How Often to Backup?

IsaacR · 07-17-2015, 12:40 AM

I've been running a long term fictional solo league, and was wondering how often I should backup? Given the time it takes (and my lack of patience with loading/processing screens, even ones as great as OOTP), I've been backing up after each World Series. Is this a good time to do so? Should I do it more often? It usually takes me a few days to get through one season, if that has any effect.

james17 · 07-17-2015, 12:43 AM

Well, I play out all my games and usually backup after each one. It's probably excessive but I would recommend backing up at least once a day when you sim.

Questdog · 07-17-2015, 12:57 AM

I also backup after every game and keep my two most recent backups on hand, plus the Opening Day save, just in case.

I also save the End of Season saves for each year, so I can go back and look stuff up.

I would say that you should save any time that you think it would be a huge bummer to have to go back to your last save.

Because there WILL come a time when you will need to go back, if not because the game screws up, then because you do.

IsaacR · 07-17-2015, 01:30 AM

I sim weekly in GM only, so backing up daily would be a bit of a pain. I save after each week.

david limbaugh · 07-17-2015, 01:40 AM

I backup from one local drive to another monthly.

At the end of the year, i copy that season to 2 external drives

gabeeg · 07-17-2015, 04:27 AM

After losing weeks and in one case months of a season on a couple of occasions, I now backup automatically on a weekly basis (game week). It will happen, you will at some point blue screen while using another app, the power will go out, Microsoft will auto-update and auto-reboot...kids, cat, passive aggressive wife... Save the tears and backup as often as you can tolerate.

The Game · 07-17-2015, 05:17 AM

I used to backup 5 times per season, now I do just 2. OD and after the November draft pool is announced. Having a much more stable PC helps.

battists · 07-17-2015, 08:28 AM

OP, note that if you use the in-game backup, it's a differential backup (only backs up files that have changed). So while the first backup will take quite a while, if you back up daily after that, it doesn't take more than a minute or two, depending on the size of your league.

I usually use in-game backup after every time I play, and then I zip up the whole league after every season.

pjh5165 · 07-17-2015, 09:17 AM

I usually back up roughly once per RL week.

To avoid having to sit there and wait, I usually have OOTP start making the backup when I'm leaving for work in the morning, going out for a while, going to bed, etc. I have no idea how long backing up even takes because of that.

Déjà Bru · 07-17-2015, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IsaacR

I've been running a long term fictional solo league, and was wondering how often I should backup? Given the time it takes (and my lack of patience with loading/processing screens, even ones as great as OOTP), I've been backing up after each World Series. Is this a good time to do so? Should I do it more often? It usually takes me a few days to get through one season, if that has any effect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Questdog

I would say that you should save any time that you think it would be a huge bummer to have to go back to your last save.

Because there WILL come a time when you will need to go back, if not because the game screws up, then because you do.

This. ^^^

I have lost several leagues because, when trouble came (I'd say, a 25/75% split between OOTPD and me as to fault), even though I had backups, I just could not see myself going back to replay months of history that I already had experienced and knew. My tolerance is now one week, maximum, between saves.

So Q'dog has it right: Would you want to replay the entire season just ending if your last backup was right after the last World Series? Because then you would have to "forget" the charge to the pennant by Team X, the perfect game thrown in May by Player Y, the guy who suffered a CEI and you mourned for is now back, etc. etc.

By the way, let me take this opportunity to encourage you, Isaac, to do more than just backing up within the game. Back up the backup to external file storage. Take the time to do so. Someday you will thank yourself for having done it (or hit yourself upside the head for not!).

Cinnamon J. Scudworth · 07-17-2015, 09:29 AM

My backup is my normal backup of all of my computer files to an external drive, which I run automatically every hour through Apple's Time Machine (I have another off-site backup I update weekly).

Déjà Bru · 07-17-2015, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Game

I used to backup 5 times per season, now I do just 2. OD and after the November draft pool is announced. Having a much more stable PC helps.

Bolded is truth. However, please allow me to share an example of how "stuff happens," regardless.

