's own Ipod associated to it with individual libraries but all pointing to the same network share for MP3 Files.
-Each PC is using the SAME Itunes account for downloads.
-Each account has it's own library folder also on a network share.
Now to my question(s)/problem with downloaded content:
(1) Is there any way to have a file that is downloaded from Itunes be automatically placed in a shared location accessible to both Libraries? (Say if I download the latest Jack Johnson album, can it automatically show up in my wife's library and vice versa?)
(2) Is there any way to share the album artwork versus having two copies of everything(one for each library)?
So my goal is to have two libraries with a central location for ALL files, including anything downloaded from Itunes by each individual user. Is this possible?

Have your wife transfer all purchases from the iPad into iTunes, backup her iPad and then sync with iTunes. Everything ... All media and other content will be available in that iTunes library and she will have a current backup.
Assuming that your son will still be sharing your wife's Apple ID (he is too young to have one of his own) .... When you set up his iPad, restore the iPad from your wife's backup and then select only the content that you want your son to have on his iPad in the iTunes library and then sync that iPad with iTunes.
The game progress is stored in the backup and should transfer onto his device when you restore from your wife's backup. You can always delete any content (apps, movies, music) that you don't want your son to have on the iPad, if you missed it when you synced with iTunes after setting the device up for him.
You can set your sync preferences - any way that you want to - for both devices and still use the same iTunes library for both iPads. So ... Yes you can sync any apps that you want to his iPad and any apps that your wife wants to her iPad. You just need to restore your son's iPad from your wife's backup in order to get his game progress onto his iPad.
In case you need these....
Transfer purchases.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1848
How to backup and restore from a backup
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1766
Remember to have your wife backup her iPad just before you restore his iPad from the backup so that his most recent progress will be available in the backup.

What is the best way to create additional storage AND backup a laptop, as well as the storage?

Beyond being seriously annoyed at an Apple Employee recommended we go the NAS route at an Apple Store no less—only to find it doesn't work for storage OR Time Machine backups of iPhoto (after spending weeks organizing/transferring date, outside of a good deal of coin)—we are now perplexed as how to set up/store based on our needs.
Goals
Create additional storage (iPhoto, iTunes, documents) for the family laptop
Accessible by anyone/device on the home network (iPad, mini iPad, iPhones, etc..)
Would prefer the ability to access this offsite as well
Backup of the laptop
Backup of the storage HD
Ensure we do not lose iPhoto libraries data/files
Here is what I am thinking—need to know if it will work.
Purchase two HDs
Plug them into my base station
Allocate one HD @2T for storage (additional iPhoto libraries, home movies, iTunes libraries, etc...)
Partition the second HD @3T to handle two Time Machine backups
(a) Time Machine of the laptop (up to 1T of backups)
(b) Time Machine of the first HD (up to 2T of backups) - Is this possible?
What I need to know is
Is it possible to partition a HD to Time Machine two backups from different sources—one being a HD?
If this is not a good solution—what is? I am pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to deal with a lot of data related to iPhoto due to the formatting limitations there.

While most do not advocate mixing Time Machine backups with other files, I have 3 Time Capsules with files and backups on the same partition and have never had a problem despite doing it for many years. All 3 Time Capsule are set up as NAS devices.
One Time Capsule holds the Snow Leopard partition backup of two computers. The other two each have a backup of the Mountain Lion partition of two computers. Time Machine is set up to alternate between the devices, which it can now do. On these 2 Time Capsules is a copy of the iTunes Library and a copy of the iPhotos Library, which provides a backup for the two. Every so often I manually copy the new files from the primary iTunes/iPhotos library to the backup on the other Time Capsule.
If the computer is on, I can access the computer from my iPad and then access the hard drives and the files.
Hopefully, I have been able to make this clear.

Working with libraries and setting up on two computers

I have been trying Lightroom on my PC and just now took the plunge and bought it (for home use: family and amateur photography). I have installed it on both the PC and laptop (Mac). Sadly the first time I tried using 1.2 having been using 1.0 and 1.1 it said there was a problem reading the library and had to check it... a bit scary...
I am trying to work out how to set-up my system. I intend to have files on an external drive which I can then move from Mac to PC as necessary (i.e. only using one at a time): the PC is mine, the Mac is my wifes, and this seems to be the only way of allowing us to share the photos in a way which is not hugely complicated and confusing.
Any changes we make to the photos on each machine should be visible on the other. From my understanding, that means the library has to be on the external drive, not just the image files?
At the moment the image files and library are on my PC internal drive, imported "at their present location". Is it possible to change the kind of import (to move the image files directly into the library)? Of course it is possible to re-import from scratch, but as there are keywords already organised, and some files have been edited in PS I would lose all that, wouldn't I? Is there a more sophisticated way of changing how the files are organised?
And when I get the external drive, can I just move the libraries and image files and then tell Lightroom about the move, or is it going to be more difficult than that?
thanks in advance
Nic

