Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/migrate-photo-drive-with-checksums/

# Move a Photo Archive to a New Drive with Checksums

Plan an archive drive migration with a manifest, verification pass and a clear cutover point.

Digital organization2 min readUpdated 16 October 2026

## Try it on your own photo

Repair a copy of your photo, then compare faces and details with the original.

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Quick answer

## The short version

Moving an archive is a controlled copy followed by verification and a deliberate handover. Start with a manifest from the old drive, copy the collection without editing it, and verify the destination against that manifest. Keep the old copy until a separate backup and recovery check are complete.

## Define the job before editing

Moving an archive is a controlled copy followed by verification and a deliberate handover. Start with a manifest from the old drive, copy the collection without editing it, and verify the destination against that manifest. Keep the old copy until a separate backup and recovery check are complete.

## Plan the cutover before copying

Pause editing or clearly separate new work while the migration runs. Otherwise a file can change after hashing and produce a confusing mismatch. Include inventories, sidecar notes and project files, not only JPEGs. Record the source drive, destination drive, start date and any excluded temporary folders.

## Make the decision from evidence

Storage capacity is only one part of the decision. Confirm that the destination supports the intended folder names and large files, that another device can read it, and that the independent backup includes the new location. A second folder on the same drive is not independent redundancy.

## A worked planning example

Example: An archive has 8,000 images plus an inventory and notes. Generate a source manifest while work is paused, copy the complete tree, verify important hashes and perform a sample restore from the updated backup before retiring the old drive.

## A practical checklist

1. Pause or isolate ongoing edits.
2. Copy the whole collection and its documentation.
3. Check destination hashes against the source manifest.
4. Update backup paths and record the cutover.

## Keep a traceable result

Keep the source file, the working copy and the delivery copy as separate items. Record the input and the changes you actually made so another person can understand the result later. These workflow examples are planning examples, not documented customer outcomes or proof of a successful restoration.

## FAQs

When can I erase the old drive?

Only after you have verified the new copy and independent recovery copies. Keep an overlap period appropriate to the value of the archive.

Should I replace my original with the edited copy?

Keep the source unchanged and save a separate working or sharing copy. An export, edit or AI interpretation can omit information that remains useful in the source.

## Sources

Preservation and technical guidance reviewed for this article.

- MDN Web Docs: [SHA-256 with SubtleCrypto.digest](<https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/SubtleCrypto/digest>)

## Related

- [Open the related free tool](<https://restorebunny.com/tools/image-hash-checker/>)
- [Copy Photos from a USB Drive and Verify the Transfer](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/copy-photos-from-usb-with-verification/>)
- [Write a README for a Family Photo Archive](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/write-a-photo-archive-readme/>)
- [Browse photo guides](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/>)
- [Free image tools](<https://restorebunny.com/tools/>)

## Ready to restore your photos?

Upload an image, choose your settings, and preview results with a before/after slider.

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