Simple Windows backup software?

[dazombie]

I'm looking for some simple backup software that:

1. can mirror my files from one NTFS filesystem to another (an external drive)
2. does an incremental backup (I don't need to recopy 1.5 TB of files every time I want to backup)
3. can copy files which are in use (probably using the Shadow Copy service)
4. will verify the files (at least with a quick CRC check) once the copy is complete
5. (preferably) is free or open-source software

When I used Linux as my primary OS, I had something similar set up using rsync. Ideally, I could find something like that which plays nicely with NTFS.
(rsync under Cygwin didn't seem to work well with NTFS; I used it for a while but started running into all sorts of strange permission errors.)

I don't really want drive imaging software. I like to be able to go into the backup and recover individual files quickly if necessary.

Scheduling is not necessary; I run backups on demand once or twice a week and the backup hard drives are kept offline all other times.

I've looked at a number of backup programs, but most that I've found fail at least one of the requirements above.

Do any of you have any suggestions that might help? What works for you?

Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks very much.

 

[richc46]

The two major free ones are Paragon and Macrium Reflex. They are discussed often in this forum and arguments develope over which is best.

 

[dazombie]

The two major free ones are Paragon and Macrium Reflex. They are discussed often in this forum and arguments develope over which is best.

I had looked at Macrium before and it seemed to be a disk imaging software rather than a mirroring tool. I see that on the features list, though, it mentions "Access images with Windows Explorer". I don't know exactly what this means; I'll have to investigate further tomorrow. Additionally, incremental backup and verification are only available in the paid version.

(To be clear, I'm willing to pay for a solution, but I'm interested in seeing what my free options are first.)

Looking at Paragon Drive Backup 10 Professional, it's not immediately clear what kind of backups it does; I'll have to investigate further tomorrow. (It looks complex enough that I'd expect it to be able to do what I want, but we'll see.)

As I mentioned, I won't be able to start evaluating these until tomorrow - it's nearly midnight here and I have to be up for work in 6 hours. Thanks for your (quick!) response.

 

[Wishmaster]

For the features you are looking for, you may need to go with a paid software. (regardless what brand you choose)


Have you looked into Acronis 2010?

ATM they have a special for $29.99USD Regular $49.99
Complete hard disk recovery solution, backup, drive copy, clone and image computer software



It can do Incremential, Differential, or Full (Idividual partitions or entire disc)
Archive validation, Task Scheduling, Cloning and more.

They also offer a trial of the software if you want to try it 1st.
But I'm sure most every company offers a trial of their paid versions as well.

 

[Night Hawk]

WD has a fast solution in their downloads section that will both create and restore images, mount and open them as a second C drive in Windows Explorer and also has a clone option.

Use the image option and still have plenty of room left on the external drive depending how big that is. It goes much faster and can mounted for adding more files into the image! Cloning a drive takes quite a bit longer. Macrium's Reflect while having a free version there as well failed to restore an image of a second drive made at the time with an invalid date?

With Vista again present on the new build the latest image of that was restored more then once using Acronis True Image having also bought the retail version of that one. For the free WD version of it, WD Support

(Note I just ended up dumping Paragon here for the constant prompt to backup annoyance. That lacks other options as well.)

 

[Bongo]

Have a look at Syncback

http://www.2brightsparks.com/freeware/ look for
SyncBack Freeware V3.2.20.0 it might work for your needs

Jerry

 

[pparks1]

The built-in utility that is most similar to rsync in Windows is called robocopy. It only copies files that have changed since the last copy and it can mirror up deletions as well with the /MIR switch. The /dst takes into account daylight savings time.

Here are some sample lines that you could put in a batch file

robocopy C:\users\user1\music E:\Backups\mymusic /mir /dst
robocopy C:\users\user1\downloads E:\Backups\mydownloads /mir /dst

If you would like a GUI interface with the same functionality, look at Karen's File Replicator. Karen's Replicator


So for my server at home, I have 2 internal hard drives. Every 6 hours, I sync drive 1 to drive 2 with robocopy. Then, I keep 2 external hard drives and run periodic robocopy backups to these drives about once every week or two and I generally keep at least 1 if not both of them offsite. For my desktop, I just use imaging software (Acronis, Macrium or EaseUSToDo Backup) about once 4-6 weeks and take a quick image of my C drive (SSD) to my D drive (mechanical), in case I need to recover from something catastrophic.

