Operating system update to support Bridge

[RebeccaWaldock]

Brian....Damien sent me to you on this.  It is out of his wheelhouse.

Trying to get started from the beginning with the Bridge class, but I am hitting roadblocks every step of the way.  I am running MacOS HighSierra 10.13.6.  Apparently, Bridge (and most of the Adobe CC suite) is not compatible with that.  So, I am now in the process of backing up my machine before upgrading to Monterey. Is Monterey the way to go?  Any pro tips? I think I am clear on the steps of the upgrade.  Backup, download new OS, install, use backup if the whole plan goes to crap.

As a general rule, do you suggest keeping up with OS updates?  As you can see, I stuck with what my system came with in 2018.  Now, it is coming back to bite me.

I was of the thought, if it isn't broke...don't fix it.  Which I see your theory for Adobe updates is in line with that (turn off auto updates, etc). But do you think operating systems are different?

 

This is a big change...making the leap from LR catalogs to Bridge. From what I am reading, it will make my life easier, but change is scary and hard.

[Brian]

3 hours ago, RebeccaWaldock said:

Monterey the way to go?  Any pro tips?

NO!!

Too many bugs for my liking at this point. In fact, some MacBooks have been "Bricked" due to Monterey.

Apple seems to have fixed the issue, but if it happens to you, the only way to fix it is a trip to the Apple Store and to have it Nuked (formatted) and a Older OS installed. I think you should update to Catalina first. Yes...you can still do this, here is how:

First, you need to use the Safari Web Browser and ONLY Safari. This will not work with Chrome or Firefox. Click this Link and it will take you to a Apple Web Page with the older Operating Systems. The top half has links to check your compatibility, which case you are fine, and the bottom half has the links to the actual macOS. (so just scroll down.)

 

When you use Safari to open macOS Catalina 10.15, it will take you to the App Store that has the download link. If everything works correctly, the App Store should open and you will see this:

Click on the Blue "Get" and it will download the OS. It's about 4GB in file-size, so I'd plan on doing nothing else on your computer for this process. Go watch a movie or something on your TV. You want the update to not get interrupted or have the chance of data corruption. After it downloads the install routine should begin. Then follow the prompts and Catalina should install.

Then, if you don't own it already, purchase CleanMyMac X from MacPaw.com. The "X" version is required for Catalina and beyond, older CleanMyMacs (like version 2 or 3) will screw up a modern operating system. (Catalina - Present.)  So let's not do that, as it would be bad. I've been using CMM since 2009 weekly. It helps keep the gunk to a minimum.

The other gotcha that I see, is you have a stupid MacBook Pro, with two graphics cards. Photoshop might have an issue with the two cards, so I would head to the "Energy Saver" in Settings after you update to Catalina, and turn off "Automated Graphics Switching," then close the Window and reboot. You want Photoshop to use the more powerful Graphics Card (The Radeon Pro) and not the wimpy Intel UHD. I would turn this off before attempting an install of the current PS CC software.

 

3 hours ago, RebeccaWaldock said:

I was of the thought, if it isn't broke...don't fix it.  Which I see your theory for Adobe updates is in line with that (turn off auto updates, etc). But do you think operating systems are different?

While having a conservative stance is a good thing, meaning you avoid the issues that early adopters face, it can come back to haunt you, such as the situation you are in. It's very easy to get so far out of date that current software won't install.

Here is how I have my Software Update set to on my Mac, and I'm running Catalina:

If you click on the "Advanced" button, it looks like this:

As you can see, I have everything checked but don't allow the macOS upgrade to the latest OS. Normal security patches and the like, that's fine...I want those. I just want to be in control of when the macOS is updated. When it comes to Adobe Updates, I usually wait a few days after they are released, since Adobe always seems to make their software more bloated and incompatible with each update. Especially with the very latest versions, such as PS CC 2022. So by holding off for a few days, allows me to avoid problems with Adobe's updates, but I never go more than a week or so, unless I hear about major problems. Major meaning that Adobe admits it screwed up and pulls the update. That's when I really wait a long time to upgrade.

Now, I just had a member upgrade to Catalina and she seems to be having a Lag-Problem with the new Photoshop. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and you won't have any problems. Because upgrading the macOS is a one-way proposition. Meaning there is no "Un-Install" or roll-back feature. This is Catalina or bust!!

 

Keep me posted on your progress and let me know if you have any problems. Good Luck!!

