PC backup Synchronization software

[Dru Edwards]

Does anyone use any PC/laptop backup Synchronization software (freeware) to an external drive? What are you using? There's lots of good options I've read about.

I'm looking to get something to backup my laptop files to an external drive. Not looking for a 'backup' that you have to 'restore' but rather duplicate the files.

Single source, single destination.

[egordon99]

I just wrote a shell script to run Robocopy on-demand.

It's a simple one-liner -

robocopy L:\  M:\  /XD System* /S /V /NP /R:10 /W:30 /B

I just have it saved on my desktop and click it whenever I want to run it. I use it to backup my photos from my primary external drive to my backup/mirrored external drive. It only copies over new files or files that have changed.

It's been awhile so I don't recall what all the flags do but a quick google search should help.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by egordon99

I just wrote a shell script to run Robocopy on-demand.

It's a simple one-liner -

robocopy L:\  M:\  /XD System* /S /V /NP /R:10 /W:30 /B

I just have it saved on my desktop and click it whenever I want to run it. I use it to backup my photos from my primary external drive to my backup/mirrored external drive. It only copies over new files or files that have changed.

It's been awhile so I don't recall what all the flags do but a quick google search should help.

Thanks! I read about robocopy. I used to write this stuff years ago. I'm going to look into this. Guessing that all the freeware that has a UI probably uses this in the background but the UI may be what I prefer, especially if it shows me what files have changed before committing to the backup.

[egordon99]

I prefer shell commands to using a UI.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by egordon99

I prefer shell commands to using a UI.

I know what you mean. I used to enjoy write batch scripts but I haven't developed in 15 years. I will look into your robocopy script though.

[robj144]

I use Macrium Reflect (free) to image my entire computer (not just files) every few months. I just did it and switched drives this week. It works perfect. I've been using it for years.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by robj144

I use Macrium Reflect (free) to image my entire computer (not just files) every few months. I just did it and switched drives this week. It works perfect. I've been using it for years.

Thanks Rob. I've read about Macrium in my searching but I'm not looking to imaging my drive because it's my work laptop and I just want to backup/synch some personal files that I keep on it.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Does anyone use any PC/laptop backup Synchronization software (freeware) to an external drive? What are you using? There's lots of good options I've read about.

I'm looking to get something to backup my laptop files to an external drive. Not looking for a 'backup' that you have to 'restore' but rather duplicate the files.

Single source, single destination.

Most of the best isn't free. I know and use different solutions but probably need know more for best advice.

1) When you say files... What type? How many or how much data? Constant or periodic sync? Do you want other utility from the same software?

Be careful about free stuff and proprietary stuff bundled with drives. Know about Windows backup if you dedicate the whole drive. Acronis is long a favorite. Beyond Compare (use the trial to understand it) does an amazing job with sync and copy way beyond files. It also compares synchronizes contents of files.

You should also have a cloud or off site backup strategy. Cloudberry to Amazon's cheapest Glacier storage is economical for whole system or part backup. Microsoft, Apple, Google, Dropbox and Box have good products. If you have an iPhone Apple's new bundles give you a lot of storage with a lot of other good services.

Make sure you have a disaster recovery and not just a file backup strategy.

One way or another Beyond Compare (Mac & Linux too) is very worth knowing about. That's files, contents of files, sync, copy and 2 or 3-way merge.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by imwjl

Most of the best isn't free. I know and use different solutions but probably need know more for best advice.

1) When you say files... What type? How many or how much data? Constant or periodic sync? Do you want other utility from the same software?

Be careful about free stuff and proprietary stuff bundled with drives. Know about Windows backup if you dedicate the whole drive. Acronis is long a favorite. Beyond Compare (use the trial to understand it) does an amazing job with sync and copy way beyond files. It also compares synchronizes contents of files.

You should also have a cloud or off site backup strategy. Cloudberry to Amazon's cheapest Glacier storage is economical for whole system or part backup. Microsoft, Apple, Google, Dropbox and Box have good products. If you have an iPhone Apple's new bundles give you a lot of storage with a lot of other good services.

Make sure you have a disaster recovery and not just a file backup strategy.

One way or another Beyond Compare (Mac & Linux too) is very worth knowing about. That's files, contents of files, sync, copy and 2 or 3-way merge.

I have about 40 GB of data. No movies, no music (other than my own rough recordings). Most are pics. Most data is static and does not change but a few files I update weekly and I may add a few new files weekly.

Currently, in addition to my main laptop, I have everything backed up on two external hard drives and another spare laptop contains 95% of my data as well. Just want to make it easier to backup to an external hard drive rather than just physically copy the files over, which is too time consuming.

I only plan to synch up once a week or so. Only synching one way - laptop is always the source.

