|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732 |
After reading the "Can u run BIAB from a flash drive?" thread on the main BIAB forum I started looking at external non-SSD hard drives that are USB 3.0 compatible. Looks like prices are very nice for 500 gig 5400 RPM drives (it's a slower drive). Prices are now down in the $40-$50 range. What I see these kind of drives being useful for is for backing up your main PC/laptop periodically. It would be good for offsite backup of your music. The slower speed is not a factor if you're just using this to backup important files. A couple of the low-cost PC hardware suppliers I use: Micro Center Search ResultsNew Egg Search ResultsThe lowest price drive I see on both sites is the Matsunichi Inc. 500GB Portable SuperSpeed USB 3.0 External Hard Drive. It's cheaper at Micro Center, about $5 less. I'll let you guys know if I pick one up. For saving your data, these prices are very affordable. Thoughts, comments?
 Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,033
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,033 |
Agreed. I was just looking at these 3.0 drives last night (and 3.0 flash drives). I would also need a PCIe USB 3.0 card to run one at full speed. Or maybe an SATA adapter? Haven't looked at this part yet.
Always had great service from NewEgg.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732 |
Yeah, the PCI card would do it. These should work on PCs that are USB 2.0. It will just run at the USB 2.0 speed if that's what your PC is. In my case I am still on USB 2.0 but wanted an upgraded external drive so that it will be ready whenever I upgrade the PC.
Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732 |
Also for the computer geeks here, I use my own .BAT scripts to do backups to my other hard drives. I don't like re-copying an entire music directory or drive from one to another, it takes too long. I use xcopy commands that just look for changes to the files in the directories and it only copies those over to the backup.
To create your own, simply copy and paste the text between the lines into Notepad and name it YourFile.bat. Of course you'll need to change the directories to make it relevant to your PC. To find out what the commands mean, type xcopy /? in a command prompt window and you can also run each line of the file in a command window.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D:
cd "\ADataFolders\Documents"
xcopy *.* "F:\Documents" /y /r /e /d
pause
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The D: command is there since the window usually opens to a C:\ drive folder. If your source is the C: drive, just use C:. So the F:\ is my external drive and I'm copying everything from the folders I 'cd' into. The *.* after xcopy means to copy everything that's in the 'cd' command. Once those files are copied to F:\, the next time I run this .BAT file, it will only copy the files that have changed. The one thing this doesn't do however is remove old files if you delete or rename them on the source drive. The pause command simply holds the command prompt window open for you to see the summary of the copy process. It will display "Press any key to continue". So after you read the files copied, hitting enter will close the window.
If you have more than one folder you want to copy, simply repeat the 'cd' and 'xcopy' lines in your .bat file for each extra copy process you want to add.
For anyone that wants to mess with this on their own PCs, feel free to ask me any questions if you need help.
Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,033
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,033 |
That was fun. I taught DOS batch files back in the 80s.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732 |
Yeah, it's nice to know we can still use our old skills in these modern times of Windows 8.1 and beyond. 
Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,809
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,809 |
wd 2tb my passport red
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=wd+2tb+my+passport+red&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Awd+2tb+my+passport+red
Sexy little beast fits in the palm of my hand
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732 |
Yeah, prices on the larger sizes aren't too bad either. Thanks!
Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
I dusted off my dos batch skills about 6 months ago for the first time in probably 10 years.
I do trade shows for my employer a few times a year and instead of handing out paper brochures that are sure to be tossed, for those that seem truly interested in our products, I hand out 2GB USB flash drives with show-appropriate materials loaded. Since I don't know how many I'll be giving out, I bring the unused sticks back with me and reformat and reload using a DOS batch routine.
-Scott
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732 |
Just cut loose money on the 1 TB Matsunichi. Now that its been a few months since I posted the original thread for the 500 GB, the 1 TB was down to $59 at Micro Center.
Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492 |
After the 3TB was full I use a 4TB drive now for backup. Both are a Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive USB 3.0. They come with a backup softare installed. I do an incremental backup each week that takes usually less than 10 minutes, a full backup takes several hours. The advantage of the new backup software generation is that files are no more compressed. Each file is directly accessable. So if you destroy one of your files -- or even an entire drectory -- it is quite simple to restore that one.
I also have a portable USB 3.0 drive Toshiba "S-3600 - A" that was given to me. I use this one as a backup for my laptop. All the necessary softare is installed to run my installations using another laptop if mine fails. (I know some people who do have a second laptop for backup purposes. I'm not there, yet.)
Especially for backup purposes I do not recommend cheap drives. I prefer to use reliable drives from manufactureres with a good reputation. There are tests and reviews out there. And often it takes a while until a manufacturer with a bad reputation builds up a good reputation.
Guido
Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732 |
Thanks for the info Guido. I do incremental backups as well to save a little time. Especially for backup purposes I do not recommend cheap drives. I feel differently on this one. As long as my main PC drives are from a reliable manufacturer, I don't want to spend 4 times the money on a backup drive. Odds are that backup drive will run just as long as an expensive one. In the unlikely event that it does fail, I go out and grab another, it's a backup. Although Matsunichi drives do not have a long history like some of the others, they are gaining market share in the external drive world.
Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492 |
I've had that. The drive on my laptop, the computer I used to work with, -- some 12 years back -- quit. After I had a new drive and all software was back I went to my backup drive with all files copied to that drive and that one quit that very moment when I needed it. Some of the files I already had printed out, some I could recreate by doing the work again, some are lost forever.