[RebeccaWaldock]

Brian,

This is all so helpful!  Thank you so much for taking the time to break this down.  I will do as suggested and go with Catalina vs Monterey. I am glad I asked. 

I will get CleanMyMacX.  I am probably way overdue for software like this.

I will turn off the stupid graphics card. 🤣

I will set up my updates as you have.  It is smart to wait a few days to let others jump on any potential grenades in updates.  I will follow your lead there.  

OK, stay tuned...we will see how this all goes.  I am going to do a solid backup before I jump into this.  My plan was to connect a clean external drive and backup that way.  What do you like for full system backups?  I am open to any advice.  I was thinking of using TImeMachine. Thoughts?  I don't want to do anything until I know I won't be living in the despair of regret.

Really....thank you.  It is funny how much I do not know about this computer I spend so much of my time on.  I am beyond grateful to have your expertise here.

 

[Brian]

Time Machine is Awesome for what it is. Apple has perfected in backing up the internal Macintosh HD with Time Machine and that's what I use. I wish Windows was as good. One thing too keep in mind is you want your Time Machine Drive all by itself, meaning you don't treat it as a regular external drive. That's what your fancy Thunderbolt 3 12TB EHD is for. I have a 4TB External Drive being used as my TM drive and a 12TB TB3 Drive as my primary external storage for my photos. The TM Drive can be a USB 2.0 or 3.0, either...I just like it to be at least 1.5 or twice the size of my internal Macintosh HD. Of course you could go bigger like me, but if you have a 1TB internal Drive, then I'd recommend a 2TB External TM Drive. You want your TM Drive to have a little "wiggle room" with your backups. Make sense? 

You can use a blank HD, that's smart, because if you want to go back to where you are now, your existing TM drive can not be touched by Catalina! So if you do a final TM backup, Eject that drive and set it aside. Or use a blank EHD format it and tell the MacOS to use the drive as a TM drive, then do a full backup and set it aside. Your choice. Basically you want the ability to go back in time if needed and that takes source material that is stopped in time. As soon as you let a new MacOS touch your TM drive, it's over and you are stuck. 

 

[RebeccaWaldock]

While we are on the topic, thoughts on EHD brands?  I am thinking of getting some new SSD.  

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/crucial-x6-se-4tb-external-usb-c-usb-a-portable-solid-state-drive/6457936.p?skuId=6457936#tabbed-customerreviews

And can someone explain the whole RAID system thing to me?  I want to understand it. 

Storage is such a crucial part of what we do.  I want to get it right.

[RebeccaWaldock]

Or is NAS more appropriate?  

A little more info.  

I currently have a handful of EHDs, totaling 10TB, I'm guessing.  I'd love to streamline them and have a safe, dependable storage system. Obviously, I need room for new content as well. (You can never have enough storage).  I want to set it up and not think about it.

I love the idea of being able to access my files remotely, which I think you can do with a NAS system, if it is set up correctly.

Bestow your wisdom.

[RebeccaWaldock]

Or is NAS more appropriate?  

A little more info.  

I currently have a handful of EHDs, totaling 10TB, I'm guessing.  I'd love to streamline them and have a safe, dependable storage system. Obviously, I need room for new content as well. (You can never have enough storage).  I want to set it up and not think about it.

 

Also, there are 5 of us that live here.  2 adults that work from home, and 3 teenage kids that love their devices.  So, our wifi network gets a serious workout.  So, would NAS be incredibly slow?

I love the idea of being able to access my files remotely, which I think you can do with a NAS system, if it is set up correctly.

Bestow your wisdom.

[Brian]

18 hours ago, RebeccaWaldock said:

Also, there are 5 of us that live here.  2 adults that work from home, and 3 teenage kids that love their devices.  So, our wifi network gets a serious workout.  So, would NAS be incredibly slow?

I love the idea of being able to access my files remotely, which I think you can do with a NAS system, if it is set up correctly.

Yes, a NAS, or Network Attached Storage, is something to consider. Especially if you want to access your files remotely. The downside is, and your assumption is correct, is your bottleneck with the Wi-Fi. So you might want to upgrade that to a Mesh System with Multiple Access Points so that your whole house is draped in Wi-Fi. Otherwise, for the absolute best performance, a hardware Ethernet connection is the way to go.

Now setting up a NAS will take a little effort, especially knowledge of tweaking your Router's Settings, particularly in opening up "Ports" so that your Data can be accessed remotely. It's not a plug-and-play kind of thing. This is Geek/Nerd Territory. Fortunately, there are plenty of YouTube Videos out there demonstrating the process. Well, they give you the overall theory, it's up to you to figure out how to program your Router. In any case, your NAS will be directly attached to your Router via Category 6 Ethernet Cables.

