ignatzatsonic said:
Judy:

Did you seem my comments in your other thread titled "Create partition and move original backup to it"?

See comments in bold below:


Judy in Texas said:
can you please recommend a data backup software or process? I would like to do incremental data backups in which the default is to copy all of the data files that are new or changed since the last run. I also want an option to make a new "base run" that will copy all of the data files at that point and make a new archive. Then I would delete from the computer the files that I don't want to have underfoot every day, and they would stay on the backup disk (in the "base run")in case I do need them again. I would then back up the computer data again to create a "new base run". The future incremental backups would refer to the "new base run." One goal is that I don't want the backup software to delete files that it saved on a previous run -- I may want them archived.

Most backup software gives you a choice of the following:

1: If I delete a file from my "originals", it will also be deleted from my backup the next time I run the backup. That's normally called "mirroring"--the target drive matches the source drive 100%.

or

2: If I delete a file from my "originals", it will NOT be deleted from the backup drive the next time I run it.

Sounds like you want choice 2.

That's doable. I use choice 1, but to each her own.

Just configure the app to avoid "mirroring".

I've used 4 or 5 such apps in the last 15 years--Second Copy (paid), the others free: Free File Sync, SyncToy, SyncBackFree, and another 1 or 2 I can't recall right now.

Currently satisfied with SyncBackFree, for the last 3 months or so. You have a lot of control over the setup, but it's got a pretty sane interface. I quit Free File Sync due to the convoluted interface. I quit the others as the "include" or "exclude" functions were problematic.

Generally: they all give you some degree of control--include this folder, exclude that folder, include .doc files but exclude .mp4 files, etc, etc.

They differ in their interfaces, their help files, feature list, and extent of bugs/problems.

Second Copy is exceptional, but $30 the last I checked, with a 30 day free trial.

Most would tell you not to rely on a single backup. Once in a while, I'm glad I have two. In addition to running SyncBackFree at least once a day, I also make a completely separate periodic (every month or two) manual drag-and-drop copies of all of my data. I delete the old drag-and-drop when I make a new one.


I also make a monthly copy of my most critical files (no video, no mp3s; just pix and text files) to a USB thumb drive.

I also use SyncBackFree to make separate backups of my browser bookmarks (I have thousands) and my Thunderbird Email folder. So I have a total of 3 "profiles" that I run in SyncBackFree:

1: All data on my data partition. I run this at least daily.
2: Bookmarks only, maybe monthly. The originals of these are NOT on my data partition, so I have to back them up separately.
3: Thunderbird folder only, maybe monthly. Also not on my data partition.

The bookmarks and Thunderbird backups are useful when I build a new PC and want to transfer everything over to a new Windows installation.

My SyncBackFree backups are done to a separate internal drive.




It looks like for the system files backup forum members recommend Macrium Reflect, right?


Right. Most use the Free Edition. But don't get yourself in a jam where you are dead in the water if it fails. Imaging isn't perfect.

It will back up everything on a given partition, but normally imaging is an inferior way to back up personal files. Try to get your personal files off of the C partition. That makes for smaller images and more efficient and easier house-keeping.

Below is a screen shot of the SyncBackFree configuration screen that shows how I have my "all data" backup configured.



I have used SyncBackFree for 4 or 5 years, it's a great tool.

Jerry