Backup/Sync tool suggestions?

[Mark_Wallace]

I have Cobian Backup.htm[^] running all the time on all machines I use, because it's so easy to set up multiple multi-directional back-ups and "live file" updates.

I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

[peterchen]

We are Backup of Nine. Deletion is futile.

Agh! Reality! My Archnemesis![^]
| FoldWithUs! | sighist | µLaunch - program launcher for server core and hyper-v server.

[Rob Graham]

Dave Parker wrote:

(I admit my wi-fi wasn't that good though back when I was last using it).

I wouldn't trust my wifi router enough to back up over it. I've had no issues with wired network or usb drive connections - eSata should be equally safe.

[Dave Parker]

I'm using powerline networking now and it seems to work a lot better (in general - haven't really used trueimage and I don't think the version I have is win 7 compatible anyway, which I've since moved to). Not aloud to drill holes in the wall of my apartment so can't stick in a gigabit ethernet.

[Christopher Duncan]

I use a command line version of WinZip in batch files that fire off nightly via scheduled tasks (if it doesn't happen automatically, chances are good that it just doesn't happen). I realize this is a shockingly low tech solution, but having gone through decades of tape / zip / jazz / etc. devices all with proprietary software & hardware, I hit upon this as the ultimate portable solution. Since Windows now natively supports the zip format, I can plug my usb drive into any Windows machine and recover my data with no special software required. Not terribly sexy, but an extremely simple, portable and reliable solution.

Christopher Duncan
www.PracticalUSA.com
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes
Copywriting Services

[onemorechance]

I have not used it in a while (4+ years), but I have used SyncBack[^] successfully. I used to run backups to network and USB drives. I think there is a commercial (pay-for-it) version as well as freeware. Worth a shot.

[cgh1977]

Based on a quick Google search, have a look at: Sync Tools (wade through a few) Top Results in Sychronization Software I used Cobian a few years ago and stopped (I don't remember why). Currently, I need something similar myself but I haven't looked at anything yet. Here are some that I will be taking a closer look at: DirSync Pro (free)
Unison (FOSS)
All Way Sync ($19.95, free for limited personal use)
FreeFileSync (FOSS)

modified on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 3:50 PM

[sgtahan]

I've used Allway Sync[^]. Did a good job. Free until a size limit is reached. Pretty cheap for the unlimited version.

Steve Tahan Savannah River Site Aiken, SC

[Lost User]

Cobian's latest version works pretty clean - my only frustration is that it doesn't neatly label backups. My solution was to write a .VBS script that alters the simple 'backup.*' to 'ccyymmdd_backup.*' (I know, you can use macros, but it's not as simple to process - for my other requirements.) For functionality's sake, I set it to keep 15 generations - after the rename, it sorts by name and deletes each file beyond the 15th one listed). Works well - on XP, 7, Win2k3, and Win2k8. FYI, I'd previously used Comodo (didn't work well on 2k8), and fBackup (not as clean). Pair Cobian with a couple of USB External drives, set up duplicate entries (do the same backup to EACH drive each day, and ignore failures), and just swap out the drives daily - you'll always have an offsite copy. :)

[elchalateco]

I've been using NovaStore Novabackup. It has never failed on me yet, fairly simple to use.

[shipstech]

I have had great luck with cwrsync: http://www.itefix.no/i2/node/10650[^]

[crab]

Robocopy will do everything you need. Combine that with 7-zip and Bob's your uncle.

[ormonds]

D:\robocopy >destination> /S /XF pagefile.sys *.tmp $RECYCLE.BIN /MAXAGE:2 /R:0 /LOG:d:logfile

[Mike Naughton]

I have been using GoodSync (http://www.goodsync.com/) for about a year, and I'm very happy with it. I use it with a thumb drive to sync my laptop with my desktop -- one of its really nice features is that it will sync both ways (so if I forget and change something in one place it won't overwrite the changes but will sync them back to the other place). If there's a conflict (something changed in both places) it warns me and does nothing until I choose which direction should win. It's pretty cheap for what it does -- you need one license for each machine you run it on, but they were running a deal where I got the second license for very cheap. I recommend it highly.

