Faster Backup Programs ?

[Robert11]

Hello,

Have a new HP Pavillion Elite, 64 Bit. 1 TB HD

Did a second backup to an external 1 TB Seagate HD.
Took about 4 Hrs. Wow.

Understand the initial backup taking that long, but hard to understand a subsequent one taking so long as I believe(d) it should only be baking up what was changed ?

Anyway, are there (safe) backup programs available from others besides HP that would, or might, do a "substantially" faster job (and work with W7 64 bit) ?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[Robert11]

Software Shutting Off Of An External HD ?

Hello,

Have 3 external Seagate HD's used for backups, and storing of video etc. by son.

None of these apparently came with a software program that would allow their
turning off until called up (but still AC plugged in).

A pain having to plug and unplug them, but sure seems silly to have them spinning away when not needed, which is 90% of the time.

Are there software programs that would allow this ?

BTW: when you hear the term sleep-mode for an external HD, does that mean it is Not spinning ?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[Tews]

Personally, I prefer Acronis True Image Home...

 

[richc46]

Hello,

Have 3 external Seagate HD's used for backups, and storing of video etc. by son.

None of these apparently came with a software program that would allow their
turning off until called up (but still AC plugged in).

A pain having to plug and unplug them, but sure seems silly to have them spinning away when not needed, which is 90% of the time.

Are there software programs that would allow this ?

BTW: when you hear the term sleep-mode for an external HD, does that mean it is Not spinning ?

Thanks,
Bob

or Macrium reflex, which is free. Acronis is free for about 30 days.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

There are a lot of programs out there that are designed to back up without using imaging. Some are free and some have a small price.

Do a google search for "file synchronization" or "folder synchronization" or "file by file backup".

I use one called Second Copy.

You are correct--the first pass may take hours. The second pass copies only what is new or older files that have been modified. Should take seconds or minutes.

I have never had a single instance of failure with these programs--unlike imaging.

 

[herculeorama]

Personally, I prefer Acronis True Image Home...

I also use ATIH2010. Wanted to know one issue though. I have 2 hard disks partitioned into about 100-200Gb partitions. When I was using the older versions of TI I had all the partitions listed in the option of drives I could back up to. In the current version, I see only a couple of partitions. e.g. First I select my C: drive as a partition I want to be backed up. Next screen I have to choose a partition or drive where I wish this backup file to be saved. In this window, I don't see me Seagate FreeAgent disk(?), I don't see a 100GB partition that I have emptied for taking the back-up. Can anyone throw some light on this? Does it mean that Windows 7 has somehow locked this partition and prevent it from being seen by external software?

 

[SIW2]

Does windows see it?

If so. the problem is with the backup image app. you are using.

Perjhaps the older version will work for you.

Otherwise , try another app. Macrium Reflect is awesome:

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Paragon has the 10 series - very new , and there are a couple of bugs they are working on - it will be terrific.

 

[herculeorama]

When the backup screen starts after booting with the ATIH disk, the first window is where it asks us to select the partition/s you want to back up. On this screen ALL partitions are visible. So it's not that the software cannot see the partitions.
...

 

[Robert11]

From OP: Imaging ?

Hello,

Thanks you all for the help and replies.
Will probably try another backup program, as was suggested.

As I have probably mentioned, not too sharp with this stuff, but am trying.

The term "imaging" for a HD: what exactly does it mean and entail ?

What are some of the backup terms where the backup (mode) does not, perhaps,
entail "imaging" ?

On W7, how does one instruct the program to do "imaging", or one of the non-imaging possibilities ?
(I have a new HP desktop, and perhaps the backup program is a HP creation rather than a W7 built-in; not sure ?)

Thanks,
Bob