I mentioned in the patch 16.6.30 thread that I was reverting back to 16.5.23 due to an unacceptable bug. Well, I got the bright idea of merely dragging my game folder to my desktop while I meticulously unlicensed and uninstalled 16.6.30 and reinstalled and licensed 16.5.23. Then I moved the game folder back in place.

This worked before, I am sure, but not this time. Maybe there was something fundamental in 16.6.30 which 16.5.23 could not handle.

Anyway, I got one of those "bad world.dat" messages. Kiss of death, unless you can restore from backup! But when I looked, I saw that I had not backed up the final few months of the preceding season.

One in which I won a championship, only my second in 25 years.

I could NOT replay that season. No way. It will live in my memory.

So, I start a new league this weekend. Because (and I did figuratively smack myself upside the head) I did not back up often enough and could not tolerate the loss of precious history.

smiller · 07-17-2015, 11:05 AM

I was just backing up after each season to a flash drive until I read this thread. Then I did a backup within the game -- the first time took awhile but subsequent backups take only a few seconds. So thanks for bringing this up as it showed me how to make my league more secure.

ThatSeventiesGuy · 07-17-2015, 11:05 AM

I always back up once a year, Jan. 1. But at least twice, or more, is better.

NoOne · 07-17-2015, 11:32 AM

my answer is a question for you...

how much are you willing to lose and not be overly frustrated?

i look at it from the standpoint of time invested, not necessarily the game calendar. if i have spent 1-2hours, or if i have made enough changes and adjustments that it would be a pain to repeat them, i will try to back it up, if i am paying attention and not feeling a little masochistic.

IsaacR · 07-17-2015, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoOne

my answer is a question for you...

how much are you willing to lose and not be overly frustrated?

i look at it from the standpoint of time invested, not necessarily the game calendar. if i have spent 1-2hours, or if i have made enough changes and adjustments that it would be a pain to repeat them, i will try to back it up, if i am paying attention and not feeling a little masochistic.

I'm willing to re-run through an offseason, but once the season starts I'm probably going to not be willing to re-run through much.

Thanks to everyone! I'll probably increase my back-ups to about 2 a season. Is there a good time to back-up (i.e. after the draft) or is it just personal preference?

ThatSeventiesGuy · 07-17-2015, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IsaacR

I'm willing to re-run through an offseason, but once the season starts I'm probably going to not be willing to re-run through much.

Thanks to everyone! I'll probably increase my back-ups to about 2 a season. Is there a good time to back-up (i.e. after the draft) or is it just personal preference?

I've always heard January 1 is good. Not sure about the second one...All-Star break, maybe?

endgame · 07-17-2015, 01:27 PM

I back up after each session of play, regardless if it's four games or forty. I use WinRAR so it's just a matter of waiting out the update mode rather than waiting for an entire file to generate. Then I copy that file on to my flash drive.

james17 · 07-17-2015, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by battists

OP, note that if you use the in-game backup, it's a differential backup (only backs up files that have changed). So while the first backup will take quite a while, if you back up daily after that, it doesn't take more than a minute or two, depending on the size of your league.

I usually use in-game backup after every time I play, and then I zip up the whole league after every season.

Yup...what he said.

07-17-2015, 12:40 AM	#1
IsaacR Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Bowie, Maryland Posts: 464	How Often to Backup? I've been running a long term fictional solo league, and was wondering how often I should backup? Given the time it takes (and my lack of patience with loading/processing screens, even ones as great as OOTP), I've been backing up after each World Series. Is this a good time to do so? Should I do it more often? It usually takes me a few days to get through one season, if that has any effect. __________________ The Oriole Way - My Dynasty as the Orioles GM Online Leagues: SBL - Colorado Rockies PATP - Montreal Royals

07-17-2015, 01:30 AM	#4
IsaacR Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Bowie, Maryland Posts: 464	I sim weekly in GM only, so backing up daily would be a bit of a pain. I save after each week. __________________ The Oriole Way - My Dynasty as the Orioles GM Online Leagues: SBL - Colorado Rockies PATP - Montreal Royals