In terms of lag, if everything is Wi-Fi based, yes, there will be lag if you use your NAS to Stream Video (your own personal Netflix, as it were with your home DVD Collection,) or if your .PSD files are large. (You have a high MP Camera and large Raw Files.) 

[Brian]

On 11/11/2021 at 1:20 PM, RebeccaWaldock said:

While we are on the topic, thoughts on EHD brands?  I am thinking of getting some new SSD.  

Storage is such a crucial part of what we do.  I want to get it right.

One thing I do not do, is F*ck around with my Data. I will NEVER recommend a $99 Special from a Big-Box Store. I like my HDs beefy and Enterprise Grade, which means they have higher quality components and are usually more expensive. Here is my current External Hard Drive. But before you go out and buy one of those, is portability an issue? What Make/Model/Year is your Mac again? Does it have a Thunderbolt 3 port? (If it's from 2017 to current, it does.)
 

On 11/11/2021 at 1:20 PM, RebeccaWaldock said:

And can someone explain the whole RAID system thing to me?  I want to understand it. 

What does RAID stand for? Redundant Array of Independent Disks.

"Huh?"

Basically, it's two or more hard drives working in unison for a single purpose, usually data redundancy; meaning if one hard drive fails, the others pick up the slack and you still have access to your data. The only exception is RAID Level 0 or RAID0.

Alright, before I start linking stuff, how much are you looking to spend? Because configuring / building a NAS is usually not cheap, especially if you want storage and redundancy. The hard drives that go into NAS units need to be of a higher caliber, meaning they run a LOOOONG time before failing, and you'll need to configure the best RAID option for your needs, which is usually RAID 1 (Drive Mirroring) and RAID 5 (Distributed Parity). There are others, like RAID 10 (or RAID 1+0) which your more technical people will usually recommend over 1 & 5.

Still with me? I know this is geeky stuff, but you need to understand this before you go buying things, because the NAS unit and special hard drives could set you back $2000 or more total, depending on how things are configured, what storage capacity, and what RAID level you choose. Speaking of the levels, here is a basic run-down:

• RAID 0 - Typically Two Hard Drives that work in Unison and appear as one big drive. So if you have two 4TB hard drives configured in a RAID 0, you will have 8TB Hard drive, well a little less after formatting...at your disposal. The benefit to RAID0 is SPEED. RAID0 is FAST. It's the perfect drive setup for those who edit video, as the read / write performance on traditional hard drives configured in a RAID0 is much faster than if they were used in a traditional fashion. The downside to RAID0, if one hard drive fails, the other goes with it. You lose all the data on that drive. This is similar to a External Hard Drive that only has one disk in the external case. People that store important data, like your client's photos and current projects, do NOT store them on a RAID 0 Drive. Like I said, RAID0 is great for cache files / scratch disks, etc. Files that are temporary and are created and deleted frequently.
   
• RAID 1 - Typically Two Hard Drives that are mirrored of each other. So a 12TB RAID 1 will have two 6TB drives that are mirrored. So if one hard drive fails, you have another HD that has a duplicate of the files on the failed drive. This is a form of redundancy. The downside to RAID 1, is if you delete a file, it's deleted from both hard drives instantaneously. If a file gets corrupted on one of the hard drives, the mirrored file on the other hard drive is also corrupted. That said, corruption is rare these days, so it's not that big of a deal. Just keep in mind, that a External Hard Drive that is advertised as a 12TB or 16TB drive, that storage capacity is cut in half if you choose to set it up as a RAID1.
   
• RAID 5 - This requires 3 or more hard drives to work, and using the same make/model/size seems to work the best. Of course you could use different brands, just as long as the capacities are exactly the same on all three drives. Well, I could go over the exceptions and geek-out, but I'm keeping things simple. You want three or more hard drives, with the same capacities and speed. The benefit to RAID 5, is it's like RAID 0 and RAID 1 combined, conversationally speaking. Like RAID 0, the three hard drives act as one bigger drive, plus has the added redundancy that RAID 1 provides. If one hard drive dies out of the three, the other two pick up the slack and keep going. This allows you to access all of your data. Downside, with a failed drive, things are a bit slower until you replace the drive and it's added back into the RAID. If two hard drives fail out of the three, you lose all your data. (The RAID setup crashes.) Hard Drives are pretty reliable these days and it's rare for two hard drives to die at the same time in a RAID 5. The trick is with RAID 5, if you have a hard drive fail, replace it immediately. This way if another hard drive were to fail, you are still only dealing with one hard drive that has failed. Make sense? In addition, since you need a minimum of three hard drives to build a RAID 5, that's three (or more) hard drives that you have to buy, and that costs extra.
   
