File and Folder Backup Software

[Petergs]

I am looking for software to back up my PC and Laptop.

The criteria I would like are -
1) to be able to shedule backup sets at different periods (eg documents daily; photos weekly; etc)
2) to do the backups as incremental, rather than everything every time.
3) to be able to see each folder and file on the back up device (ReadyNASDuo) - not a single compressed file.
4) to leave any files intact on the back up which may have been deleted on the PC/laptop (in case they were deleted accidentally)
5) to be able to select folders in groups for a set of backups (eg user data which may be on seprate drives.

Hope that makes sense, and that someone can recomend some suitable software.
Many thanks
Peter

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Most of the possible choices should meet all of those requirements. The one I use (Second Copy) does.

Here are some others to consider. Most are free.

Synctoy
Synchback
Allway Sync
Folder Clone
Karen's Replicator
Synchromagic
GFI Backup Home Edition

 

[Petergs]

Thanks ignatzatsonic,

From the list I have tried the following with the results

Synctoy - cannot be easily scheduled - if you have several 'jobs' you need the same number of tasks in the MS scheduler
- cannot select seperate folders - each folder is a job
- appears to copy the whole folder each time. Does not just look at the attributes.
Karen's Replicator - cannot select multiple folders - each folder is a job
Second Copy - appears to do all except - cannot select multiple folders - each folder is a job.

I'll look at the others you have listed.
Thanks
Peter

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Hmmm..yeah, the requirement to be able to select folders from different drives in the same job may be difficult.

You could easily enough make multiple jobs, one for each drive, and select or exclude only certain folders or file extensions for each job with Second Copy. You can put a unlimited folders in the same job, but I think they have to be from the same drive.

 

[enjoylife1788]

Thanks ignatzatsonic,

From the list I have tried the following with the results

Synctoy - cannot be easily scheduled - if you have several 'jobs' you need the same number of tasks in the MS scheduler
- cannot select seperate folders - each folder is a job
- appears to copy the whole folder each time. Does not just look at the attributes.
Karen's Replicator - cannot select multiple folders - each folder is a job
Second Copy - appears to do all except - cannot select multiple folders - each folder is a job.

I'll look at the others you have listed.
Thanks
Peter

I use synctoy and m quite happy with it.. Though I don't schedule my tasks, I have read there are workarounds to schedule them.

I didn't understand your first couple of points.

And about copying the whole folders. I don't think it does that. It checks for the changes and only updates the modifications. Also, depends on the mode selected for the folder..

 

[kado897]

Try FreeFileSync. You can create jobs which can contain any combination of folders you like. I made a video of how to use it. Backup With FreeFileSync - YouTube

The jobs you create can be scheduled using the Windows Task Scheduler.