dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Often I see backup software discussed, but usually as a part of a thread on backing up generally or a discussion of hard drives and/or cloud backup.

What I want to find is the best (most functional balanced with ease of use) backup software for photography. It should do automated incremental backups and (possibly) maintain some level of historical versions, unless there is a consensus that it is not necessary (I would think if you do a lot of RAW work version backup is not as big a deal.)

The discussion can (and should) include the pros and cons of doing photographic backup as part of the overall backup approach vs. having a separate approach specifically for photography related files.

Any thoughts?

Searcher Loc: Kent, England

I use SynchToy 2.1, a free offering from Microsoft. Set up took about 3 minutes, running the initial backup took about 20 minutes and incremental back ups 3-4 minutes.

the application can be set to overwrite changed files, add new ones, delete files from the back up if they are deleted from the main files, or not. I have mine set to add anything new, overwrite changes and never delete.

the back up is not encrypted nor compressed, which means I can actually review the backup directly and visually.

I would also point out that Synch Toy can also be used to back up documents and non-images, just set it up and choose the profile each time it is used.

The backups cannot be scheduled, You have to remember to press the icon, since I have it on my task bar, it is never out of sight.

Synchtoy (stupid name) is easy to use and reliable, it can be set up to do various backups to differing discs and different hard drives.

I have in the past tried using the backup facility in PSE Elements and also Picasa. Neither proved themselves as reliable, simple or idiot proof.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Thanks searcher. I will look into that.

Jim Bob

Jim Bob

Searcher, somehow my post didn't post. Please enlighten me. How is SynchToy better than the standard backup program included with Windows 7?

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

I can't say if it is the best but I have used http://allwaysync.com/ for several years and it is very reliable and flexible. I have a strong computer background so while I consider it to be easy to use, it might not be so for everyone. They do offer a free version so you can check out the functionality.

Probably more important than the actual software you select is the way that I use it. I have three 1 GB drives, two that I keep connected to the computer and another that is in my safe deposit at the bank. At the end of each month I swap the one at the bank with one of the drives from the computer.

The software's scheduler backs up my images and documents every three hours starting at 6 AM until 9 PM. It' very quick since it only copies files that are new or modified since the last cycle.

All three drives contain identical backups of my images and important documents. If any disaster happens at home, the most I will loose is a month's worth of information. If one of the drives fails at home, I loose nothing and I can replace that drive and keep going.

Once I get close to filling up these drives I will simply invest in three new 2 GB drives.

Searcher Loc: Kent, England

Is that the one that encrypts the files and will only restore to the original machine?

Rongnongno Loc: FL

As software goes two things are important for me:

Compression, data protection (password/encryption).

Then I have:
- Incremental backup
- media type backup
- 'grain' backup (selective based on a criteria like only PSD, doc, NEF - whatever)

bejamin Loc: South Texas

Really what ever program you use to back up is no good unless you can restore a single file or a group of files to some other location and then have full access to edit those files. So what ever you use test the restore.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Err, I have yet to find a consumer backup software that does not do that...

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

I should have mentioned that my three external drives (J, K and L) are uncompressed and contain ordinary Windows directories that can be accessed as easily as the ones on my C drive. I can use Windows Explorer to simply drag and drop files between drives without resorting to the Allway Sync program. I can also open them directly from my editing software although it is better to simply copy a file to the C drive to work on it.

Keep in mind that dragging a file between drives makes a copy of the file on the new drive and leaves the original in place. Dragging a file to another location on the same drive moves it unless you hold the Ctrl key (or the Mac equivalent) as you select it and before you drag it.

As for compressing the data, it't pretty much a waste of time for image or other media files. Most of them will not compress at all or very minimally so it just adds time to the process. Compression can save space for document files, but image files will take up most of the space anyhow. External drives are no longer expensive so compressing files is not as important as in the past.

Since I neither compress nor encrypt my files, I can access them independently of Allway Sync and I am free to use a different program if I ever find anything better. Allway Sync and any other decent backup program does not maintain a catalog so I am not tied to it or dependent on catalogs. Incidentally, that's why I don't like Lightroom or any other program that forces you to create a special catalog.

Jim Bob

Yep. That's the one.

Jim Bob

Yeah. That's my thought. That's why I asked Searcher to enlighten me on the difference. I am really looking forward to his answer.

Searcher Loc: Kent, England

I used Win back up once-my computer broke and it was one heck of a job to get the files on to a new machine. Microsoft did it for me in the end.

Synchtoy just synchronises your files to a back up destination, they can be opened and or used straight from the back up files.

Synchtoy does not do mirror imaging in the sense that programs/applications can be backed up and restored. You need something like Norton Ghost for that.

Jim Bob

Geesus, Searcher, that's a significant difference and advantage. Thanks.