Backup Programs: I did a search for this in the forum but couldn't find anything since 2017. I am wanting to know what backup programs people use and why. I am currently using a...

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

I did a search for this in the forum but couldn't find anything since 2017. I am wanting to know what backup programs people use and why. I am currently using a program called Goodsync but I'm not happy with them.
Currently I am using a Desktop PC with Windows Pro. 1TB SSD drive and a secondary 4TB hard drive for photo storage. Looking for something straightforward and easy to use. Mostly just wanting to backup Photos,doc's, etc.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Fstop12 wrote:

I did a search for this in the forum but couldn't find anything since 2017. I am wanting to know what backup programs people use and why. I am currently using a program called Goodsync but I'm not happy with them.
Currently I am using a Desktop PC with Windows Pro. 1TB SSD drive and a secondary 4TB hard drive for photo storage. Looking for something straightforward and easy to use. Mostly just wanting to backup Photos,doc's, etc.

I use 2 different methods. One is Robocopy that comes free with Windows, combined with REXX programing language and Taskschd.msc that is a CRON type app that come also comes free with Windows. REXX is superb but the windows apps are, like all windows crap are design nightmares, so require extreme patients and tolerance to use.

The other app I use is the Western Digital backup app that came with one of My Passport Ultra Disk. Much more geared toward the computer illiterate, but works OK.

What I like about both is the stuff backed up is easily accessed by any file manager because the files are not encoded or compressed, so if you need to grab a file, it's easy. I don't really recommend any method because backups are highly dependent on your computer literacy, and needs, and can cause all sorts of difficulties at the exact times you need them. Just backing up photo's however is very basic. Backing up a million keywords and restoring them can be problematic for anyone.

bikerguy

I use SyncToy 2.1 which is a Microsoft program. It is from 2009 but works fine with Win10. It is easy to use and it allows scheduling. It backs up each file and there are various options. It does not compress files nor does it create a single large backup file. Each file that is backed up can be seen and accessed n the back up drive. Lastly, it was free.

uhaas2009

You can do it yourself over the explorer with copy and paste......

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Fstop12 wrote:

I did a search for this in the forum but couldn't find anything since 2017. I am wanting to know what backup programs people use and why. I am currently using a program called Goodsync but I'm not happy with them.
Currently I am using a Desktop PC with Windows Pro. 1TB SSD drive and a secondary 4TB hard drive for photo storage. Looking for something straightforward and easy to use. Mostly just wanting to backup Photos,doc's, etc.

I have used Acronis True Image for 15 years. It is not free, but the yearly cost for one of the best backup applications is very modest. I've recovered my entire OS drive on a few occasions.
https://www.acronis.com/en-us/

Great tech support, too.
Mark

pendennis

I use IDrive. It was advertised on the radio on Rush Limbaugh's show. I contacted their web site, and got a free trial. Installed the program several years ago, and stayed with it. I've never had a failure to back up data on my computers, and I still have back-up data from two computers ago. The programs run each morning when the computers are turned on, and if I don't turn them off at night, they run at 4:00AM.

I don't trust anything attached to my computer such is auxiliary drives, although I do use an external drive for storing digital photos temporarily.

Cost is minimal, and is nothing compared to the peace of mind I get.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Did you use Google or the search function at UHH that looks through extremely poorly created titles?

Try Google using: backup software site:uglyhedgehog.com

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

markngolf wrote:

I have used Acronis True Image for 15 years. It is not free, but the yearly cost for one of the best backup applications is very modest. I've recovered my entire OS drive on a few occasions.
https://www.acronis.com/en-us/

Great tech support, too.
Mark

Does Acronis create a "copy" backup or a "compressed" backup?
A compressed backup only Acronis can restore and you cannot view/use the files directly.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Longshadow wrote:

Does Acronis create a "copy" backup or a "compressed" backup?
A compressed backup only Acronis can restore and you cannot view/use the files directly.

It's a copy. I can open a backup file from the external drive and use or copy any data - for example double clicking a jpeg will open in Adobe PS 2020.
Mark

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

markngolf wrote:

It's a copy. I can open a backup file from the external drive and use or copy any data - for example double clicking a jpeg will open in Adobe PS 2020.
Mark

NICE!

First time I used MS-DOS "backup" YEARS, and years ago, I found out it was a compressed backup, files were not individually accessible, and ALL or Nothing for the restore... Never touched it again. I use my own batch file to "copy".

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Longshadow wrote:

NICE!

First time I used MS-DOS "backup" YEARS, and years ago, I found out it was a compressed backup, files were not individually accessible, and ALL or Nothing for the restore... Never touched it again. I use my own batch file to "copy".

You are much more technically able or adept at language than I.
Thanks,
Mark

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

Longshadow wrote:

Did you use Google or the search function at UHH that looks through extremely poorly created titles?

Try Google using: backup software site:uglyhedgehog.com

Thank You for this.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

markngolf wrote:

You are much more technically able or adept at language than I.
Thanks,
Mark

I've only been programming since 1972.
Comes in handy.

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

Thanks everyone for the responses.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

Longshadow wrote:

I've only been programming since 1972.
Comes in handy.

Ewwww .... a programmer

FWIW: I use Backblaze B2 service...but I would only recommend that specific service to someone who is comfortable with command line, and uses non-Windows, specifically Linux.