Backup software

G-Slev

G-Slev

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Could anyone recommend me a Windows application to help me with backups? Currently, I have an online backup to Amazon Photos and also back up to a hard disk. For the hard disk, I currently backup my main library disk to a second disk using the free version of Macrium Reflect. The problem with this is two fold. Firstly, Macrium Reflect is no longer being supported (not a massive issue, but I do worry about security vulnerabilities). Secondly, I have copy the entire disk using the free version of Macrium Reflect whenever I do a back. With about 3tb of images, this can take a long time, and often means I have to leave the PC on overnight, which is obviously a fire risk.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any Windows software that will copy from my main disk to the backup disk, but only copy across anything that is new or has been edited or updated? I don’t create image files, as I am always a bit concerned about the image becoming corrupted – I make a carbon copy of the disk.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.
 
I use SyncFolder. (windows app, FREE)

I don't do a sync, but a copy

From my laptop to a usb drive, from that to a server, from there to NAS and another USB drive

But if you try it RTFM !!!
 
I use FreeFileSync, it only copies across anything that has changed and you can select which folders to sync.
I use it to sync from my desktop to a HDD and also a laptop, you can do these together or separately
 
I’ve tried a number of free options over the years. I’ve finally settled on Cobian Reflector. Flexible and reliable IME
 
VEEAM Agent for Windows (free if you register ) is commercial grade backup software. I use this to image our home PCs and laptops to a home server but it could easily back up to a NAS or a second hard drive locally attached to the PC. This can be scheduled as often as you like each day. It will create incremental backups or full backups.

I also used to use Second Copy (£30 licence) when I was a school network manager to take regular file level backups of user data on a file server that hosted 1200+ end users at a school. Second Copy will copy any files that have been updated since the last time it was run, so you can schedule it to run as often as you like. It will also create archive versions of your files if you wish.
 
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broc said:
VEEAM Agent for Windows (free if you register ) is commercial grade backup software. I use this to image our home PCs and laptops to a home server but it could easily back up to a NAS or a second hard drive locally attached to the PC. This can be scheduled as often as you like each day.

I also used to use Second Copy (£30 licence) when I was a school network manager to take regular file level backups of user data on a file server that hosted 1200+ end users at a school. Second Copy will copy any files that have been updated since the last time it was run, so you can schedule it to run as often as you like. It will also create archive versions of your files if you wish.
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I looked at Veeam, but to be honest, it looked so complicated that I gave up.
 
G-Slev said:
I looked at Veeam, but to be honest, it looked so complicated that I gave up.
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Did you look at the VEEAM Agent for Windows or full fat VEEAM? The Windows Agent isn't difficult to set up? Second Copy is ideally suited to the task of backing up changed user files, VEEAM Windows Agent is a much more comprehensive backup & recovery utility for all Windows files and enables bare metal recovery of the PC in the event of disaster.
 
Aomei Backupper - once you have copied the full folder you can set it to just add changes. Setting up windows to run it is a tickbox and you can set the time of day it runs and the frequency. I've been using it for about 7 years I think.
 
If you like a challenge, there's a standard Microsoft Windows command line utility program called ROBOCOPY used by system administrators that will do what you want. It is very powerful but needs great care coding up the command line & parameters as it can cause havoc and delete your data if you get it wrong. You can get some idea of how to set it up if you search for Robocopy incremental backup

You can dry run the robocopy command with the /L switch when it will log every file action it would perform if run in anger.
 
Thanks everyone - I have had a look at freefilesync and it seems to do what I want. Can it also copy to a network share?
 
It's a cracking piece of software. Tried it this afternoon and it does all I need. Thanks for the tip!
 
I have seen quite a few people not realise that syncing is not the same as backing up, and have lost data they didn't want to lose, so it's quite important to make sure you know how it is working, and what it is going to do before using it, especially using default settings.

Checking settings on some practice folders works well :)
 
All I do and have done for years is run 2 extra external hard drives which I copied my entire main drive on to when I got them. From that original copy I now just add my new stuff as I go pictures, documents everything for instance as I create a file or picture folder on my main drive and save it I then copy and paste it into the same area on each hard drive. Once I got used to doing that it became routine so I wlways have 2 up to date copies of everything.

When I travel with my laptop I take one of those drives, I then use my laptop for creating and saving the original files and copy them to the external hard drive as the travelling backup, once I get home I transfer all the new files from the laptop to the other backup hard drive and my main drive on my desktop.
 
I have seen quite a few people not realise that syncing is not the same as backing up
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This is sound advice.

Backups should be automated, versioned, and tested! (Possibly also redundant and off-site depending on the risks you want to mitigate).

Automated - if it’s not, you’ll forget.

Versioned - if you delete, overwrite or damage a file, will you be able to recover the original? Or will you sync the deletion to your backup?

Tested - could you setup a new machine from a blank drive and your backup? What would you lose?

As for redundant/off-site, IMO you want to at least get it away from your computer. If the backup is a disk on your desk it’s at risk to a lot of the same risks as your computer. Eg fire, theft, drink spilt everywhere, power surge/glitch etc.

If you’re setting up backups, why not go the extra step?

For windows, note there is built in cloud backup:

Back up your Windows PC - Microsoft Support

Learn how to back up apps, settings, files, photos, and Microsoft Edge favorites and preferences on your Windows PC.
support.microsoft.com support.microsoft.com

You might already have a large storage quota if you pay for office etc.

There’s also windows file history, which is a bit like Time Machine on a Mac.
 
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