NEW YORK (AP) - Just because you've taken thousands of digital photos of your kids doesn't mean they'll ever get to see them when they become parents themselves. Hard drives can corrupt. CDs scratch. Photo-storage sites can go bankrupt. And formats change.
But there are several steps you can take to avoid a digital disaster and keep the memories alive.
KEEP BACKUPS AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS: If you don't have a home computer, don't rely solely on your office machine. You may lose them should you lose your job. Even at home, keep copies on an external drive, CDs or DVDs in case your computer's primary disk drive fails. Consider an online backup service in case a tornado, fire or other disaster hits your home.
MANAGE YOUR CDS AND DVDS: Don't rely solely on discs. A scratch might kill the image of your baby's first walk. Make multiple copies, and migrate data to a new set of discs every few years. Be aware that computers decades from now might not even have drives for reading CDs and DVDs.
KNOW LIMITATIONS OF ONLINE STORAGE: Don't rely solely on any one service as a site may disappear without warning. Keep in mind that a photo-sharing service isn't the same as online backup. Many free ones restrict access to the original, high-resolution version of photos needed for quality prints. Some, including Eastman Kodak Co.'s EasyShare Gallery, require you to make annual purchases to keep photos online.
MIGRATE YOUR DATA: As you change computers, bring files to your new machine right away -- before the old one breaks down. Open files on your new computer to make sure you have the necessary software. File formats change over time, and newer programs might not be able to read those of generations past. If you're confident your photos will last forever, ask your parents or grandparents how confident they were with their 8-tracks, vinyl records or 8 mm home movies.
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