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20/20 Hindsight

Discussion in 'Astrophotography and Imaging' started by Ed D, Jul 30, 2017.

20/20 Hindsight

Started by Ed D on Jul 30, 2017 at 7:01 AM

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  1. Ed D

    Ed D Well-Known Member

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    Ed D, Jul 30, 2017
    #1
    I was living in my happy little world until yesterday, when the hard drive of my computer failed. I tried most of the day yesterday and all morning today to at least try to recover the data. BUMMER! - That says it all.

    The only images I have are four that I had transferred to my phone, and maybe what I may be able to save from this forum. But, I lost my capture files for the images I wanted. I also lost a bunch of other photos, but we never look at them anyway. Funny how we take family photos, look at them, and then forget about them.

    I just ordered a new desktop CPU, which should be here in a couple of weeks or less. This one is more up to date, with a 2tb hard drive. It's amazing how fast 500mb gets filled with planetary video captures. I'm also considering/getting a backup drive. Meanwhile, I'm using my laptop.

    Oh well, at least I haven't lost much, especially considering I'm pretty new at imaging. Maybe now I have enough credits for my PhD from the school of hard knocks.

    Ed D
     
  2. Ed D

    Ed D Well-Known Member

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    Ed D, Jul 30, 2017
    #2
    I have been going through all my posts, downloading the images and text files. Excepting the capture files, I have recovered almost all of my images. I can't give enough thanks for all those who make Astronomy Connect possible.

    When my new computer gets here I'm going to try connecting the old hard drive as a secondary drive to see if I can recover all the data files. Hoping for the best.

    Ed D
     
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  3. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Jul 30, 2017
    #3
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  4. Ed D

    Ed D Well-Known Member

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    Ed D, Jul 31, 2017
    #4
    Mak, thanks for the link. The 2tb one isn't that much more money, and I'll probably be ordering it tonight. Yeah, 20/20 hindsight never fails. o_O

    Ed D
     
  5. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Jul 31, 2017
    #5
    You're welcome. I want some 20/20 hindsight binoculars lol. Macrium Reflect has a freeware version.

    https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

    I use the free version to make regular hard drive images, I keep them on a Toshiba portable HDD.
     
  6. Ed D

    Ed D Well-Known Member

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    Ed D, Jul 31, 2017
    #6
    Mak, I just logged out of Amazon. I ordered the 2tb drive with the storage case. The drives get great reviews on industry websites, as well as retailer websites.

    Ed D
     
  7. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Jul 31, 2017
    #7
    Yeah, they're very good. Mine's only 500 Gb but I can keep several Macrium images on it. I usually make one a month. I have a bigger Samsung Portable HD as well.
     
  8. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    Dave In Vermont, Aug 1, 2017
    #8
    I've got 2 Toshiba HD's I keep up-to-date and separated from my main computer. And from each other, too!

    I never know if they might become sentient - and declare war on each other....:eek:

    Dave
     
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  9. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Orion25, Aug 2, 2017
    #9
    Sorry about your plight, Ed, but I'm glad you were able to recover most of your files. I always save my files to an external HD by default. I'm also trying to have a dedicated laptop/desktop for astronomy, music and graphics work that will be "offline", to bypass any virus threats.

    Reggie
     
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  10. Zigarro

    Zigarro Well-Known Member

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    Zigarro, Aug 2, 2017
    #10
    That really sucks air! My son gave me a Seagate 5TB with which I've backed up all my files, photos and a 437 page book I wrote and there's still nearly 94% room on it. Not sure what they cost but they seem worth it to me!
     
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  11. Ed D

    Ed D Well-Known Member

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    Ed D, Aug 7, 2017
    #11
    I received my new-to-me refurbished desktop computer and got it set up the way I like it. After transferring the astro-files, which is all I have at the moment, I did a system restore on the laptop and set it back up as a dedicated imaging machine. I shut off the wi-fi, bluetooth, updates, etc. I ran tests to make sure everything is running as it should. I shot this frame with the clouds passing by the sun:

    Capture_0003.png

    It sort of looks like an eerie blood moon, something out of a horror movie. Hmmm... I thought I heard howling in the distance when I took this image. Werewolf maybe? :)

    Ed D
     
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  12. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    Dave In Vermont, Aug 7, 2017
    #12
    Great image there, Ed! You captured that perfectly - Sir. Please do continue!

    In Europe and Asia today there's a partial Lunar Eclipse. I hope it's clear for all there to see. It's being hyped as happening for those who can't make it to the Untied Snakes for the Total-Eclipse on the 21st. Meanwhile, the full Moon tonight is the 'Sturgeon Moon' as named by the indigenous people's of the continents of 'Turtle Island' - which is what we've been calling it for at least 10,000 years. It wasn't until the late 15th century (by one calendar) of the people from across the Atlantic Great-Water that the newcomers' decided to have a map made of this land.....

    Enter one Amerigo Vespucci - a cartographer based out of Genoa, Italy. So the newcomer's named it after him. Never being terribly good at pronouncing things in different languages, it became "America."

    So enjoy the Sturgeon Moon tonight. And remember poor Amerigo! :p

    Dave
     
  13. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Aug 7, 2017
    #13
    From the UK the eclipse is mainly before moonrise.

    1502124683923.jpg

    Too cloudy to bloody see it anyway lol!

    1900.jpg
     
  14. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    Dave In Vermont, Aug 7, 2017
    #14
    But of course! You might have had a heart-attack if it was clear-as-a-bell & fully visible at a reasonable hour!

    I caught the last total lunar-eclipse here - and it was at perfect times - not too early or too late. Skies were clear and it was nice & warm that night! I'm surprised an airplane didn't crash on top of me.....

    I didn't photograph the eclipse itself - not ready for that yet - but my ST80 did a wonderful job for my eyes! But everyone and their dead grandmother's did snap pictures. Here's one about average undertaking (speaking of dead grandmums):


    Lunar Total.jpg
    09-27-2015


    I wonder how many poor schmoo's had bought into hype about achromat's being so poor that no one should buy anything lesser that an APO for £1,000 and, as a result, can't afford a telescope and didn't even try an ST80! Sometimes in the darkest hours of a still and calm night, I can hear them crying out in a far-off and sad voice - "...the blue! ...the blue! ...the awful blue!..."



    IMG_0958.JPG


    'til later.....

    Dave
     
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