Looking for good freeware cli backup program.

[Cool Javelin]

Can someone help me find a good backup program, my requirements are...

CLI only, or a real good set of CLI options. If I can create a "job" in a GUI, then use the CLI to start the job, that may work too.

No built in scheduler. I can setup Windows scheduler myself. (I don't like extra tasks in my Task Manager.)

Must be able to encrypt the backup. (backing up to a zip file (or 7Z file) so I can manually extract files would be convenient, but not a deal breaker.)

Must be able to back both from or to a network drive. I'd prefer to use a mapped drive letter, but using the long name is acceptable. I don't want to be forced to use IP addresses.

I tried Easus ToDo, it worked fine, but it left two things running in my task manger. I assume one of these is it's scheduler, but why 2 things? And why didn't it just add things to the windows scheduler?

Upon looking over most of the other backup software, I see they have their own scheduling options and without looking at them, I assume they all have their own background tasks running.

Thanks for any suggestions,
Mark.

 

[Snick]

AOMEI Freeware|Offer Free Backup & Restore Software
Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free

 

[SIW2]

If you only want file backup to zip, you could try Karen's replicator

I used to use the older version, which i will attach if I can find it.

Karen's Replicator the Backup Utility for Windows v3.7.4 Released February 18, 2019 | Karen's Power Tools | Utilities for Windows | KarenWare.com

 

[Cool Javelin]

SIW2:

Thanks, I tried Karen's Replicator, and while it looks like a candidate, it places a job in task manager. I assume this is so it can run on a schedule.

Unfortunately, this violates one of my requirements.

Snick, Both of these also create running tasks too, so they will also not do.

Thanks both of you for taking the time to suggest something.

Mark.

 

[Alejandro85]

While not a real backup program, you can use 7zip command line module for the task, as it fulfills all your requirements:

- CLI with a GUI, but can be used independently of each other.
- No built in scheduler, everything is done only when you ask it, and the process remains active only as long as it completes (BTW, why is SO important not to have an extra process?).
- You can add a password to the resulting archive, which will encrypt the whole thing. As with all similar programs, encryption quality is questionable if you want strong security.
- Not completely sure if it supports UNC paths directly, but a mapped drive letter is fully transparent and will for sure work.

Of course you can script such "tasks" as bat files and set them up in the rudimentary Windows Task Scheduler for latter execution. You can even bundle them together into larger scripts.

As a reference, look at the command line documentation for all the available options:
Command Line Version User's Guide

 

[RoWin7]

My older Macrium doesn't place anything in the Task Manager. It's v.6.31835 from 2017, and it runs fine with my win7, only on-demand