I have 15GB of mp3s...How should I back this up?

Marco Polo · 02-11-2007, 11:46 AM

I have 15GB of mp3s and have had my computer for about 5 years. I want to back all that up before it crashes or something. Can anyone give me advice on what I should do to save all these files at a cheap price? I would greatly appreciate it!

Nightwish · 02-11-2007, 11:48 AM

Buy a whole bunch of CD-R's (it'll take about 22 of the regular 700mb discs, maybe more, depending how your file sizes are distributed).

Buy a spare or external hard drive.

Using discs would probably be the cheapest, but also the most time-consuming, unless you can find a cheap or free hosting program with at least a 15-gig allowance, which is doubtful.

Hammock Parties · 02-11-2007, 11:55 AM

Screw that. Buy a DVD burner (they are cheap, you can get one for $30 off newegg) and just use 4 DVDs to back them up.

Nightwish · 02-11-2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Screw that. Buy a DVD burner (they are cheap, you can get one for $30 off newegg) and just use 4 DVDs to back them up.

Hmm, there's a thought. I have a DVD burner, too, though I never thought to use it for burning mp3's. Would those DVDs be readable in a car stereo that is able to read compressed mp3 files? Probably not, but that'd be cool if they did!

Hammock Parties · 02-11-2007, 12:00 PM

Only if your car stereo plays music DVDs.

But you said you wanted to back them up...I've provided you with the cheapest option, unless you have a spare hard drive laying round you could back them up on.

Braincase · 02-11-2007, 12:08 PM

External USB or Firewire HD. The one my wife uses is 120 GB external that runs on USB power - a great solution for notebook users - you have all your tunes available, and you have a portable solution. You can still burn the DVD's. but for mass storage, an external HD works well. I have an external 200 GB PATA drive in a USB 2.0 housing, 168 GB of mp3's... and I can take 'em where ever I want 'em. Can still synchronize my play lists through WMP to my Sansa portable.

meStevo · 02-11-2007, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightwish

Hmm, there's a thought. I have a DVD burner, too, though I never thought to use it for burning mp3's. Would those DVDs be readable in a car stereo that is able to read compressed mp3 files? Probably not, but that'd be cool if they did!

This was my wish for a long time. Why don't they have car stereos with DVD readers in them for this purpose, when they'll make CD players and promote MP3 playback capability.

We're kinda past that now with game systems and movies playing in cars, but for a long time it didnt make sense that this incremental step wasn't made.... 4gb of MP3s in the Napster age, all playable from your CD Deck.

Skyy God · 02-11-2007, 02:23 PM

Just a guess, but having to navigate 1000 or so songs on one disc would be pretty unwieldy.

**noa** · 02-11-2007, 03:09 PM

Buy an MP3 player that can hold that many songs. The odds that your MP3 player and your computer would crash at the same time are minimal, so as long as you have your music on one of the two entities, you should be fine and can transfer back and forth if you need to. I have an external hard drive and a big MP3 player so they serve as two forms of backup, but you shouldn't need that much for only 15 GB of music.

Marco Polo · 02-11-2007, 03:19 PM

Thanks for giving me some options....I appreciate it!

Pants · 02-11-2007, 04:29 PM

Dual layer DVD, 8 gigs on one disc. Have fun.

Hammock Parties · 02-11-2007, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metrolike

Dual layer DVD, 8 gigs on one disc. Have fun.

Also a little more expensive.

HMc · 02-12-2007, 01:14 AM

dual layer, dual side. 16 gigs!!

Silock · 02-12-2007, 05:52 AM

I would just get a new hard drive. You can easily and quickly add any new files you put on there. You can get a good cheap 20-40 gig HD for around $1 per gigabyte, or a little less (found a 40 gb HD for $30 on pricewatch.com/Newegg.com).

Marco Polo · 02-15-2007, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Screw that. Buy a DVD burner (they are cheap, you can get one for $30 off newegg) and just use 4 DVDs to back them up.

I don't have any free slots in my CPU unit to install the DVD burner. Do you know of an external drive available relatively cheap?

02-11-2007, 11:46 AM
Marco Polo Veteran Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 41°59.4′N 87°39.6'W Casino cash: $3938908	I have 15GB of mp3s...How should I back this up? I have 15GB of mp3s and have had my computer for about 5 years. I want to back all that up before it crashes or something. Can anyone give me advice on what I should do to save all these files at a cheap price? I would greatly appreciate it!
Posts: 2,540

02-11-2007, 11:48 AM	#2
Nightwish 2006 Snipe Hunting Champion Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: A van down by the river! Casino cash: $10004900	Buy a whole bunch of CD-R's (it'll take about 22 of the regular 700mb discs, maybe more, depending how your file sizes are distributed). Buy a spare or external hard drive. Using discs would probably be the cheapest, but also the most time-consuming, unless you can find a cheap or free hosting program with at least a 15-gig allowance, which is doubtful. __________________ "Human tales? But human don't have tails, they have big, big bottoms that they wear with bad shorts, and walk around going, 'Hi, Helen!'" -- Batty (Robin Williams), in Fern Gully Last edited by Nightwish; 02-11-2007 at 11:56 AM..
Posts: 7,013

02-11-2007, 11:55 AM	#3
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $840478	Screw that. Buy a DVD burner (they are cheap, you can get one for $30 off newegg) and just use 4 DVDs to back them up. __________________ Chiefs game films
Posts: 297,340

02-11-2007, 12:00 PM	#5
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $840478	Only if your car stereo plays music DVDs. But you said you wanted to back them up...I've provided you with the cheapest option, unless you have a spare hard drive laying round you could back them up on. __________________ Chiefs game films
Posts: 297,340

02-11-2007, 12:08 PM	#6
Braincase Banned Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pond> Me <Barn Casino cash: $11298284	External USB or Firewire HD. The one my wife uses is 120 GB external that runs on USB power - a great solution for notebook users - you have all your tunes available, and you have a portable solution. You can still burn the DVD's. but for mass storage, an external HD works well. I have an external 200 GB PATA drive in a USB 2.0 housing, 168 GB of mp3's... and I can take 'em where ever I want 'em. Can still synchronize my play lists through WMP to my Sansa portable. __________________ BrainCase
Posts: 15,429

02-11-2007, 02:23 PM	#8
Skyy God 11-5, baby Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Livin the dream Casino cash: $2191557	Just a guess, but having to navigate 1000 or so songs on one disc would be pretty unwieldy.
Posts: 22,416

02-11-2007, 03:09 PM	#9
noa Band Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $-624547	Buy an MP3 player that can hold that many songs. The odds that your MP3 player and your computer would crash at the same time are minimal, so as long as you have your music on one of the two entities, you should be fine and can transfer back and forth if you need to. I have an external hard drive and a big MP3 player so they serve as two forms of backup, but you shouldn't need that much for only 15 GB of music. __________________ Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes, well, he eats you.
Posts: 8,302

02-11-2007, 03:19 PM	#10
Marco Polo Veteran Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 41°59.4′N 87°39.6'W Casino cash: $3938908	Thanks for giving me some options....I appreciate it!
Posts: 2,540

02-11-2007, 04:29 PM	#11
Pants Time Keeps On Slipping Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Overland Park Casino cash: $3539900	Dual layer DVD, 8 gigs on one disc. Have fun. __________________ "Turn the channel to 26!"
Posts: 27,417

02-12-2007, 01:14 AM	#13
HMc from the very deep south. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia. Casino cash: $9944900	dual layer, dual side. 16 gigs!!
Posts: 2,792

02-12-2007, 05:52 AM	#14
Silock MVP Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Overland Park Casino cash: $10020882	I would just get a new hard drive. You can easily and quickly add any new files you put on there. You can get a good cheap 20-40 gig HD for around $1 per gigabyte, or a little less (found a 40 gb HD for $30 on pricewatch.com/Newegg.com).
Posts: 19,908