dkjack, your projects won't hurt your laptop - perhaps your files will make it run slower as you fill it up - Hehehe! I am just kidding. On a serious note I use an external for my design files - I also have them on about 10 CD's - but this next week - I am going to put them on DVD's - then I can tell you - how many of those I have - always keep more than one copy of all your design files - you never know - what might happen - keep one set away from your home - somewhere safe - that you can get - if the need is great enough. I lost my design files, once. Because of a thunderstorm, just the telephone wires were hit with lightening - went right to my PC - fired it up, big time. I did have all my purchased design files on CD's at the time and was able to retreive some that I had bought online - since then I bought the external and I can't keep them on my PC - it makes it run too slow - there are so many - that I haven't a clue the number - nor would it be in my best interest to have that number available for my husband to see, either. He loves my embroidery work and support me in every way - but we don't really want to know what we have invested in it. Hehehe! *4 each of you. Shirlene
dkjack, I sort my downloads into *designer* and *category* every day after downloading, I also do backups to a flash drive (8 gig) and two externals at the same time, I find that is what works for me. The main thing is that you do backups as often as possible - remember - that if your hard drive fails, Murphy's Law decrees that it will fail the day before you intend to do backups!!! So do those backups today - don't procrastinate friends. Hugs and flowers to you sweetie.
Hi! I backup to DVD-RW's, which are Read-Write, and then you have a backup, but you can reorganize files if you want to. CD's come in RW's too, if you want. They work just like the old floppy 'A' drive, but hold tons more information. Not very expensive, either. Hope this helps. Marji
Yes, mine are read-write. Haven't tried reorganizing them yet. My system so far has worked. Maybe down the line my system may have to be expanded so I can find what I am looking for. :) Thanks
If you aren't worried about labels, etc., and want to store your files in a more compact "storage device", you might consider using a USB flash/thumb/stick drive for your files. Staples usually has them on sale for around $17-20 and I just got a 2.0Gig one just for my embroidery files. I'm forever re-organizing my files and a flash drive is what is called "read/write". You can add files, delete files, change files and folders on it. A CD-R doesn't allow you to re-organize or "add to" and existing file once the CD is burned. Just an idea.
I just saved mine on a "couple" CD-R's. I put over 3300 on one of them (just checked)
3300 patterns. WOW. I don't have that many -- yet :) But then I am new at this.
Just wait, that isn't a big number - that is what she has on one CD. Hehehe!
dkjack, if you think 3300 designs is a lot - I don't think I should tell you that I have 15,000+, 20,000+ if I count the ones that I don't think I'll ever use but keep them *just in case*, haha. I'm guessing you've got a l-o-n-g way to go yet sweetie!!!
YOU PUT EVERYTHING ON CD TO BACK IT UP!! that should be without question because if your laptop decided to blow a fuse or get made at you you could loose everything and believe me that is a place you do not want to go!! ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR FILES!! just a tip from someone who didnt once and had an awful time recovering everything!!
I do it once a week sometimes, otherwise once a month..depends on how much you are downloading..once a month if you want to be risky once a week if you have learned the hard way!! lol
Very good advice! Computer crashes make your life very miserable. And, the sad thing is you aren't always able to recover everything...trust me, this is experience talking!
I worry about that (space ) also but everytime I check my space I have plenty. A flower for you.
when I looked 1MB is about 2 or 3 designs,on a cd you can burn 700MB, so you can at least 700( or more)burn on a cd.You can use a burnprogram like Nero, and burn as "data". while you drag the designfiles in the burnprogram you can see how many space is left, so howemany designs you can still add. succes!
Thank you! I had asked my husband, but he said don't worry you will never fill it up. He hasn't seen my files. hee hee
Missann described how to tell how much memory is left. My computer has A LOT of designs on it but I don't do much else on the computer these days. I also have an external drive that I save to once a month. I also try to remember to save just the designs to a memory stick. I think the memory sticks are easier to use. They are capable of storing much more data than they use to.
If you have Windows, right click on the start button, select explore, find the files you want to back up and select it. There will be two windows and the right window "should" have a column for size and that will tell you how many mb are in the file. Add up the files sizes and check on your CD for how much storage in on it and that will give you and idea of how many files will go on your CD. Good luck!
Put 2 or 3 files in one folder and the computer will add the total up for you. Then you can burn the folder. Be sure to name it.
Thank you. I work on a computer all day at work but don't have to worry about the storage size but at home I do. :)
When the files are compress you have more room. Flower and XoXo