Hey, guys!
I've currently got a 2TB hard drive (which is already half-full now, uh-oh) and unfortunately my audio folder on my main drive is nearing 100gb in size and I need to transfer everything safely and cleanly to my ext. drive.
 
What's the safest way to go about that?
Perhaps the best software that'll make it easy and decently painless? Or is it simply a copy-paste operation? :)
 
 
Bonus question - what's the most efficient method for backing up my entire project folder?

Are you trying to just move the stuff you are not currently working on i. e. backing up the data to the external to free up space on the original drive, or do you want to be able to use the external instead of the original drive for those projects? If the former any copy and paste utility will work, and you can just move them back to the original drive to open them again. If the latter, you will need to find a way to point your application to the new location.

If you are just copying across and want to have some validation in there that the copying was successful then the free utility Terracopy - http://www.codesector.com/teracopy - is what you are after. If it is archieving then the free tool Paragon Backup will serve your needs.

let us know exactly what "my audio folder" consists of?
is this only your cake projects? or does it include vsts and program install files?
 

You can just drag and drop to the external HD... then verify the size is the same.
You can open any project/s from the external HD to verify integrity.

Project folder, audio folder?
100gb on "main drive", your C drive?
Question, are you using per project folders?
If not, (using per project folders) its time to do that; and its not "efficient" at all.
File save as, new folder for each project (on your ext drive), tick the copy all audio box.
Just my nickel98...
T
 

Humorously enough, I decided to just "trust my gut" and move everything. Cakewalk seems to be set to automatically point projects to their internal audio folders, so I don't have to manually set the up at all. Old files (from Music Creator) all have a collective folder now though, so when I open those (which is very rare) I have to jump to the big folder.

just copy and paste. whats the problem with that?
if the copy fails it will tell you. i have never experienced a failed copy/paste of a file in my life that has not been reported. the belief that you will loose information every time you copy a file is a myth (if that is what is worrying you).

bonus answer:
you could create a mirrored drive that automatically creates two versions of every change. i havent done this myself so cant advise on how to do it, but i would assume you could mirror only certain directories, so you dont have to mirror the whole partition.

parricide
just copy and paste. whats the problem with that?
if the copy fails it will tell you. i have never experienced a failed copy/paste of a file in my life that has not been reported. the belief that you will loose information every time you copy a file is a myth (if that is what is worrying you).

bonus answer:
you could create a mirrored drive that automatically creates two versions of every change. i havent done this myself so cant advise on how to do it, but i would assume you could mirror only certain directories, so you dont have to mirror the whole partition.

Hey parricide, I actually did this operation with *no* errors whatsoever. Cakewalk is still pointing to the internal audio folders for each project folder, so no problems opening the transferred files.
I have an old 250gb IDE harddrive that I'll use for backing up my audio folder generally.

davdud101
Hey parricide, I actually did this operation with *no* errors whatsoever. Cakewalk is still pointing to the internal audio folders for each project folder, so no problems opening the transferred files.
I have an old 250gb IDE harddrive that I'll use for backing up my audio folder generally.

glad to hear it worked out. sometimes the simple solution is the best one.

i use the same method, good old copy/paste of files on to a backup drive. there are automated backup methods that are probably much better, but personally i have never needed one, so i just go old school :)