best backup software for windows 7

SIW2 · 16 Jun 2014

AOMEI Backupper is an imaging program. Primarily for imaging your partitions. It has more functions than any other free version- e.g. incremental/differential. Overall, it is the best free imaging program around. It doesn't support phone type storage, though they will be adding that soon. It also has file and folder backup. However that is for backup, not the same as syncing.

If you want a sync type program, Karen's Replicator is excellent, and a couple of others have been mentioned.

dpwoodpecker · 16 Jun 2014

Thank you for all the suggestions....please correct if I'm wrong:
AOMEI Backupper: image backup w/ files & folders backup, no sync
SyncToy: files & folders sync (does it do full backups?)
FreeFileSync: files & folders sync with versioning option
SyncBack (free version): as share earlier, I had trouble with copied folders not keeping origiinal dates/time; please help show if there is an option that I missed setting up.

Being inexperienced, I'd prefer to keep it simple but seems that I might have to use more than one programs for backup in addition to Macrium.

By the way, ignatzatsonic, would you mind showing me how you had set up the "Apps" link? That seems to be a useful setup to help me keep up with the daily and weekly backup. Greatly appreciate everyone's help!

ignatzatsonic · 16 Jun 2014

dpwoodpecker said:

By the way, ignatzatsonic, would you mind showing me how you had set up the "Apps" link? That seems to be a useful setup to help me keep up with the daily and weekly backup. Greatly appreciate everyone's help!

I created a folder named “apps” on my data drive D at D:\computer\_toolbar shortcuts\apps, but I’d think you could put it anywhere. I used the underscore only because that forces the folder to appear as the first folder under D:\computer when viewed in Windows Explorer.

I then made a shortcut for each application that I wanted to put in the apps folder and placed each shortcut in D:\computer\_toolbar\apps. The FreeFileSync batch files are placed in that folder along with the other shortcuts.

See pic below.

I then right clicked the taskbar and chose “new toolbar”. You’re asked to choose a folder, so I navigated to D:\computer\_toolbar shortcuts\apps.

Prestomatic—the “apps” toolbar appears on the taskbar and shows those 20 shortcuts. Each shortcut will open the app on demand.

dbtmellis · 16 Jun 2014

Ive always used the Windows Backup Utility, to my USB External Hdd. I have never had a problem.

If you "accidentally" delete a file, you can go back and retrieve it. Or you can replace your whole system.

It has saved my data lots of times

dpwoodpecker · 17 Jun 2014

Please help....I've clicked on the link Jeanie had given for FreeFileSync and the report from VirusTotal shows possible malware - are these false positives (that is, there might be options to add toolbars etc that I can opt out)? Does anyone have a safe link to download the software, preferably just the .exe (without a downloader program)?

Antivirus scan for FreeFileSync - aa90bbbe649c9065593bc2522d4e3a5eaf32e9d444acb075121020c486f550.pdf
Antivirus scan addt'l info for FFS - aa90bbbe649c9065593bc2522d4e3a5eaf32e9d444acb075121020c486f.pdf

Lady Fitzgerald · 17 Jun 2014

dpwoodpecker said:

Please help....I've clicked on the link Jeanie had given for FreeFileSync and the report from VirusTotal shows possible malware - are these false positives (that is, there might be options to add toolbars etc that I can opt out)? Does anyone have a safe link to download the software, preferably just the .exe (without a downloader program)?

Antivirus scan for FreeFileSync - aa90bbbe649c9065593bc2522d4e3a5eaf32e9d444acb075121020c486f550.pdf
Antivirus scan addt'l info for FFS - aa90bbbe649c9065593bc2522d4e3a5eaf32e9d444acb075121020c486f.pdf

The possible malware is a PUP—Potentially Unwanted Program—called Open Candy. All Open Candy does is offer crapware, such as the Ask Toolbar, Google Toolbar, Google Chrome, etc. when running the FFS installer. It doesn't install itself and will run only when the installer runs. It's a nuisance but not dangerous. Just pay attention when installing FFS and watch for any offers to install anything other than FFS; just uncheck them if it does. I also rename FFS's installation file after installing FFS by adding .disable to the end of the file name so it won't trigger a hit on AV and antimalware programs and can't start itself (although the latter is highly unlikely). I've never had a problem from it.

dpwoodpecker · 17 Jun 2014

Thank you, ignatzatsonic, for the toolbar instructions and Jeannie for further guidance on installing FFS...and the great tip to rename the FFS installation .exe file to .disable afterwards....I'm off to try these items and checkout programs others have suggested, since I've not had much luck with Windows Backup utility...I can make the backup images but the OS refuse to recognize the images in order to use them to restore. Much appreciation for all the help given!

Lady Fitzgerald · 17 Jun 2014

dpwoodpecker said:

Thank you, ignatzatsonic, for the toolbar instructions and Jeannie for further guidance on installing FFS...and the great tip to rename the FFS installation .exe file to .disable afterwards....I'm off to try these items and checkout programs others have suggested, since I've not had much luck with Windows Backup utility...I can make the backup images but the OS refuse to recognize the images in order to use them to restore. Much appreciation for all the help given!

Macrium Reflect Free (here is a good tutorial on how to use Macrium Reflect) is excellent for imaging the OS and Wolfgang wrote an excellent tutorial for it.

dpwoodpecker · 18 Jun 2014

Just wanted to share that I’ve just tried FreeFileSync and it is really fast. However, it didn’t retain the original subfolders’ time/date stamps when I set up a custom sync to copy original files and folders within folder “CommWork” from left (G:) to right (D:) folder with same name, which was newly created and empty. Where did I miss to specify such information is retained? I’ve zipped the FFS gui file to attach here:

SyncSettings- HDD to SSD.zip

ignatzatsonic · 18 Jun 2014

dpwoodpecker said:

Just wanted to share that I’ve just tried FreeFileSync and it is really fast. However, it didn’t retain the original subfolders’ time/date stamps when I set up a custom sync to copy original files and folders within folder “CommWork” from left (G:) to right (D:) folder with same name, which was newly created and empty. Where did I miss to specify such information is retained? I’ve zipped the FFS gui file to attach here:

SyncSettings- HDD to SSD.zip

I want to make sure I'm following you.

Here is a picture of my FFS destination folder tree on my E drive. It's a sync of the original source folder tree on my D drive; synced from D to E.

What you see is the Explorer tree and the details of the properties page of the "rock and roll" folder. Note the date of June 22, 2011; 12:35:17 PM.

I just checked. That is the same exact day and time as the rock and roll folder on the D (source) drive.

I ran Free File Sync within the last 2 hours, but the folder still has a 2011 date.

I didn't do anything special to get those dates and times to agree as best I recall. I think it's the default.

Are you saying that your properties page for a folder shows a different date/time on the source than on the destination? Or are you reading the dates/times from somewhere else?