How do you organize your RPGs books?

[R_J_K75]

Unsure of what platform you are running (and this will not help you with already corrupted files), but: at least for Windows 10/11, you can get Windows to make automatic backups to a (dedicated) disk automatically. It will keep multiple versions of the files by default, so if a file has gotten corrupt you should in theory have an older 'version' that is not corrupted. It's called 'File History', and is located in 'Control Panel', but using the search function on your taskbar works as well. It does require a dedicated disk (like an external) that needs to be permanently attached (so an external drive will work for a dedicated desktop, but probably not so much for a laptop/notebook). By default it will only create backups for default 'Libraries' (like your 'Documents' and 'Download' folders), but you can create a new 'Library' and make it backup those as well with some effort.

Pretty sure my laptop backs up files automatically to my Microsoft/Windows account online. My RPG pdfs are on an external hard drive so they're as backed up as they're going to be, but thanks for the advice.

 

[abazaba]

Pretty sure my laptop backs up files automatically to my Microsoft/Windows account online. My RPG pdfs are on an external hard drive so they're as backed up as they're going to be, but thanks for the advice.

Yeah, there's Microsoft OneDrive as well for that, if you want 'cloud' copies. One of the obvious benefits of that is that the copies are kept 'off-site': if your place would get burned down, you would still have a copy there. Also: when you keep copies on an external hard drive, make sure they are just that: copies, in the sense that you still have an 'original' on your internal drive, so that if one of them gets corrupted you can fall back to the other copy.

Sorry for the noise.

 

[R_J_K75]

Yeah, there's Microsoft OneDrive as well for that, if you want 'cloud' copies. One of the obvious benefits of that is that the copies are kept 'off-site': if your place would get burned down, you would still have a copy there. Also: when you keep copies on an external hard drive, make sure they are just that: copies, in the sense that you still have an 'original' on your internal drive, so that if one of them gets corrupted you can fall back to the other copy.

Sorry for the noise.

I probablyu should invest in some cloud space but not sure if I'd be willing to pay to all the space I would need on a monthly basis. But then again, I haven't looked into it.

 

[abazaba]

I'm sorry, but I am getting slightly confused now.

First you state that :

Pretty sure my laptop backs up files automatically to my Microsoft/Windows account online.

But then you stated that:

I probablyu should invest in some cloud space but not sure if I'd be willing to pay to all the space I would need on a monthly basis. But then again, I haven't looked into it.

So, which is it: do copies of your files get backed up 'online/to the cloud', or aren't they ?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

By shelf, based on how often they're used, so they can be easily accessed during streaming play:

1. OSR stuff on the top shelf: Mothership, Pirate Borg, Shadowdark, with their adventures and supplements
2. 5E core books, including Forge of Foes and Roll & Play Gamemaster's Toolkit
3. 5E supplements and adventures, grouped by campaign -- Ptolus stuff, Empire of the Ghouls stuff, other adventures and campaigns clustered together
4. Seldom-used support stuff, including beloved old adventures, and small games I intend to run some day
5. Everything else is in a plastic storage crate in the garage

 

[R_J_K75]

I'm sorry, but I am getting slightly confused now.

First you state that :


But then you stated that:


So, which is it: do copies of your files get backed up 'online/to the cloud', or aren't they ?

To backup the files on my external drive. Since you mentioned it I realized that I dont have backup of those files, if I lose it or goes corrupt they are gone.

 

[Bagpuss]

By genre as best I can, things sort of spill across shelves.

 

[abazaba]

To backup the files on my external drive. Since you mentioned it I realized that I dont have backup of those files, if I lose it or goes corrupt they are gone.

The basic idea is that you have multiple copies of the same thing, so that when one copy fails/gets corrupt you still have the other intact one.

I believe that @SlyFlourish has a whole backup strategy for it, but I cannot seem to find a link to that right now.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The basic idea is that you have multiple copies of the same thing, so that when one copy fails/gets corrupt you still have the other intact one.

I believe that @SlyFlourish has a whole backup strategy for it, but I cannot seem to find a link to that right now.

He recommends the 3-2-1 back-up system.

The 3-2-1 Backup Strategy: The Complete Guide to Protecting Your Business Data in 2025

Data is the lifeline of every modern business. Customer records, financial documents, internal communications, intellectual property, and day-to-day workflows all depend on reliable access to information.

www.linkedin.com

 

[abazaba]

He recommends the 3-2-1 back-up system.

The 3-2-1 Backup Strategy: The Complete Guide to Protecting Your Business Data in 2025

Data is the lifeline of every modern business. Customer records, financial documents, internal communications, intellectual property, and day-to-day workflows all depend on reliable access to information.

www.linkedin.com

Yeah. The only thing I think (but may be mistaken) that is missing from that strategy, is that it does not mention the need for keeping multiple 'versions' of the same file. Even for files you do not modify yourself, like static PDF files.

For example, if pdf file 'A' gets corrupted, it will be considered 'modified' as far as the computer can tell. If this is the 'original' copy, then that corrupt copy will get backed-up (overwritten) on all your other backup copies. You need to keep an 'x' amount of 'previous' (supposedly uncorrupted)'versions' of the same document to account for that. So that when your 'original copy' goes corrupt - and all of the backup copies of that corrupted file - you have a backup that lets you go 'back' to the 'previous version' that was still good and not corrupted.