[robj144]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I have about 40 GB of data. No movies, no music (other than my own rough recordings). Most are pics. Most data is static and does not change but a few files I update weekly and I may add a few new files weekly.

Currently, in addition to my main laptop, I have everything backed up on two external hard drives and another spare laptop contains 95% of my data as well. Just want to make it easier to backup to an external hard drive rather than just physically copy the files over, which is too time consuming.

I only plan to synch up once a week or so. Only synching one way - laptop is always the source.

If you're using a cloud service, I use iDrive which automatically backs up my files every night. It's reasonably affordable. I keep on doing their specials to renew which is about $10 for 10 TB right now for the year as I just renewed.

Not on a deal, 500 GB is about $30 a year which is what I would do if there were no deals. Don't really need 10 TB, but it's the deal.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I have about 40 GB of data. No movies, no music (other than my own rough recordings). Most are pics. Most data is static and does not change but a few files I update weekly and I may add a few new files weekly.

Currently, in addition to my main laptop, I have everything backed up on two external hard drives and another spare laptop contains 95% of my data as well. Just want to make it easier to backup to an external hard drive rather than just physically copy the files over, which is too time consuming.

I only plan to synch up once a week or so. Only synching one way - laptop is always the source.

In this I don't catch that you are addressing disaster recovery and the conventional wisdom for backup of 2 forms of media and two places. Windows backup with a dedicated drive if not buying an Acronis license will address DR. You could do as I do and cycle external hard drives at two sites.

Beyond Compare is more manual but tremendous for photos, video and music that does or can have metadata to backup, and can help you not change date and time stamp of files. Then there are the other features - file content and merge.

In a world where most have phones that require cloud directory services - Apple, Google - using those services can be all of easy, reliable, economical, and be leverage other features for individual apps.

I use multiple platforms including the enterprise admin side of Apple, Google and Microsoft more like a gigging multi-instrumentalist so don't have the fan boy or biased attitude many have but after working with and doing trials have moved mostly (size and file count) to iCloud and OneDrive.

If photos are part of this, I'm not yet done with a big cleanup of whole family files, and changing the way I've used Adobe Lightroom. I'm going forward with far less there and moving the long-term keepers to iCloud. Before this I gave another analysis of Google vs Apple mobile and desktop integration and Apple remains more capable and polished. Now that's added to the truly game changer new laptops they have. Still, I use Windows in my Surface and enterprise daily.

[birdsong]

I'm using SyncToy; an "old fashioned" freeware but it works for me. On ~15GB of photos (growing but slowly; I use a point and shoot) and probably 2GB of text.

I also use a 2nd HD (for a 2nd copy) but that's a new device and I use the software that came with it (a 1TB Seagate model).

I have a select few GB's on a cloud service. In general, these files do not change. Specifically, only when I edit them (which I do fairly quickly) and then that's it. So static files.

Each of these can be configured to only update changed files.

John

[robj144]

Originally Posted by birdsong

I'm using SyncToy; an "old fashioned" freeware but it works for me. On ~15GB of photos (growing but slowly; I use a point and shoot) and probably 2GB of text.

I also use a 2nd HD (for a 2nd copy) but that's a new device and I use the software that came with it (a 1TB Seagate model).

I have a select few GB's on a cloud service. In general, these files do not change. Specifically, only when I edit them (which I do fairly quickly) and then that's it. So static files.

Each of these can be configured to only update changed files.

John

If it's only 17 GB, why don't you just get a few 32 GB flash drives and store them different places? They're very cheap (5 for under $20 total).

[birdsong]

Because it's actually painful to rewrite 17 GB. New files, which I add to folders every few weeks, means I can't just easily rewrite. I'd have to do the entire 17GB all over. And things are in many different folders b/c that's how my brain works to quickly find them.

It is MUCH easier to use SyncToy and/or the hard drive software. I simply initiate the backup and it finds those new files and adds them to the backup drive. There are history files saved as well with Seagate (my old Seagate saved up to 10 levels. I have not checked on this new one; just got it). That can come in handy.

But for me, no, the flash drives would not be an ideal solution.

John

[robj144]

Originally Posted by birdsong

Because it's actually painful to rewrite 17 GB. New files, which I add to folders every few weeks, means I can't just easily rewrite. I'd have to do the entire 17GB all over. And things are in many different folders b/c that's how my brain works to quickly find them.

It is MUCH easier to use SyncToy and/or the hard drive software. I simply initiate the backup and it finds those new files and adds them to the backup drive. There are history files saved as well with Seagate (my old Seagate saved up to 10 levels. I have not checked on this new one; just got it). That can come in handy.

But for me, no, the flash drives would not be an ideal solution.

John

But Windows 10 only copies new files if you tell it to do that.