The following message I just received...

"If you wish to download all Classmate photos as one large zip file (often used for creating Memory books for reunions, etc.) please do this today or tomorrow afternoon. You can download all Classmate photos in one zip file by:

1) Clicking your Manage Classmates link
2) Clicking the Download Classmate Photos button"

Do I have to download classmate photos in one Zip file? If I do, will I lose any present profile information on our site?

Would this be beificial to save as Zip file and store on External hard drive for backing up our site?

Thank you.

1) You don't have to download them at all, no. It's just a convenient way of downloading all Classmate photos if you're needing to use them in a Memory Book for a reunion, etc. By downloading them you would not lose any other information, no. You'd simply be getting a copy of all photos that appear on your web site.

2) No. You should only download your photos if you really need them. All of the photos will still be on the new system, and the batch download feature will be returning when the move to the new system is complete. On the new system photos will actually be replicated on many different servers, thus in that regard there will be multiple backups of Classmate photos.

Do we lose the ability to download the photos that classmates added to their profile? Under "Download Photos", there's only the "Download Senior Photos" button which doesn't allow you to get the others.

Please see this thread. Photo batch download will be back after the completion of the photo move. We're moving millions of photos, which takes quite some time.