My hard drives are too full for good editing speed and I would like to archive some of the files to an external drive. I have had problems recording back to disk to archive finished projects, so would like to go to ext. hard drive. I have PPro 1.5 and Aspect 4 b76. At this point all that I want to keep are Cineform AVI's M2T Files, and Encore transcoded files and Trimmed edit files. The rest of the files, Capture Files, Audio conform files, preview files, render files, etc. I don't see needing... BUT what can I safely toss out without compromising the finished projects that I wish to keep? I would like to format the drives and start out new. Am I being to rendundent? What do I do?
Gary

You should consider mirroring your archive to two drives.

I save the M2T files and not the AVI files I converted them to. I figure I can always convert them again.

Your best bet is to use the Project Manager to gather your files to an external drive. Then delete everything it didn't gather. You can delete your preview and other temporary files. Don't gather them.

Thanks Steve. Can I later convert an M2T file that I have on a DVD of the finished projects, to make more authored SD DVD's thru Encore, and when the time comes, create HD-DVD's or Blueray DVD's?

You could make more SD DVDs that way, but if I were you, I would just keep one available for a Disc Copy.

And certainly, when the time comes, you will need a file that is compatible. That is not the Cineform AVI, but the CIneform AVI can create such a file for you easily enough.

I failed to mention that I save a Cineform AVI of the final version of the project just for such purposes. Making SD and M2T files.