[Hans van der Horst]

Using Super Flexible File Synchronizer- www.superflexible.com, cheep and works like a dream.

[usoniajoe]

I've used SyncBackSE from 2brightsparks.com to sync my home and work desktops via USB key daily and my entire data partition via external USB drive (bi-weekly or so) for almost four years now. For my purposes it works great, serving as both sync and backup, maintaining all of my data on three drives. It performs well and has more settings than you can imagine! What's more, many of them are actually useful! There are now three versions, free and two paid tiers. Definitely worth downloading the free version to gauge whether the performance will meet your needs...

[Steven Quick]

Robocopy is actually pretty good for this, included in Vista, 7, 2003 and 2008. MS resource kit version can be downloaded for older OSes. Basically create a bat file with the command and options you want. Example: Mirror D: to E: with retries, logging and skipping some junk files & folders

robocopy D: E: /ZB /MIR /R:3 /W:5 /NS /NC /NDL /NP /XD RECYCLER "System Volume Information" /XF *".DS_Store" /LOG+:%Date:~-4,4%%Date:~-7,2%%Date:~-10,2%_Backup.txt

Alternatively there is a new GUI for robocopy called RichCopy http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.utilityspotlight.aspx[^]

[chrisb44]

I've had no problems with Windows Home Server - it backs up everything each night. I've even restored a computer from it. It just seems to work...

[gregthecanuck]

Don't mess around. If you can afford it set up a PC with Windows Home Server. It does a nice job of backing up, plus much more. For example, it enables remote access to your PC, has add-ins for "cloud" backups, does streaming, file sharing, etc... The nicest thing is the restore is very good. If you PC completely explodes it makes it very easy to do a complete restore. Otherwise you can drill-down through your backup archives and do selective restores.

[JasonPSage]

I know this reply might seem COY - but you know what.. if you make a reasonable batch file, you get a problem free back up, only does new and changed files, and keeps a log. If you combine this solution with the ZIP file solution someone recommended below in another comment ( WinZip's command line tool is pretty sweet - I bought it a while back and used it on a system where a lot of ZIP file thrashing was needed and it worked great) I make a Batch file that dumps files and date time stamps to a log so I can check that it's working etc. I delete the log from time to time... and I set up the Windows Schedular to fire off this batch file at a time I'm usually in bed sleeping. Works Great. Here is my batch file verbatim:

echo ------ BEGIN BACKUP >> f:\backup.log
date /t >> f:\backup.log
echo ------ BEGIN BACKUP >> f:\backup.log

echo ------ BEGIN BACKUP GFX >> f:\backup.log
REM md e:\zcdgfx
REM xcopy f:\zcdgfx\. e:\zcdgfx\. /s /e /c /d /y >> f:\backup.log
echo ------ END BACKUP GFX >> f:\backup.log

rem echo ------ BEGIN BACKUP LINUX X01 FOLDERS >> f:\backup.log
rem xcopy x:\. f:\xfiles\. /s /e /c /d /y >> f:\backup.log
rem md e:\xfiles
rem xcopy f:\xfiles\. e:\xfiles\. /s /e /c /d /y >> f:\backup.log
rem echo ------ END BACKUP LINUX X01 FOLDERS >> f:\backup.log

echo ------ BEGIN BACKUP DEV02 Documents and Settings folder DATA >> f:\backup.log
echo Backing up Documents and Settings folder
xcopy "C:\Documents and Settings\Jason\." "f:\files\home\DRIVE_C_BACKUP\docs_n_settings\." /s /e /c /d /y
echo ------ END BACKUP DEV02 Documents and Settings folder DATA >> f:\backup.log

echo ------ BEGIN BACKUP DEV02 F: FILES FOLDER >> f:\backup.log
md e:\files
xcopy f:\files\. e:\files\. /s /e /c /d /y >> f:\backup.log
echo ------ END BACKUP DEV02 F: FILES FOLDER >> f:\backup.log

echo ------ END BACKUP >> f:\backup.log
date /t >> f:\backup.log
echo ------ END BACKUP >> f:\backup.log
echo . >> f:\backup.log
echo . >> f:\backup.log
echo . >> f:\backup.log

Know way too many languages... master of none!