How often to backup

[Cluent]

Is it viable to do an hourly backup using the built-in Windows Backup software?

 

[pparks1]

Depends, how much stuff do you have that really changes and how big of a loss would it be if you no longer had it?

Personally, I only backup my "data" files about once per week. If I lost everything that happened in 1 week...I'd be able to find a way to get by. I simply use the robocopy command to sync my file server share with 2 external hard drives and I keep 1 drive offsite.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I back up text file data daily. I back up mp3s, pictures, and video every couple of days. I back up email maybe weekly. It's purely personal preference and how much you would be damaged by infrequent backups if a drive fails.

I'd find hourly excessive, but I can certainly imagine situations where it would be appropriate.

 

[Cluent]

I never use Windows backup for large picture files. Those kinds of files I immediately archive in two locations (internal and external 1.5TB hard drive) when I first download them from the camera. If I edit a picture into a "final product", the final version gets archived as well. Interim versions would get backedup, and then deleted. Downloaded files that I want to save also get archived immediately. I never backup or archive music files...they're not that precious since I did not create them myself. Some programs (such as Lightroom) have a built-in backup function which I use instead of Windows backup.

I use Windows backup only for documents I or other users are working on whether they be email, Word documents, graphic designs, or other "interim" files.

When I do a fresh backup, it's only about 2GB. Incremental backups are much smaller. So it just occurred to me, I have a 500GB external drive that's just for backups (not archives, which go on the separate 1.5TB drive). So why not play it safe and backup more frequently? Some of the files--the graphics design and some emails--are mission critical.

 

[scubasteve]

Well, I guess that depends on what your motivations are...but depending on those motivations, you may be better served by a version/revision control system like subversion. From what you describe above, I think that's what you need.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revision_control

If you truly do need an hourly backup, any number of software packages can do one...but I suspect that there are many others that would be far more efficient than the built-in backup program. I would look for something that supports "differential" backups.

 

[Brink]

Hello Cluent,

Not unless you are going to be making a lot of changes each hour. I would base it on how often and how much you save data, make changes, install files or programs, etc... If you do a lot in one day, then maybe backup daily. It just depends on your usage for how often you should or need to backup.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Cluent]

It seems that Windows Backup is not able to automatically back up more than once a day.