Incremental backups

[JBR]

Can anyone please recommend a reliable backup programme that will do incremental backups? I'm using Windows 7 64bit.

I have used Windows Backup and Restore but, despite Microsoft's claims, I have found that it will not do incremental backups on demand (I don't want to set up regular backups, but prefer to do them when it is convenient to attach my USB had drive).

 

[mattylad]

Have you considered using "Microsoft Windows 7" ??

It has it's own incremental backup system within it.

Look at the properties of a folder and the "previous versions" tab.

Saved my bacon a few times.

 

[JBR]

Thanks, but I am already running Windows 7. I have tried the inbuilt Windows Backup and Restore, which seems to have backed up properly the first time I did it, and this took about three hours.

When I tried a further backup, all the signs were that it was going to take a similar length of time, whereas I expected an incremental backup to take only a few minutes. There are not many new files or alterations since the first backup.

I also searched the internet for information regarding incremental backups. Some people claim that Windows B&R does do incremental backups; many others say that it will not, which supports my findings. I also found a couple of suggestions to force an incremental backup, but neither worked.

From what I've read, Windows XP did do incremental backups but Windows 7, for some reason best known to Microsoft, does not!

Anyway, I've spent far more time than I want to trying to persuade Windows to do what I want, and so decided it would be more productive to obtain (buy, if I have to!) a third party programme.

Edit: It occurs to me that you may have misunderstood or, more correctly, I forgot to mention that I want to back up to an external USB drive.

 

[TheVictorian]

I use SmartSync Pro and it does everything you need:

http://www.smartsync.com/

 

[diyer56]

I like/use SyncBack. They do a free and a paid for version:
http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/syncback-hub.html

 

[JBR]

Thank you gentlemen.

Both options look good, at a price.

I notice that prices are given in dollars for the SmartSync Pro. I wonder whether this suggests any drawbacks, presumably not being a British-based product.

SyncBack does a free version, but I can't see any mention of incremental backups. The paid-for versions do, though.

Both worth considering.

 

[Dave54]

I've been using Aomei backupper standard for a while now
http://www.backup-utility.com/free-backup-software.html
Seems to do what it says it does.

 

[Whitling2k]

robocopy (robust copy) is a free command-line tool from MS, I think it's included in Windows 7, but if not, you can download it from the internet.

You can use the switches listed in the link below to make it only copy updated/changed files, as well as customise the reporting.

I use the following robocopy command to backup my 200+GB photographs, incrementally, to a USB hard drive.

be careful and make sure you run a test on some dummy data, so you don't accidently delete source and destination!

Not sure how tech savvy you are... but have you considered what happens if you break or damage a file, then "back it up". Most simple back-up programs will happily "back up the updated" file, deleting the undamaged file.

Tools like dropbox (free up to 2GB) allow you to restore previous versions, store the backups in the cloud and of course only back up changed files. Depends how much data you want to backup.

Just a thought...

URL:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc733145.aspx

My robocopy code:
[code:1]robocopy "C:\Photographs\MyPhotos" "O:\Photos[backup]\MyPhotos" /mir /ts /fp /tee
[/code:1]

 

[JBR]

Thanks. Several to choose from now!

I think I'll give a free one a try first (I'm a Yorkie).

As for damaged files, I suppose if I have damaged one and don't realise it, it may well replace a good one in the backup. I'm not sure how to avoid this, other than only save files that appear to be OK.

I already use Dropbox (and also Microsoft OneDrive now) and, in addition, I copy some important files to Dropbox for copying to a second computer once in a while. I suppose some would regard me as paranoid!

 

[JBR]

I've been using Aomei backupper standard for a while now
http://www.backup-utility.com/free-backup-software.html
Seems to do what it says it does.

I downloaded this quite some time ago, but haven't had time to use it. I did today.

I experimented by cloning my HD to an external HD, and was pleased to see that it took less than 2 hours for about 160GB.

However, I now realise that I should have done a backup rather than a clone, so I'll delete and do that tomorrow.

It does seem to work well, though, so thanks.