Reading over your message, I am a little unclear about how far along you are in sharing your LightRoom setup with the Laptop. I am going to assume that right now Lightroom and the pictures are both on the PC and on an internal Hard Drive. And except for the scary message you had at the beginning of changing to ver 1.2, everything is working ok. Yes?
What I'd do is wait until you get the external drive up and working. Once you are satisfied that the system works ok, and you have tested it with whatever diagnostic software you use, you are ready to start moving your images to the new drive.
Do a good backup of your images to your backup drive.
Move them to the hard drive from within Lightroom: Use the '+' symbol in the heading of the Folders panel to tell LR to add a new folder from the external drive to the LR folders panel, and then drag and drop the folders already in LR over to their new home.
This way the LR Catalog will always know where the files are.
Then when you are sure that all the image files are on the external drive and LR sees them all and everything is working correctly, exit from LR and copy the catalog file over there.
I used to use windows systems, although I converted to Mac a few years ago. You should be able to double-click on that catalog file that is on the external drive and it should start Lightroom and you should be good to go.
I just used the word "should" three times meaning I'm not really positive about that last step; if I'm wrong I hope someone on a PC will post a correction.
Once it is working OK on the PC with the external drive Load LR on the Laptop.
Best Wishes!

Creating multiple libraries and using an external drive for data

I'm a recent switcher and new to iphoto. On the windows platform, I used adobe album. I have a around 10k of images that I put on an external drive which is attached to my new imac. I deleted the iphoto folder and redirected it to my images on my external. All is working great. I'm looking for some advise on work flow of file/iphoto management. i.e. I'm assuming the more images I accumulate, the slower I photo is going to run? I hear you can create multiple iphoto libraries. Will that only load the photos that are associated with the library and I'm assuming optimize iphoto's performance versus always loading every photo you have taken every time you work in iphoto? If adding libraries is the way to go, can someone direct me to instruction on how to do this?
This may be beyond this threads scope but I plan to put all my data (iphoto, imovies, itunes) onto an external drive in order to keep the imac main drive as clean a possible. Is my thinking correct in doing so. Any negative repercussion in doing so?

Joe:
I'm assuming the more images I accumulate, the slower I photo is going to run?
You'll have to get quite a lot of photos into iPhoto before you start to see a real slowdown in performance. Users have reported libraries of 40K files and they perform just fine. However, do not keep all of rolls open as that will really do a job on the performance. Just open the rolls you need and close them all before quitting.
Yes, you can use multiple libraries and only load what's in each. I use iPhoto Library Manager to manage and move quickly between 10 libraries. With the paid version of iPLM you can move albums and/or rolls between libraries as needed and keep the keywords, ratings, and comments intact.
Using an external HD in order to maintain sufficient free space (10G minimum is what I recommend) on the boot drive to help optimize performance is a very good idea.
As far as any negative aspects, it would be a good idea to have a second external HD as a backup to the working external HD. You can't be too careful with those image files (and other important files) that can't be replaced.
Do you Twango?
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
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.

Streamlining my libraries and keywords

I currently have two iphoto libraries (one was transferred from iview) with some overlap of pictures and some overlap of keywords. I'd like to combine them to one library, eliminate the duplication of photos, and keep all keywords from both libraries with elimation of duplicated keywords. I also want all the keywords to be searchable in spotlight and not just in iphoto. Im not sure this is possible.. and I'm considering using adobe bridge in place of iphoto.
1. Is there an automated way to combine the libraries and eliminate duplications in photos and keywords?
2. Is there a way to search iphoto keywords in spotlight (not just in iphoto). Would there be an advantage to use adobe bridge for this? If I use adobe bridge is there a way share the keywords?
3. Are their 3rd party applications currently available that will help or should I keep my fingers crossed that a future version of photo7 will come out and help me manage keywords?
thanks!

