Backing up Sonar Files

[font="'times new roman','serif'"]When you back up a sonar project do you copy the cwb and the assets file too

David - just want to throw another suggestion out there as well. I personally back up the whole hard drive, or set of hard drives in my case, on a regular basis (weekly).

At least from my experience I never know when I'm going bump into something that will cause an issue to come up with the system. Sometimes it's just something annoying like a dialogue box that pops up when you boot up, and that dialogue box is for something suspicious. Sometimes it's very hard to determine why that annoying thing just started happening, but it didn't happen last week.

When that happens for me (and it does), it's amazingly cool to be able to go to the latest backup and restore everything. Problem solved after pushing a button and letting the backup restore everything.

+1 I also always use the per-project audio option, and simply copy projects to back them up or transfer them through Gobbler if collaborating, or whatever is desired - super simple, just move the whole folder around.
 
Bob Bone
 

Melodyne seems to put all files in another place like documents folder ,,, The new Melodyne ARA files seem a mystery to me . Does consolidate project command put ARA files in the Project folder? When retrieving a backed up project it seems Melodyne files are to be searched out 

Thanks too all.

When I'm finished with a Melodyne track I clone it then make it into a normal track, so I have a track that's away from Melodyne. I then archive off the melodyne track (and hide it). That way you are covered.

I save a backup copy of the project at the end of every editing session. I only backup the main CWP file, which is always under 2MB in size. I don't normally bother copying the audio files, since I don't edit them so they don't change. This works well for me. I have very rarely needed to retrieve an old audio file and whenever I want to want to open an old version of a project, the associated audio files are usually still intact anyway.
 
A full backup makes sense for a just-started or just-completed project though.

Kev999- I don't normally bother copying the audio files, 
 
 There are many way's we can use Sonar. All of use have our sliding scale ratio of MIDI /AUDIO involved in any given project. 
The above would apply to say, electronic music, where there is 80%-100% MIDI. 
But for people who record real bands/ instruments we are talking 80%-100% audio tracks. So saving only the CWP file would result in opening a very blank looking track view. 
 
I have always kept everything to do with any given song in it's own folder. Lyrics, scratch, live recordings, track sheets, midi files, CWP and most important the Audio folder. 
So easy to drag and drop this container to another drive.  
I keep a external drive backed up regularly,  and use these files sometimes when I'm away from home. I use a master folder and dating system to keep track. 
 
I also perform a "save as" to my 3rd DATA drive after spending any time working on a project. At any point I feel like I'd rather not take a chance on loosing work. Good Habit for everyone!  
In the 8 years using Cakewalk and Cubase, I have never lost anything I recorded. Only changing the clock rate has caused me an issue with opening files. 

I didn't say I never back up audio files. It's just that I don't keep making lots of backup copies of the entire project which would result in lots of duplicate audio files and fill up hard drives very quickly. On the other hand I routinely save CWP files without worrying about disk space.
 
 

+1 per folder, as Scott said.

I just recently received my new Acronis True Image 2014 (upon recommendation from my PC Builder, see signature).
 
It is quite the program, and I need to dig in to determine what is the best route for me, with regards to an entire "disaster recovery" plan, as Acronis calls it.
For project work...I create a master folder with a date and description. I place any relevant projects in that folder based on what was tracked on that date. Basically, if I know I am going to be tracking, I create a master folder, then I create sub-folders for however many projects I might be tracking. There are some times where my band will have an "idea" session, where we bring ideas to rehearsal and bounce them back and fourth, and I will track all of that, and create sub-folders for each idea, and then place them into the master folder...etc. etc. I then back up the entire "Cakewalk Projects" folder from the system's internal HD onto three different external HDs, one Glyph, one Lacie, and one Seagate.
 
I am sure there is a better way, as I am new to this, but it works for now.

I am too lazy to type this post again, but for backups I default to using xcopy as it is "quick and clean." If the file path is too long, it is possible to get xcopy to choke (this is rare, but depends on directory structure), so robocopy is an alternative method in that case (but I still prefer xcopy for its speed).
 
I believe all ARA data from Melodyne stores itself in the "C:\Users\[default user]\Documents\Celemony\Separations" path by default.

For band sessions I do what Trem Jam does. I make a master folder, Then inside  I put each Song ( projects) If I know what songs are going to be recorded I name them as such. Otherwise its numbers.  I make a template for the way the session will go down input wise,  as well as pre meditated future tracks needed, exf buss etc. And "save as" each one re naming into each of those folders. 
 
Then at the session I open all of them,,, might be 26 projects open, This way you do not have to think about Sonar while recording the songs. I'm ready to hit the Big R before the band can reach for beers. Re takes can either be erased ( overwritten)  or be re named afterwards with "Save as." ( Take 2)  I always ask first for votes of consensus. Did that just suck as much as I thought it did? Ya zap it..  
 
This is all recorded to a laptop. Then it's only a matter of drag and drop the main folder to a back up drive and then into my main DAW for further editing and overdubs. 
The originals will still exist on the laptop and the back up drive. Date the folders... 
I see no need of fancy pants back up software. I don't understand what it can do that I cannot do a better job of manually.  
 
And I also don't understand anyone obsessing over hard drive space anymore.. That was back when. Or might be some fool using 96hz. :) sorry just had to add... 

^Now I can go on and delete that gigantic folder. Thanks to you.