Wanted: Backup Strategy

websquad

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I have a machine with five disk drives:

(C) is for Window 7 + software: 150GB (10,000 rpm: sweet)
(D) is to backup (C): 150GB (just like C)
(E) is for data: 1TB
(F) is to backup (E) 1TB (just like E)
(G) is for paging and spooling (Photoshop, etc): 380GB

My best case scenero is that I'd like for (D) to duplicate (C) and be bootable in the event something goes wrong with (C). Also, and the end of the day I'd like to run a batch procedure to backup what has been changed or added to (E) to (F), and also in that process backup my Microsoft Outlook files.

I've tried RAID-1 for two years and have given up. The RAID arrays were broken too many times, and I just have to get on with my life (LOL). So I'm in the process of rebuilding my system without RAID.

Suggestions appreciated !!
 
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My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Win 7/Pro 64-bitIntel 6600 Quad8 GB DDR2EVGA 512 9500 GT + nVidia GT
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Homebrew Intel 6600-based
OS
Win 7/Pro 64-bit
CPU
Intel 6600 Quad
Motherboard
eVGA 780i
Memory
8 GB DDR2
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA 512 9500 GT + nVidia GT
Monitor(s) Displays
4: (1) HP 22"W + (2) 19" + (1) 15" (pgm. icons only)
Hard Drives
SanDisk 120GB SSD (sys+pgms);WD Raptor 150GB (sys/pgm backup). Also, two of Seagate Barracuda ES.2's (data + backup)) and WD Raptor 150GB (spare)
Case
Cooler Master CM Cosmose 1000 (tower)
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MS Natural (desktop)
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Logitech Performance Lase Wireless Mouse
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17 Mbs download (cable)
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MS Defender
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Windows Experience Index on tower system: 7.1/7.1/6.9/6.9/7.0
Member PParks uses Robocopy to backup data from one drive to another using these commands, which you could modify a bit to adapt to your situation:

All you have to do is create a .bat file on your hard drive. Put the following syntax into the file

C:\windows\system32\robocopy D:\data I:\backups\data /E /MIR
C:\windows\system32\robocopy D:\music I:\backups\music /E /MIR
C:\windows\system32\robocopy D:\movies I:\backups\movies /E /MIR
C:\windows\system32\robocopy D:\pix I:\backups\pix /E /MIR

The /E includes directories that are empty.

The /MIR tells it to mirror the source and the destination. Hence, if you delete the file from D:\data, it will remove it from the I:\backups\data folder as well.

Your idea of having a live backup of C that is bootable might be possible, but most people here instead use an imaging program. The created file is not bootable, but can be restored to a drive to make it bootable in a few minutes.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bitIntel Skylake i5-6600K, not overclocked8 GB HyperX DDR4-2666 (2 x 4 GB)none; graphics are integrated on CPU
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Ignatz Special; 4 speed manual gearbox; factory air conditioning; one of one
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
CPU
Intel Skylake i5-6600K, not overclocked
Motherboard
AsRock Z170M Extreme 4, micro ATX
Memory
8 GB HyperX DDR4-2666 (2 x 4 GB)
Graphics Card(s)
none; graphics are integrated on CPU
Sound Card
onboard: Realtek ALC1150; external: USB Behringer UF0-202
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell S2340M 23 inch IPS
Screen Resolution
1600 x 900
Hard Drives
System: Crucial MX100 series SSD, 128 GB;
Data: Samsung Spinpoint 103SJ, 1 TB;
Backup: WD Caviar Green WD30EZRX-00D8PB0, 3 TB
PSU
Rosewill SilentNight 500 watt fanless, semi-modular
Case
Antec Solo II
Cooling
Noctua NH-U12S; Noctua F12 intake, Noctua S12A exhaust
Keyboard
Microsoft 200 6JH-00001 USB
Mouse
Dell or Microsoft optical wired; USB
Antivirus
Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes Premium
Browser
Pale Moon
Other Info
All fans PWM; speeds at idle: CPU circa 500 rpm; intake circa 600 rpm; exhaust circa 600 rpm; CPU temps 27 idle and 47 C load in a warm room (27 C/81 F) when running Intel Extreme Tuning Utility stress test.

My Computer My Computer

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Windows 10 Pro x64 ; Xubuntu x64Intel i7 860 @ 2.80 GHz O/C'ed to 4.0GHz16GB Corsair Vengance DDR3 @ 661 MHz Dual Cha...EVGA NVidia GTX 560 1024MB
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Golden Mk. I.4
OS
Windows 10 Pro x64 ; Xubuntu x64
CPU
Intel i7 860 @ 2.80 GHz O/C'ed to 4.0GHz
Motherboard
Gigabyte P55A-UD3R Rev.1. Award BIOS F13
Memory
16GB Corsair Vengance DDR3 @ 661 MHz Dual Channel (9-9-9-24)
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA NVidia GTX 560 1024MB
Sound Card
Realtek Integrated
Monitor(s) Displays
Dual Samsung SyncMaster 2494HS
Screen Resolution
1920*1080 and 1920*1080
Hard Drives
1*Samsung 840 EVO 120GB SSD;
1*OCZ Vertex 2 60GB SSD;
2*Samsung F3 SpinPoint 1TB in RAID0;
1*Samsung F1 SpinPoint 1TB;
2*Western Digital 1TB External USB 3.0
1*Western Digital 500GB External USB 3.0
1*Seagate 500GB External USB 2.0
PSU
Thermaltake ToughPower QFan 750W
Case
Thermaltake Element S VK60001W2Z
Cooling
Corsair H60 Water Cooling, 2*230mm and 2*80mm case fans
Keyboard
Logitech G110
Mouse
Logitech MX518
Your only real options for backing up C: is disk imaging. You can either use the built in windows backup or one of the many free alternatives such as Macrium free.
My suggestion for your data would be FreeFileSync. The first run after setting it up will rake some time as it must copy all the data you have specified but subsequent runs are incremental and take very little time. I created a job which backs up my data files daily and run it using the task scheduler.
I did a little video of how to use it. Backup With FreeFileSync - YouTube
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Servi...Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU M 330 @ 2.13GHz8 GB DDR3Intel(R) HD Graphics
Computer type
Laptop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Hewlett-Packard/G62-107SA Notebook
OS
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Service Pack 1
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU M 330 @ 2.13GHz
Motherboard
Hewlett-Packard 1425
Memory
8 GB DDR3
Graphics Card(s)
Intel(R) HD Graphics
Sound Card
Realtek High Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Builtin
Screen Resolution
1366 x 768 x 32 bits (4294967296 colors) @ 60 Hz
Hard Drives
250 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive 7200 rpm
2TB Seagate GoFlex USB 2 Drive
1TB Iomega Prestige USB 2 Drive
1.5TB Iomega Prestige USB 2 Drive (Samsung)
2TB WD MyBook Live NAS.
Mouse
Logitech Anywhere MX
Internet Speed
152 Mbs download 10 Mbs upload
Antivirus
Norton 360
Browser
Chrome
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