Dale:
The only way to merge libraries and keep keywords, comments, albums, etc., intact is to use the paid version of iPhoto Library Manager. You can merge library A into library B. Then make sure you have the keywords associated with both versions of the duiplicate photos. Once that's done you can use either Duplicate Annihilator or iPhoto Diet to remove the duplicates.
I recommend you make a temporary backup of library B before running those applications in case the results are not what you want. Better safe than sorry.
Do you Twango?
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
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.

How to organize and backup iPhoto library

I'm a slob anyway, and then there were the hard drive troubles, and now I have an iPhoto library on my internal HD, and an external drive (not the same libraries) and loose photos here and there on the internal HD and both externals.
How can I clean up this mess? I want the main library on one extHD and a backup on the other extHD and to not have a library on the intHD at all, and of course, I don't want to loose a single frame!

I did download and pay for iPhoto Library Manager and started to merge libraries as you suggested. But iPLM listed the current Library as "iPhoto Library_2." So, I wondered where was _1, and did a Find file search. There are three iPhoto libraries in my internal HD in my user folder in the "Pictures" folder, and there is a smaller Library on an external HD with only one annual folder in it.
On the internal HD, "iPhoto Library" has folders marked 2000, 2001,...2004, a folder marked "Albums," and 4 documents: Dir.data, Library.cache, Library.data, and AlbumData.xml which seems to be some Real Basic thing. Within the folders marked as years are folders for months and days and then the .JPG photos. The folder Albums contains a bunch of Album folders (with a data doc for each) and in each a bunch of docs that look like JPG photos with an arrow in the lower left corner. These albums don't appear in iPhoto Library_2
In iPhoto Library_1 are folders for 2005 and 2006, a folder marked "Albums," and 3 documents: Dir.data, Library.data, and AlbumData.xml. The month and day folders contain only 1 to a few photo JPGs.
In iPhoto Library_2 are folders for 2003...2006, and foldera marked "Albums", "Data", "Modified", and "Originals", as well as documents: Dir.data, iPhoto.ipspot, Library.data,Library.iPhoto,Library6.iPhoto,Thumb32Segment.data,
Thumb64Segment.data, ThumbJPGSegment.data, and AlbumData.xml. The year folders that overlap with those in "iPhoto Library" above, have different month and day folders, and contain only "data" folders containing numbered documents in pairs, one with a number and one with same number and the suffix .attr, but no photo JPGs.
So, what is all this, what should be preserved, and what can be thrown away?
733 G4 Mac OS X (10.2.x)

I´ve lost the libraries and new songs in iTunes

When I opened iTunes today I notice that I´d lost the libraries and all new songs. Suddenly I only had olg songs and apps.
I had the backup of the computer in Time Machine. Is there a way to fomat (or delete) and restore iTunes without formating and restoring the computer?

I am confused when you say you opened it but had lost the library. The library is actually a single file and when you open iTunes it will either open the file with content, or it will automatically create a new blank library.
Do you keep your collection on an external drive?
What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660
More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management
What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html

Moving to an external Ethernet Drive - Libraries and Photos are a mess - Cant Find Images

I am in the process of wanrting to consolidate my LR3 files to an 2TB external ethernet drive (connected via airport extreme). First, are there any issue with using the networked drive. I've heard that there may be.
Second, my libraries and photos are all over the place. I cant seem to find the proper catalgues and sometimes files go missing or offline. So, duringn this move to the new 2TB drive, I want to use this opportunity to find and move all the LR3 "stuff" i can and make the workflow better organized.
How can I simply do that???
Thanks!

First, let me suggest that there are two issues here ... Storage (exactly where your photos and catalog file are located) and organization (how do you find/search for the photo(s) of interest. These are different issues.
First ... storage:
You can move your photos and catalog file anywhere to meet your storage needs. You move the catalog file simply by moving it in Windows or Mac Finder to the internal HD (or any other non-network drive). Recommended: put the catalog file on your fastest hard disk. Recommended: move the previews (that are located in subfolders where the catalog is) along with the catalog file. Once moved, you open it by double-clicking on it.
You can move your photos anywhere you want them to be, including a network drive. Although I recommend you move them in Lightroom so as to not break the links, you can also move the folders outside of Lightroom and then reconnect (in the folder panel, right-click on a folder and select "Update Folder Location").
Now, you have your files whereever you want them to be. They are stored properly. It makes sense to consolidate your photos on a single drive if possible, and it makes sense to set things up for ease of backup (i.e. all photos in subfolders under a single parent folder) but other storage schemes are fine if they meet your needs.
Next ... Organization
This is how you set things up so that you can find a specific photo(s) quickly. I strongly recommend that this be done in Lightroom, using keywords, metadata and collections. I strongly dis-recommend that you do this by moving this folder to that location or folder hierarchy to help you be able to find things. I strongly dis-recommend that you do this by renaming photos or folders. Leave them whereever they are (after you have met your storage needs above), and organize via keywords. Assign keywords and metadata religiously to your photos. Keywords give you much more organizational power than folders, because you can have many many keyworkds assigned to a photo, but a photo can be in only a single folder.
I strongly recommend consolidating things into a single catalog. This will enable you to search for any photo, because you have one catalog. If you have multiple catalogs, and catalog A is open, you cannot search for a photo in catalog B.
Once all of this is complete, your photos are where you want them (storage) on your networked drive, your catalog (singular, not plural) is on your fastest disk (storage) and your photos are completely well organized in Lightroom, enabling you to search for them quickly, using the Lightroom filter bar, the keyword panel, or smart collections.

