mmcgavin

I am wondering if I have not been deluded myself in what I thought a “backup” was achieving. My mental picture was of a repository where everything I had saved over the years was still there and could be retrieved, but I think that that is not so.
If for example I accidentally eliminated half of a folder today and then did not detect the loss for say, two weeks, by then my Cloud would have been updated, presumably with the most recent version which would be one with the deleted files. I checked with my Cloud supplier and apparently, they keep the older version for a week and it can be retrieved.

It seems to me that the continued admonitions of “backup, backup, backup” is not really a full backup. Is it possible to have files backed up automatically but retain some of the deleted material from older versions? If this is not available every day, then perhaps once a week or even once a month. I presume that the only way that files could be backed up with a new one each day would be to save it with a slightly different name-perhaps the name of the old folder supplemented by the date of that day.

At the present moment I am backing up to two external hard drives and a Cloud. But none of these would solve the problem on how to obtain a previous version if I have accidentally eliminated some of the folders.

Any advise?

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I use Acronis to backup to an external drive on a daily basis. Tuesday a full backup (the whole C drive plus my D document and P Photo harddrives) then Wed to Mon a daily incremental, I only keep one week before the current series. If two weeks isn't enough time for me to decide I need something I deleted or uninstalled, well "Sorry Charlie!"

RogStrix Loc: UK

I use O&O Autobackup which has an 'Insert' option where additional changes can be saved but NO deletions made. Has two other modes 'Archive' which copies all files and folders into a sub-folder in format "year-month-day" and 'Synchronize' which synchronizes files and folders, including deletions. there are options to carry out these operations on selected folders only and also when to do them. Did used to use a Seagate backup program that recorded by day but it filled a 2GB in a matter of weeks, and there in lies the problem how much and for how long do you save?

https://www.oo-software.com/en/autobackup-sync-files

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

I use Synchback for backups. It lets you choose different backup modes, but they are incremental, so the drives do not fill up so quickly. The program lets you choose what type of backup to use, and a schedule that you determine. I use a "regular" backup, which never deletes any files even if they have been deleted from the primary drive. This is the backup that would solve your accidental deletion problem. I also use a "mirror" backup, which will delete whatever you delete. It works for either the primary drive or the backup drive, but I never do any changes on the backup to keep things simple. Once I get the schedule and type of backup set up, all I have to do is periodically check to see if the backups are proceeding smoothly, and that a drive is not filling up. No need to specify anything other than what you set up, so no multiple folders, no changing the name.

Also, I have multiple external hard drives, so I can have multiple backups. Perhaps I should have cloud as well, but have not gotten around to it. It is good insurance against somehow losing ALL the drives you have at home. One recommendation is to use external hard drives that are large enough so they will not fill up quickly. I started out with 2TB, but found they would fill up too quickly. Now I am using 4TB, and they are a bit over half full. {I also recently replaced a 2TB internal drive with a 4TB.]

Recently I went through my image folders and deleted a bunch I had been holding on to just in case. If I should realize I deleted one I should not have [such as the original of an edit], I can go back to the "regular" backup to find it and re-import to LR. Periodically I plan to switch that backup to "mirror" for a day or two, then go back to "regular", as a way to prevent the drive from filling up. Of course, I may have to look over some previously deleted files to make sure I am happy to part with them! I have found that as I get better with editing, I like to go back and try techniques on "rejected" images to see if they can be made into "acceptable" images! Also, sometimes another look makes me realize that image is not so bad after all!

Here is a link to SynchBack: https://www.2brightsparks.com/ They have a free version and then different levels of paid versions. Hope this helps.

Susan

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Archiving your files should include verification to be sure you are not getting a corrupted copy on your archive.
An archiving system that includes versions is valuable because if a file gets changed without your noticing it, the next time it gets archived it's a new version and doesn't overwrite the old one.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I, too, use SyncBack. When you set up a "backup" schedule, you select whether or not to delete files from the backup that no longer exist on the source, as well as ones on the source that no longer exist on the backup. Since relocating files to different folders can result in duplication in the backup if you selected do NOT delete, you might want to cull out those manually or do a complete new backup from scratch.

Backups can be on any drive you can access, remote or local.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

SyncBack is very good. I use the Mirror setting because if I delete something, I don't want it saved elsewhere. Obviously, some people want to keep some files "here," and all files "there," and Syncback will let you do that.

rcarol

I use a Western Digital NAS. The included software allows me to select how many copies of "old files" to retain up to a maximum of 4.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

You are describing the "mirror" backup. Yes, it works both ways, but I choose NOT to delete anything from the backup ["destination"] myself. I let SynchBack do the deleting of anything I have deleted from the "source" drive. Unless there is a specific reason for working from the backup ["destination"] instead of from the original ["source"], it is safer to have the deleting only in the one direction.

The "regular" backup will result in duplications, which is why I only do one like that - insurance against accidental deletes such as the OP described!

df61743 Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

mmcgavin,

You might consider a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. It connects to your router via ethernet cable and can be accessed from any computer on your home network.

I see that while I was typing this, others offered similar advice.

I use a Synology DS418 that is populated with two 10TB drives in RAID1 configuration and a third drive is a 2TB drive in basic (JOBD) configuration. Any data I have on the 10TB RAID space is mirrored on the two drives so that if one 10TB drive fails my data is safe on the other one. Synology provides a software package named "Synology Drive" that does a terrific job of immediate backup of any drive or folder on any computer on your network.

In my case, I have three Windows based computers on my network with one of them being my primary workstation. On that computer, ALL of my user files (including "working copies of my photos) will be found in in sub-folders in one of four folders, either Documents, Pictures, Music, or Video. Synology drive is set up so that those four folders are duplicated on the RAID drives. Any addition, deletion, or modification made in any of those four folders is instantly reflected on the RAID drives. That 10TB RAID array so far has only used 508GB leaving 8.52TB of free space that could be used to backup more data, either from my primary workstation, or other computers on my network.

That third 2TB drive just contains TV and movie videos, music, and a few other things. It's not so much for "backup" as it is for the convenience being able to share and access those files from any computer on my network. My "Smart TV" is kinda like a fourth computer, because it can also access that DS418 and stream any video or MP3 from it.

About photos, in particular. I have a 4TB WD Passport ($99) USB drive. After a photo shoot, I copy all my original untouched "negatives" of photos and/or videos to that Passport for archiving, and make a "working" copy in the Pictures folder on the computer. The Passport then goes back in the safe. When it gets full, I'll get another.

Dick

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I just setup a cron job on one of my systems. At a specified time it takes anything new on my working drive and saves it to my 'backup' drive.
--Bob

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

So as not to confuse, I chose to not use terms specific to this program. "Syncronization" makes both source and destination the same

latebloomer Loc: Topeka, KS

Acronis has given my the best/greatest phone and online support of any software package I have possessed.

rcarol

Does SyncBack do backups on the fly in real time (or nearly in real time) or are the backups scheduled.

11bravo

You schedule SyncBack to any schedule you like. I don't happen to use it for photos, but for documents in a specific folder. Runs a backup every hour and it's quick.

For system backups, I use Macrium Reflect. Free version does full and differentials, paid adds incrementals.