Windows 7 - Sync or Backup ?

Until now I have used system backup to take regular backups weekly ... but exclude pictures & adudio as these are pretty big folders (100's of GB)

What I do is every so often take a complete copy of the folders on my PC and copy to external HDD.

As I have now upgraded to Windows 7 .. is there a better way of doing this ... I don't want to lose the safety of a full copy on ext HDD ... what would be nice if there was an automatic sync I could set up so any changes or new files will automatically get saved when I bring ext HDD on-line.

Is this something that Libraries can do ?
Or do I need a synchronisation application, if so care to recommend one ?

I use Microsoft's Sync Toy and find it quite handy.

Download: SyncToy 2.1 - Microsoft Download Center - Download Details

I just sync identically-named folders on my internal data drive and external backup drive and choose the Echo option.

It then syncs the two folders every time I run it and does it very quickly too.

I'll go get it ... I did use it some time ago, so good to know it's still good to use.

ou could also try freeFileSync. FreeFileSync | Free Security & Utilities software downloads at SourceForge.net

I did a little video which you can find here. kado897's Channel - YouTube

Thanks ...

is there any benefit of FreeFileSync over SyncToy ... is one better, easier to use ?

I confirmed a bug in SyncToy that made me stop using it....

If you change the name of a subfolder, when you do the Sync, you will have 2 folders in parallel in the target. You will have the new subfolder (with the the new name), AND the old subfolder too! So you now have double the files in the target... YIKES!!!

So I am looking at FreeFileSync and checking this out also on it.... but I can recommend SyncBack from 2BrightSparks.... it works great, but the interface is kinda clunky....

FreeFileSync will take whatever delete action you have specified when it discovers a folder on the target that is not on the source so it should handle your situation.

Here's another vote for synctoy, I use it for the backup of media files as well.

I was just about to start using synchtoy.

I find it almost impossible to believe they could have overlooked echoing/mirroring delete actions in the source to the Target.

Who wouldn't want that to happen? Is there no way to activate this? Seems too obvious to miss and I'm sure I read it could do it in latest version when I hurriedly read the blurb.

Anyone?

Matt

You might want to look into

http://www.cobiansoft.com/cobianbackup.htm

which I also use to FTP certain files to a web server.