Multiple Libraries and Web Galleries

I just upgraded to iLife 08 and I'm wondering if the web gallery feature is compatible with the web galleries feature.
Here's my situation: I have several three primary iPhoto libraries: one of family pix, one of photos from Congo, related to my aunt and uncle's mission work (which I use for their website), and one related to the ministry of my husband's church. I have one .mac account.
If possible, I want to create web galleries using two of these iPhoto libraries, but I'm worried that when I "publish" galleries from the Congo library that the galleries I previously published from my family library will be erased from my iDisk. I searched the forums but I didn't find any discussion of this. Does anyone else have any experience in this regard?
Thanks,
kabing

kabing:
Web galleries published from different libraries will not remove previously published galleries. Just make sure the gallery names are not the same.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created 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. It's compatible with iPhoto 08 libraries and Leopard. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

My start up disc is full i have a macbook air, i back everuthing up with time capsule and have movies all my music libraries and photos onto that too so as i have free space, but my max still says my startup disc is full with "other"

my start up disc is full i have a macbook air, i back everuthing up with time capsule and have movies all my music libraries and photos onto that too so as i have free space, but my max still says my startup disc is full with "other"

First, empty the Trash if you haven't already done so. Then reboot. That will temporarily free up some space.
According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of available space on the startup volume (as shown in the Finder Info window) for normal operation. You also need enough space left over to allow for growth of your data. There is little or no performance advantage to having more available space than the minimum Apple recommends. Available storage space that you'll never use is wasted space.
If you're using Time Machine to back up a portable Mac, some of the available space will be used to make local snapshots, which are backup copies of files you've recently deleted. The space occupied by local snapshots is reported as available by the Finder, and should be considered as such. In the Storage display of System Information, local snapshots are shown as "Backups." The snapshots are automatically deleted when they expire or when free space falls below a certain level. You ordinarily don't need to, and should not, delete local snapshots yourself.
To locate large files, you can use Spotlight as described here. That method may not find large folders that contain a lot of small files.
You can also use a tool such as OmniDiskSweeper (ODS) to explore your volume and find out what's taking up the space. You can delete files with it, but don't do that unless you're sure that you know what you're deleting and that all data is safely backed up. That means you have multiple backups, not just one.
Proceed further only if the problem hasn't been solved.
ODS can't see the whole filesystem when you run it just by double-clicking; it only sees files that you have permission to read. To see everything, you have to run it as root.
Back up all data now.
Install ODS in the Applications folder as usual.
Triple-click the line of text below to select it, then copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C):sudo /Applications/OmniDiskSweeper.app/Contents/MacOS/OmniDiskSweeper
Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
Paste into the Terminal window (command-V). You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. You may get a one-time warning not to screw up. If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator.
I don't recommend that you make a habit of doing this. Don't delete anything while running ODS as root. If something needs to be deleted, make sure you know what it is and how it got there, and then delete it by other, safer, means.
When you're done with ODS, quit it and also quit Terminal.

Copy of my libraries and play list of my Ipod

I backed up my ipod, but when I restore the backup "only gets me the pictures and I lose libraries and playlists." Why?