• RAID 10 or RAID 1+0 - This configuration seems to be the one that people like the best these days. You get redundancy and speed, though I still find RAID 5 being used a lot. In a nutshell, take four hard drives and then combine both in a RAID 0 setup. THEN two pairs of hard drives are set as RAID1. So, you'll have HD A&B configured as a RAID 0  and HD C&D configured as a RAID 0. Two of those Hard Drives (A&B) will be Mirrored with the other pair (C&D) giving your redundancy. All four hard drives appear as one big drive. This method works best if you are using SSD hard drives instead of traditional spinning disk hard drives. The problem with this, is that it's one of the more expensive options. I could go on and on with this one, but like I said before, I'm trying to keep things simple.

OK, I know that is a lot to take in, but you need to know this stuff for when you purchase and configure your NAS. There will be different setup options that you will need to pick, and these choices will depend on how many drives you purchase. If you purchase a two-bay NAS, you will only be able to purchase two hard drives, which limits you to RAID 0 or RAID 1. If you buy a larger NAS that supports more hard drives at the same time, there are more options for you. Of course, you could purchase a NAS that has 4-5 bays in it and only purchase two hard drives. (Take a four bay unit and configure two hard drives as RAID 1.) The downside is if you want to add a hard drive, with a two bay unit, you are buying another NAS so you can install more hard drives to get more options available to you. Plus, if you want to add a hard drive to an existing RAID, and want to change that RAID level, e.g. go from Level 1 to say, a Level 5, it's better to delete the whole RAID setup and start all over again. Which means backing up your data on the old RAID setup and restoring said data on the new RAID. Make sense? Yes, I know some technical folks in this forum will say there are options out there that allow you to upgrade/change level with out nuking the RAID, but those type of setups are usually done on fancy RAID controllers in expensive servers and the RAID is typically hardware based, not software. So again, I'm keeping this advice for the average computer user with no experience in setting these things up.

Phew! I'm glad I got that out of the way. Hopefully I didn't scare you too much. Here is a typical Hard Drive meant for a NAS. I usually buy Western Digital HDs and these days would not buy anything smaller than 4TB. In order to get a RAID 1 setup (Drive Mirroring) and have 4TB at your disposal, you would need two of those hard drives, plus the NAS Unit. The NAS units that I recommend are the Synology 4 bay NAS DiskStation DS918+ (Diskless) and the QNAP TS-451+. Between the two, and for what you are looking for, I'd recommend the Synology NAS. The interface is simple and there are plenty of YouTube videos out there to help you configure things. I would personally recommend at least getting two WD 4TB drives and setting them up as a RAID 1, or purchase more and configure things as a RAID 5 (Minimum 3 drives) or a RAID 10 (Minimum four drives.) Of course the larger the capacity, the better.
 

[Brian]

I almost forgot, with a NAS, it's not going to be quiet. I will need to be in a well-ventilated area and as I've mentioned before, hooked up directly to your Router via a Cat 6 Ethernet Cable.

One thing that I've noticed over the years is the manufacturers are using cheaper and cheaper plastics. So imagine having 2 or more 7200 RPM Beefy HDs working simultaneously, and you are gonna hear them. LOL!! Now it wasn't that bad years ago, but some members who went out and bought current NAS Systems reported back on how loud they were. So take this into consideration. Everything is cheap and crappy across the board.

These guys have a whole YouTube Channel dedicated to NAS Units and such. Give their channel a view:

YouTube - SPANdotCOM

[Brian]

I just had a thought, you could buy 4TB SSD Drives and set them up in a RAID Configuration. But that is not going to be cheap and will not give you the best storage capacity but it will solve the noise issue.

What do I mean about storage capacity? If you purchased Four 4TB HDs, a total of 16TB worth of HDs, you will get 8TB Mirrored. Remember how I mentioned above about RAID 1 and cut the total capacity in half? RAID 10 is really RAID 1+0 and not "Ten."

Play around with this calculator: RAID Calculator to see how you'd configure a NAS.

[RebeccaWaldock]

https://media.giphy.com/media/H4zeDO4ocDYqY/giphy.gif

 

I need a minute with all of this.

 

Quote

I just had a thought, you could buy 4TB SSD Drives and set them up in a RAID Configuration. But that is not going to be cheap and will not give you the best storage capacity but it will solve the noise issue. 

How the hell do I connect 4 drives with a MacBook Pro? Am I adding some kind of octopus adapter to plug them all in to?  I do have Thunderbolt. It is a 2018 MacBook Pro. Do I want all of that crap on my desk?  This sounds like a great option to work around the NAS issues.

OK, so NAS is intersting, but do I really want to mess with my WIFI system? It would be slow with my current WIFI.  It would be loud.  It would be hot.

Or do I just bite the bullet and buy 2 or 4 of the G drives you have and set up RAID with that? I feel like RAID1 or RAID10 is the way to go.


 

[Brian]

2 hours ago, RebeccaWaldock said:

How the hell do I connect 4 drives with a MacBook Pro?

With one of these, silly.

2 hours ago, RebeccaWaldock said:

buy 2 or 4 of the G drives you have and set up RAID with that?

Nope. It doesn't work that way. You can not buy externals and then do a RAID Setup. They all have to be in the same enclosure of some kind. Now, some external drives are setup as a RAID, such as this one: G-Drive RAID Enclosure. Now remember, that enclosure has two 12TB Drives. So if you configure it as a RAID1, it's only 12TB large, (One 12TB Mirrored to the other 12TB Drive) before formatting.

In a nutshell, a RAID setup is required when you need absolute data redundancy. Otherwise, you could purchase two 12TB external Drives, buy & use a program like SuperDuper! for Mac, which schedules cloning from one HD to the other on a scheduled basis. Then you keep the 2nd Drive Off-Site in case of Fire/Flood/Theft, etc. etc.

RAID is involved. Like I said above, this is Geek / Nerd Territory. Your average user does not mess with a RAID setup; normal computer users tend to have multiple Hard Drives laying all around their house, when one HD gets too small, they buy another. Then another...then another. In which case they will end up with four or more HDs over the course of 10 years and then they wonder how they can wrangle all of their files/data. The truth is, they need to spend the money on a larger hard drive to begin with; a person who has a 1TB drive now thinks 4TB will be enough, when they really should be looking at 10TB or 12TB. You aren't necessarily buying for "now" but 5-10 years from now. Otherwise you are buying multiple HDs over a period of time.

2 hours ago, RebeccaWaldock said:

OK, so NAS is intersting, but do I really want to mess with my WIFI system? It would be slow with my current WIFI.  It would be loud.  It would be hot.

Yep. Four spinning Enterprise Grade HDs in a cheap enclosure will be loud. Buying Four 4TB SSD Drives at $480 a pop is $1920, plus Tax, is a bit stupid. Then you need to spend the money on a NAS box, so that's another $600, conversationally speaking.

As for your Wi-Fi...you are right, most people aren't comfortable in messing with their Wi-Fi. I'd recommend buying one of these: AmpliFi Gamer’s Edition WiFi System by Ubiquiti. A Mesh Wi-Fi allows devices to jump to the strongest access point seamlessly to cut down on poor connectivity issues. Because things like walls, Heating/Cooling Ducts, fancy Stainless Steel Appliances and floors between levels can affect your Wi-Fi Signal. Not to mention the more devices that you have hooked up simultaneously the harder the Wi-Fi has to work. 

But again, how far down this Rabbit Hole do you want to go? Most people aren't like me and run Ethernet Cables in their home:

 

This is a storage area behind where my computer is. My Wife remarked, "We don't need a Commercial Grade Ethernet Setup." My response, "...yes we do. I hate Wi-Fi." She still won't let me put holes in the walls to get the Ethernet up to the second floor where her Office is. Oh well.

So again, how far do you want to go with this? I can assure you...it won't be cheap. So what do you do? I'd honestly buy a 12TB G-Drive and call it good.

[RebeccaWaldock]

OK, we are so down deep in this rabbit hole.  

I  was looking at the G-RAID unit you mentioned above.  They have a 36TB option, so 2 - 18TB drives, with only 18TB of space. (Only 🤣) I could set that up as a RAID 1 system with mirroring drives.  My understanding is that could eliminate the NAS option and is a hardwired unit like my current tiny 4TB EHD that is constantly physically connected to my computer....just bigger and uglier. The RAID system would just require the fancy pants RAID set up (probably by someone smarter than me....so if you make house calls, that'd be great.)  

 

But this setup, as I have imagined it, comes with it's own issues.  It isn't portable, so I would have to find a solution for traveling.

 

You nailed it when you said that most people have a bunch of smallish EHDs around their house and just keep adding to the collection as they fill up.  That is me.  I am most people. I want to consolidate, and have TONS of space for the future. I want to get my data off of spinning/unstable EHDs. 

 

So I am leaning toward the big a** G-RAID.  Is that stupid?  Or do I continue with the madness of just buying big EHDs?

Hey....some good news.  I have upgraded my OS to Catalina and I am about to get the CleanMyMacX cooking.

[Brian]

1 hour ago, RebeccaWaldock said:

So I am leaning toward the big a** G-RAID.  Is that stupid?

Or do I continue with the madness of just buying big EHDs?

Bwahahaha!!! Yeah, it's a little intense, isn't it?  

The answer is No, you just buy a HD that is way larger than what you think your needs are now and consolidate everything onto one HD. So that's either a 12TB or 18TB capacity. I'm guessing you have around 4TB-6TB of data so far, so a 18TB HD would give you 12TB-ish of free space. Not too shabby.

1 hour ago, RebeccaWaldock said:

The RAID system would just require the fancy pants RAID set up (probably by someone smarter than me

Yep.

This is by far the most costliest option in the long run, but gives you the most flexibility and the most options. Say you went with two 18TB HDs, the Western Digital Reds are $550 a piece. So that's $1100. Then another $700 for a 4-Bay NAS. We are now up to $1700 before tax and possible shipping. Then there is the setup of the damn thing. You will learn a lot if  you go this route, AND learn even more when it breaks connectivity and you need to fiddle. Don't forget about Firmware and Software Updates and such; a NAS is almost like having a "Baby Home Server."

Downside: Cost and Geek/Nerd Territory. Noise. Power Consumption AND you will need to have it on a UPS. (Uninterruptible Power Supply). Plus the other stuff I mentioned in the above paragraph.

Upside: You will have whole-house storage. But when everyone starts saving things to the NAS, I'm wondering how quickly the space will be eaten up?  Though if you aren't storing Blu-Ray Movies and creating a Plex Server, 18TB should last you awhile. If you are thinking about doing this, you need to buy lots more stuff than just the NAS.

Quote

What would Brian do?

Brian knows that the G-Drive that he recommended is a high-quality Enterprise-Grade Drive. It's nothing like the Big-Box Store HDs that people are used to buying. He would recommend you buy the G-Drive 18TB Thunderbolt 3 EHD and be happy. Consolidate all your existing HDs to that one HD. But more importantly, come up with a file structure / hierarchy NOW so you can find things easily!! No sense in dumping everything onto one HD and not be able to find your files. Even if you have to write it out on a blank piece of paper, or dry-erase board. Come up with something first, then create it on the new EHD.

"But what about portability? I can't be chained to a desk!!! I must be free!!"

How about buying one of these? 2TB should be more than enough space when you are out-and-about. Even if you are on a 2 week trip taking all sorts of photos. Remember, the files don't have to stay there, you can cull things that will never see the light of day, then copy the data over to your 18TB drive.

"But what about redundancy? I'm so afraid of buying a HD that will fail!"

Sure, anything Man-Made can fail. That's reality. But the G-Drive that I recommended is a pretty solid HD. I only have ONE 12TB sitting on my desk, and I'm not THAT worried. If you are really that concerned, you should buy a 2nd Hard Drive and clone one to the other, then keep that 2nd EHD off-site. That's really the only way I can think of in covering your ass. RAID Setups can fail too, it just takes more things going wrong before it crashes, unlike a single HD.

Final thoughts: Whatever EHD you decide, create a new thread when you do. I want to make sure that it's formatted and partitioned properly. All too often Manufactures will format their drives with a exFAT Partition setup, which works with both Macs and PCs. Sounds awesome, right? 

Well, it's not. Personally, exFAT is one of those Microsoft "Side-Projects" that works for the most part, but is NOT bullet-proof. Meaning, I'm not going to tell the "Average Person Computer Type" to use exFAT. Too risky. >> I << don't even use exFAT. Pick a format, Mac OR Windows and stay there. No sense in having a beefy HD only to have it partitioned with an unpredictable scheme. Leave exFAT to the Geeks / Nerds who know what to do when things go wrong.