07-17-2015, 01:40 AM	#5
david limbaugh All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Murfreesboro (Nashville) Tennessee Posts: 729	My backup schedule... I backup from one local drive to another monthly. At the end of the year, i copy that season to 2 external drives __________________ @RHS_SID on Twitter - Go Cubs - BoSox - World Series - One Day ...#WhenItHappens

07-17-2015, 05:17 AM	#7
The Game Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Inside The Game Posts: 30,937	I used to backup 5 times per season, now I do just 2. OD and after the November draft pool is announced. Having a much more stable PC helps. __________________ Go today don't wait for tomorrow It isn't promised, all the time you get borrowed Don't live your life for other people Don't bottle your emotions till they crack and fill a couple just sorrows Take your mind and refocus go get a paper write your goals out Throw your middle fingers to all your haters "Stay Strong"

07-17-2015, 09:29 AM	#11
Cinnamon J. Scudworth All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 1,118	My backup is my normal backup of all of my computer files to an external drive, which I run automatically every hour through Apple's Time Machine (I have another off-site backup I update weekly). __________________ "Sometimes, this is like going to a grocery store. You’ve got a list until you get to the check-out stand. And then you start reading People magazine, and all this other [stuff] ends up in the basket." -Sandy Alderson on the MLB offseason

07-17-2015, 12:43 AM	#2
james17 All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,305	Well, I play out all my games and usually backup after each one. It's probably excessive but I would recommend backing up at least once a day when you sim.

07-17-2015, 12:57 AM	#3
Questdog Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: In a dark, damp cave where I'm training slugs to run the bases...... Posts: 16,142	I also backup after every game and keep my two most recent backups on hand, plus the Opening Day save, just in case. I also save the End of Season saves for each year, so I can go back and look stuff up. I would say that you should save any time that you think it would be a huge bummer to have to go back to your last save. Because there WILL come a time when you will need to go back, if not because the game screws up, then because you do.

07-17-2015, 04:27 AM	#6
gabeeg Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 50	After losing weeks and in one case months of a season on a couple of occasions, I now backup automatically on a weekly basis (game week). It will happen, you will at some point blue screen while using another app, the power will go out, Microsoft will auto-update and auto-reboot...kids, cat, passive aggressive wife... Save the tears and backup as often as you can tolerate.

07-17-2015, 08:28 AM	#8
battists Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 18,506	OP, note that if you use the in-game backup, it's a differential backup (only backs up files that have changed). So while the first backup will take quite a while, if you back up daily after that, it doesn't take more than a minute or two, depending on the size of your league. I usually use in-game backup after every time I play, and then I zip up the whole league after every season.

07-17-2015, 09:17 AM	#9
pjh5165 Major Leagues Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 410	I usually back up roughly once per RL week. To avoid having to sit there and wait, I usually have OOTP start making the backup when I'm leaving for work in the morning, going out for a while, going to bed, etc. I have no idea how long backing up even takes because of that.

07-17-2015, 11:05 AM	#13
smiller Major Leagues Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Pittsboro NC Posts: 430	I was just backing up after each season to a flash drive until I read this thread. Then I did a backup within the game -- the first time took awhile but subsequent backups take only a few seconds. So thanks for bringing this up as it showed me how to make my league more secure.

07-17-2015, 11:05 AM	#14
ThatSeventiesGuy Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Midland, MI Posts: 3,429	I always back up once a year, Jan. 1. But at least twice, or more, is better. __________________ https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...00&postcount=1

07-17-2015, 11:32 AM	#15
NoOne Banned Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 7,273 Infractions: 0/1 (3)	my answer is a question for you... how much are you willing to lose and not be overly frustrated? i look at it from the standpoint of time invested, not necessarily the game calendar. if i have spent 1-2hours, or if i have made enough changes and adjustments that it would be a pain to repeat them, i will try to back it up, if i am paying attention and not feeling a little masochistic.

07-17-2015, 01:27 PM	#18
endgame Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 16,842	I back up after each session of play, regardless if it's four games or forty. I use WinRAR so it's just a matter of waiting out the update mode rather than waiting for an entire file to generate. Then I copy that file on to my flash drive. __________________ "Try again. Fail again. Fail better." -- Samuel Beckett _____________________________________________