Because the iPod backup that iTunes makes does not include synced media like apps and music.
If you restore from iCloud backup only your iTunes purchases will be restored
If you restore from iCloud backup the apps will be automatically downloaded. If you restore from iTunes backup the apps and music have to be in the iTunes library since synced media like apps and music are not included in the backup of the iOS device that iTunes makes.
You can redownload most iTunes purchases by:
Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store
Create and delete iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch backups in iTunes

Want to erase and install & reinstall iTunes libraries and some documents

My iMac G4 Flat Panel is 9gb shy of being totally full and performance really suffers as a result. I want to erase the drive and install Leopard (I just bought a new disk).
What is the best way(s)/procedures to backup my iTunes libraries and some documents so that I can reinstall them on the newly formatted drive?
After paying for the Leopard disk, I don't want to buy any other programs to do the backup. I have been backing up the drive to an external using Backup.

Steven,
Backup is a fine application, but it typically targets specific items to be backed up. Meaning, that it is not necessarily entirely comprehensive. At least not in the context of migrating from one installation to another.
One of the concepts present in OS X is the idea that everything that makes your account "yours," all of your data, settings, history, etc., is entirely contained within your HOME folder. By moving that HOME folder into any new installation, you essentially transplant your entire experience as a user into the new location. In many cases, this works so well that, if someone did it behind your back while "swapping" computers with you, you would never know the difference. That's how it works, in theory.
In practice, there are usually some minor things that pop up in such a transfer, but these are all minor in the extreme. One might end up with a "question mark" or two in one's Dock, resulting from the absence of a linked application in the new installation. The question mark can be removed, or the application in question can be installed, so these things are easy enough to fix.
Your situation is complicated somewhat by the fact that you want to "whittle down" what you restore to the new installation. The assumption I make, based on your posts, is that you have only the one account, and your single HOME folder contains enough data to consume most of your disk space. OK, you can handle this several ways...
You could cover all bases by making one complete backup of your HOME folder as it is now, then begin "whittling down" what you have now before wiping your drive and reinstalling. This would give you the opportunity to reduce your disk space consumption while still working within your HOME folder; testing what you do, as it were, and with the knowledge that your deletions are not irreversible. When you find the right balance between what you can delete and what you must keep, you can make an additional backup of your reduced HOME folder (provided you have enough space on your external drive).
Or, you could make a complete backup of your HOME folder, as it exists now, then go ahead and format/reinstall. You would then have to decide what you will move from the backup into your new account. Part of this process is knowing just where to place transferred items for everything to work properly. As far as simple files are concerned, it wouldn't make any difference where you place them. Items contained in libraries, however, might be quite complicated to move, unless you simply moved the entire libraries in question. In these cases, the libraries themselves must be transferred to the correct locations. It's not an insurmountable problem, but it does complicate matters a bit.
Finally, you could backup and restore the HOME folder as it currently exists. Typically, the process of formatting and reinstalling, then restoring user data, results in a more compact installation. Over time, any installation accrues some fragmented free space, and this effectively reduces the storage capacity of a volume. As much as or more than 10% of the size of the volume can be recovered this way. In any case, your new installation will be smaller than the old to some degree, even with all of your user data restored. Once you get to this point, you could begin reducing the amount of data you have stored, just as in option #1 above, and again safe in the knowledge that nothing you delete is irrecoverable.
rsync is powerful. While it is easy to use, it has many options and is therefore complex to learn. Its "man pages" might be considered daunting. I could provide a copy and paste command for you to run which would make a complete backup of your HOME folder, provided I knew the path to a destination. The exact name of your external drive, along with any nested folders therein you might want to use as a destination, would suffice.
If you want to read more about rsync yourself, open Terminal and type "man rsync," then press <RETURN>. The "man" application will scroll line by line by using the arrow keys, and page by page by pressing the spacebar. Press "q" to quit the man application.
Scott

Reinstalling libraries and Edits

Hi all
First time on here so please be gentle.
I have several libraries on Lightroom all edited etc.
I am wanting to back up all my libraries and the edits done on the files and resintall the computer as the hard drive is dying.
How do I back up the images and the edits made to them and then resintall them? I know I can back up the libraries but it says nothing about the edits made on them.
Thanks for your help

You make backups of the catalog file via Lightroom
Edit->Catalog Settings->General, under Backup select the desired frequency (for you, if you have never made a backup this way, you should select "When Lightroom Next Exits")
Then close Lightroom, and a dialog box will appear to make the backup, and you should select a destination for the backup that is on a different disk than the actual catalog.
You also have to make backups of all of your photos, if you haven't already done so. This needs to be done via your operating system or via third-party software, as Lightroom does not have this function.
Re-install ... copy photos and catalog file back to their original locations, then double-click on the catalog backup file that you copied back to its original location

Libraries and Backups

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