Backups are a waste in time and other ressources -- until you need the access to a backup.
To me backups are way to valuable to trust sources without a history of reliability.
Guido
Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 825
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 825 |
If you open up the external drives you will probably find the drive itself is from one of the well known manufacturers despite what it says on the outside. I've had good drives fail from firmware probs, and cheapos that run for ever. It is a game of luck, so don't depend too much on one backup drive if it is important.
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,607
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,607 |
I've used a Seagate external drive to backup files. Can an external drive hold everything that's on your PC, including the OS? Can the info then be downloaded to a new blank PC? Later, Ray
Asus Q500A i7 Win 10 64 bit 8GB ram 750 HD 15.5" touch screen, BIAB 2017, Casio PX 5s, Xw P1, Center Point Stereo SS V3 and EWI 4000s.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492 |
Yes. A lot of companies rely on that mechanism. When you start a new job, you'll be given a new pc with all the necessary software installed. That is done via "image copy". A very quick internet search "image copy" and taking the fist link: http://www.acronis.com/en-eu/personal/pc-backup/?adpos=1t1&creative=37604271414&device=c&matchtype=b&network=g&gclid=CJ2OyaH0xr4CFfQQtAodNVIAPQThere are many more. If you have a stable running system that is free of malware, an image copy on an external disk freezes that system for later use. Another possibility is to have two hard disks in your system connected via RAID. There is an option to constantly mirror your working disk on a backup disk. Guido
Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732 |
Just cut loose money on the 1 TB Matsunichi. Now that its been a few months since I posted the original thread for the 500 GB, the 1 TB was down to $59 at Micro Center. Wow, it's been 3 1/2 years since this post and the prices for the 1 TB drives are still about the same. What gives? I guess we're in a holding pattern on the technologies here since then. I've maxed out my 1 TB drive and it still runs great every week for backups. I'll start shopping for a 2 TB replacement external USB 3 drive. Looking like good drives in the $65 - $80 price range.... EDIT: Ooh, found a deal here but it expires at MIDNIGHT tonight. 2 TB drive listed for $69 but when today's promo code is entered, $59. So I guess I spent about the same as I did on the 1 TB a few years ago. Seagate 2TB Expansion Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0
Last edited by sslechta; 11/16/17 09:23 AM.
Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
Steve, does the 3.0 standard run appreciably faster than 2.0? I hate using USB externals because they spin so slow. Are the newer drives that run on the 3.0 bus much faster?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732 |
My machines are still on USB 2.0 so I couldn't tell you on 3.0 performance.
I do incremental backups so each week when I backup it doesn't take too long. Typically less than 1 Gig of copy each time and it only seems to less than a couple of minutes on that.
Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 23,214
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 23,214 |
Steve, does the 3.0 standard run appreciably faster than 2.0? I hate using USB externals because they spin so slow. Are the newer drives that run on the 3.0 bus much faster? Yes. USB 3.0 is 10 times faster than USB 2 see here: https://www.diffen.com/difference/USB_2.0_vs_USB_3.0
Whenever I get something stuck in the back of my throat, I dislodge it by drinking a beer.
It's called the Heineken Maneuver.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
Join the conversation on our forum.
Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll also keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
From overviews of new features and walkthroughs of the 202 new RealTracks, to highlights of XPro Styles PAK 8, Xtra Styles PAKs 18, the 2025 49-PAK, and in-depth tutorials — you’ll find everything you need to explore what’s new in Band-in-a-Box® 2025.
Reference this forum post for One-Stop Shopping of our Band-in-a-Box® 2025 Mac Videos — we’ll be adding more videos as they’re released!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac is here, packed with major new features and an incredible collection of available new content! This includes 202 RealTracks (in Sets 449-467), plus 20 bonus Unreleased RealTracks in the 2025 49-PAK. There are new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 4, two new sets of “RealDrums Stems,” XPro Styles PAK 8, Xtra Styles PAK 19, and more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac with savings of up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special—available until July 31, 2025! Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
2025 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
We've packed our Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK with some incredible Add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is automatically included with most Band-in-a-Box® for Mac 2025 packages, but for even more Add-ons (including 20 Unreleased RealTracks!) upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for only $49. You can see the full lists of items in each package, and listen to demos here.
If you have any questions, feel free to connect with us directly—we’re here to help!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 Italian Version is Here!
Cari amici
È stata aggerate la versione in Italiano del programma più amato dagli appassionati di musica, il nostro Band-in-a-Box.
Questo è il link alla nuova versione 2025.
Di seguito i link per scaricare il pacchetti di lingua italiana aggiornati per Band-in-a-Box e RealBand, anche per chi avesse già comprato la nuova versione in inglese.
Band-in-a-Box 2025 - Italiano
RealBand 2025 - Italiano
Band-in-a-Box 2025 French Version is Here!
Bonjour à tous,
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 pour Windows est disponible en Français.
Le téléchargement se fait à partir du site PG Music
Pour ceux qui auraient déjà acheté la version 2025 de Band-in-a-Box (et qui donc ont une version anglaise), il est possible de "franciser" cette version avec les patchs suivants:
BIAB 2025 - francisation
RealBand 2025 - francisation
Voilà, enjoy!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 German Version is Here!
Update Your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 to Build 1128 for Windows Today!
Already using Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Windows®? Download Build 1128 now from our Support Page to enjoy the latest enhancements and improvements from our team.
Stay up to date—get the latest update now!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums58
Topics84,299
Posts777,459
Members39,614
| |
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean