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Resolved Question

What is the best way to archive data on a bd-r?

Oct 9, 2018 2:54PM PDT

First of all thank you to everyone for all of your help it is so much appreciated.

So i want to archive some of my sacd/dsd files via a bd-r 50 disc. I have them in saved as iso right now for archival purposes on a hard drive and they are taking up too much space and are never used as i play they actual dsd files i have extracted from the iso images.
So as far as longevity and accuracy i guess you would say...Should i put them in zip folders? Leave them as iso? Or extract the iso files into the dsf files and store them that way? Space is not really an issue, i would rather a much more reliable method as opposed to saving a couple bd-r's.

Thank you again,
Shane

Discussion is locked

SHANECOOK1989 has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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The criteria for best is not known yet.
Oct 9, 2018 3:05PM PDT

But you did ask about zipping so you should test if there is any space gained by zipping.

Along with best would be to copy the final archive to a second and maybe third BD-R disc so that it can be put in a safe location other than where your first copy is. That way, fire, burglary or flood is unlikely to destroy all backups.

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Thanks again!
Oct 9, 2018 3:20PM PDT

Thank you again so much for your help. I was thinking that maybe with a zip or iso format, if there is one error or corruption in one of those files it would potentially cause me not to be able to open an entire disc as opposed to just one song if i stored them as the dsf files.

Shane

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DON'T do it all....
Oct 9, 2018 3:22PM PDT

Into just one zip file. Also used to be and may still be a limit on total allowed ISO file size. I think it was 4GB, or maybe 3.5GB, so check on that before doing into an ISO file.

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Nod to not tossing them all into a zip file.
Oct 9, 2018 3:25PM PDT

As to ISO limits I know we create over 8GB ISO images for creating dual layer Video DVDs so that's not a problem.

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Thanks!
Oct 9, 2018 3:42PM PDT

So the original files are all iso as i ripped it that way from the sacd disc. I also have them "unpacked" if you will, into their own individual tracks so that i can play the dsf files via usb or whatever on my receiver. Space really is not an issue as i dont mind using an extra bd-r disc or two. My main concern is the safest most reliable way to store them for the long haul. I guess i am trying to say the way that would be less likely for errors and corruption to occur, especially on large amounts of the data. Again i would rather loose a song or two than a whole album. I just didnt know if saving them in the dsf format would be more risky as there would be 100ish files give or take.

Thank you again
Shane

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As JD noted.
Oct 9, 2018 3:24PM PDT

One big zip file is not that great an idea. Long reasons why.

I would test one .ISO to zip to see if it's worth doing.

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No savings from...
Oct 9, 2018 3:26PM PDT

...putting an ISO file into a ZIP file, since it's just a special CD/DVD compressed file already.

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Not so fast (puns intended.)
Oct 9, 2018 3:37PM PDT

I've had to test this to determine this. Some of the newer compression routines do shrink the usual MP3 or compressed content beyond what the SAC-D media does already.

Not tossing eggs here but tests are needed.

-> On top of any space gain or not, a ZIP file has CRC checks to keep the data integrity "checked." (Bad English Bob here.)

So if I just put the ISO on the BDR I might want to go get some CRC generator or MDSUM and put that on the BDR if long time storage is expected and we want a way to verify the ISO is (within some 99.99999% assurance) without loss.

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That did not occur ti me.
Oct 9, 2018 3:48PM PDT

You just blew my mind there, i did not even know that was an option. And i did not know that about zip files either, a little more reliable or error free than i thought. If i did put them in zip files I would only zip one album into one zip folder. Or should i zip the iso image from each disc into its own folder, so when it was unzipped you would only have 1 iso image in each zip folder? And again extra bd-r's are not a big deal here.

Wow thanks again,
Shane

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Sorry about the brain splatter.
Oct 9, 2018 4:48PM PDT

To recap. And this is decades of using ARC, TAR, ZIP, 7z, gZIP, and untold other archive or compression tools...

1. Just one ISO per zip. The ISO is already large so putting them in all one file should be awful for performance.
2. When I've seen file loss on any media, it's usually just one file. So one ISO per file improves the chances that if a BDR is dinged, at worst you lose one file but ZIP does have some CRC checks that may bring it back. I can't assure you of this but hey, it's in there.

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Perfect!
Oct 9, 2018 4:54PM PDT

Thank you again so much for the help!

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ISO file sizes info
Oct 9, 2018 3:24PM PDT
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And...
Oct 9, 2018 3:38PM PDT
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Oh yea i forgot lol.
Oct 9, 2018 4:01PM PDT

One last question, can you recommend any free or cheap software that would be good to actually burn the disc. And maybe something that would verify the disc after it burned?

Thanks,
Shane

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For Windows?
Oct 9, 2018 4:49PM PDT
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Yes, windows 10
Oct 9, 2018 4:57PM PDT

Thank you again. I bought bd writer with no software so i have been relying on things like img burn and Cdburnerxp that have been free and work great. I just do not have any software currently for writing data.

Thanks again,
Shane

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Just a nod.
Oct 9, 2018 5:10PM PDT

This is why when I shopped for my BDRW I made sure it had both BD Video player and recording apps includes. I think it was 45 USD for my Buffalo BRXL-PC6US.

It included "Cyberlink Media Suite." which I show at 70USD at
https://www.amazon.com/Cyberlink-Media-Suite-15-Ultra/dp/B072PVBJDL/

I don't know what you can find a BDRW drive for but here, I knew the software wasn't cheap so I got a bundle.

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Thanks again!
Oct 9, 2018 5:14PM PDT

Thank you!