 

[dazombie]

Wow, lots of great responses here! Thanks, everyone.

The two major free ones are Paragon and Macrium Reflex. They are discussed often in this forum and arguments develope over which is best.

I had looked at Macrium before and it seemed to be a disk imaging software rather than a mirroring tool.

Looking again, it seems like Macrium (the paid version, at least) can do file backups as well.

Have you looked into Acronis 2010?

No, I haven't, but it looks like it can do this. I'll add it to my "evaluate" list.

WD has a fast solution in their downloads section that will both create and restore images, mount and open them as a second C drive in Windows Explorer and also has a clone option.

I'm assuming you're referring to this. It doesn't look like it will do incremental or file-based backups, so I'm probably not going to evaluate it at this time.

SyncBack Freeware V3.2.20.0 it might work for your needs

It looks like I won't get all the features I need until I buy one of the paid versions, and if (when) I end up buying I'm probably going to end up with Macrium, Paragon, or Acronis for more features @ the same price.

The built-in utility that is most similar to rsync in Windows is called robocopy. It only copies files that have changed since the last copy and it can mirror up deletions as well with the /MIR switch. The /dst takes into account daylight savings time.

Here are some sample lines that you could put in a batch file

robocopy C:\users\user1\music E:\Backups\mymusic /mir /dst
robocopy C:\users\user1\downloads E:\Backups\mydownloads /mir /dst

If you would like a GUI interface with the same functionality, look at Karen's File Replicator. Karen's Replicator

I looked into Robocopy, but I found two main problems with it:

• I couldn't verify whether it verifies the files it copies
• Wikipedia states, "The Windows Volume Shadow Copy service is the only Windows subsystem that can copy open files, which it does by snapshotting them for point-in-time consistency. Robocopy does not implement accessing the Volume Shadow Copy service in any way, inhibiting its usefulness as a backup utility for volumes that may be in use."

So I think I'll be evaluating these options in this order:

1. Macrium
2. Acronis
3. Paragon
4. SyncBack
5. Western Digital Acronis

Again, thanks very much for all your responses!

 

[dazombie]

I'll also take another look at Robocopy, since it seems like a really interesting program.

 

[Night Hawk]

Once you have Acronis on and go through the options you will see how that works. The images here show fast that works with the image made of the second OS drive here and easily mounted to edit more in or remove things from.

 

[polarbear]

The two major free ones are Paragon and Macrium Reflex. They are discussed often in this forum and arguments develope over which is best.

I agree...
At this time and have been for a while now using Paragon... It seems to be offered free now and then ( that's how I got mine )... Worth checking out there site each day... GL

 

[pparks1]

I'll also take another look at Robocopy, since it seems like a really interesting program.

For me, I use robocopy to backup documents, pictures, scanned in files, music, etc. So, none of that stuff is open...so utilizing volume shadow service isn't important for me.

With regards to my OS on my server, I could reload it in a heartbeat and configure it within minutes...so I just need my data files and I'm right back in business.

 

[Night Hawk]

But that's also for a server not so much a desktop setup there. The best results seen here for backing up the main host drive have been with the Backup + Recovery option already included in Windows. For the secondary drives for imaging and restoring as well as mounting them I have boith WD free and the full retail version of Acronis True Image which does the job.

Whichever program you go with make sure that also has the live cd option. With the 7 dvd booted live as well as starting up a recovery while in Windows you have two methods for restoration. Likewise the better programs will also offer the live cd option in case Windows isn't up and running at the time.

 

[pparks1]

But that's also for a server not so much a desktop setup there.

Well, I'm just backing up a mapped drive on my server. It would be the same as backing up C:\data, C:\downloads and C:\music if I kept the files locally on my workstation. but since they are on my server and mapped to Q drive, T drive and U drive...I just back those up instead. But the principal is exactly the same.

 

[Night Hawk]

You backup the backup in that sense.

For dazombie on the other hand however he may be better off with a program that can create a full system image there if not planning to use the Backup & Restore option. WD does provide their own free version of Acronis True Image where you can mount any image to add/remove files or set it for read only as a duplicate logical drive of the first when mounted.

Working with multiple drives and Vista on the second Acronis works well for restoring images to secondary drives when not booted live with a cd make up. For the main host drive however the built in tool does the trick every time! And if comes included in Windows for that purpose.