Good apps for automating backups?

David_VI · 17 Aug 2011 at 13:47

I've become lazy with backing up...

Quite a while ago I had three small ish harddrives and two Seagate external drives which had their own program, enabling you to have them back up certain files or folders..

I still have these drives, but also have some old externals I use in enclosures, also my main harddrives are a lot bigger now so backing up isn't so easy.

Are there any recommendations for programs that I can set up and leave.. not to worry about?
I'm not quick to trust them, so would like advice

Cheers
David

Jordan97 · 17 Aug 2011 at 14:20

What's wrong with the one built into Windows?

MuttsNutts · 17 Aug 2011 at 14:35

Jordan97 said:
What's wrong with the one built into Windows?

Yea?

I you fancy an alternative look here Click Me

Admiral Huddy · 17 Aug 2011 at 14:46

I use Windows backup for a monthly system backup image but for automatic daily backups I wouldn't have anything other than SyncBackSE. It's flexible, easy to use and the data can be set as a true mirror so individual files are instantly accessible. It retails around £18 but worth every penny.

The only free one I'd recommend, which I install on customer PCs if they don't want to pay, is FBackup. Does the job but it has limitations.

MarcLister · 17 Aug 2011 at 14:58

You could have a Robocopy script set up to run at certain times.

Jordan97 · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:03

Or RAID 1?

mattyg · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:16

Will raid 1 protect from major crashes due to virus's's's

Nismo · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:27

I've started using the free version of Todo as the built in Windows one never completes successfully for me for some reason. It supports incremental and differential backups too.

http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software.htm

rpstewart · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:46

Jordan97 said:
Or RAID 1?

RAID1 is not a backup solution, it's an availability solution.

mattyg said:
Will raid 1 protect from major crashes due to virus's's's

No

MarcLister said:
You could have a Robocopy script set up to run at certain times.

Probably the best option although it does mean having the target drive connected and active at the scheduled times which kind of defeats the purpose of it being external.

mattyg · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:46

I use Macrium reflect.

In fact Ive just used it due to a damn trojan

Admiral Huddy · 17 Aug 2011 at 15:54

Jordan97 said:
Or RAID 1?

RAID 1 or 5 is great for continuity of service but not as a backup solution.

edit - Sorry missed rpstewert's similar comment

David_VI · 17 Aug 2011 at 18:45

Thanks for your replies, going to explore them now.

I did use windows backup once but it appeared to be slow, but this was a while ago..
I'll give it a go first

Also I do use todo backup, for cloning drives, but never used it for backing up as i'm not keen on backups being one file, part of me doesn't trust it, I don't know why.. I like having a folder with everything in it where I can see it..

David

Sin_Chase · 17 Aug 2011 at 18:51

The Home/Free version of GFI Backup was quite good when I last implemented it for someone. Can plugin to Volume Shadow etc also.

WJB07 · 20 Aug 2011 at 14:47

check this

http://kineticd.com

continuous smart backup, it even backs up files that you are working on, its pricey though.

cb_linus · 20 Aug 2011 at 15:11

I use spideroak to automate back ups on certain folders online, you can also use it to set up share folders between different pcs. Use my (shameless) referall link and the code 'worldbackupday' for 6gb free space