MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

I have two external drives and I finally decided to bite the bullet and purchased two years of Backblaze ($95). Took 4 days to backup my data, but its done and I have tested the ability to retrieve data and seems to work. I will, however, continue to use the two external drives just to be sure!

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

Jerry, you state that you are "backing up" and I am wondering why you aren't "synching" the drives. The backup module has a built in delete if not on source but the synch copies files in both directions. Now if no changes have been made on the destination then it is only a one way synch BUT with no deletions. Unfortunately the only way to change a profile from backup to synch is manually changing all the settings. The easier way is to create a new profile and mark it as synch then delete the old profile.

In the event your main HD fails then a simple swap of drives is all that's required. A backup (depending on exactly how you do it) needs to be unpacked first before using.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The original problem probably started when SyncBack started saying there were many errors. I suspect that's when files were deleted from my computer.

i use "backup" as a generic term. The option I use is Mirroring. That makes the backup drive the same as the master drive. If I delete files from the computer, they are deleted from the backup. Synching would retain all the old, unwanted files on the backup, and it would fill up very quickly. I've been using this program for a year or more, and this is the first time there's been a problem. I don't think SyncBack was malfunctioning. There must have been something that caused the errors it saw when it tried to do a backup.

If the program didn't work correctly the next day, I would have created new profiles. As for the "unpacking," that isn't necessary with SyncBack. It doesn't compress and encode the files. It does a straight copy.

Further comments will be appreciated.

EDIT: I don't backup my entire D drive, just 7 folders with data I want to keep, like My Files, My Pictures, etc.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

Hi Jerry. I always use Windows copy / paste - never a problem.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Thanks.

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

Yes, mirroring also has the built in deletion but synching doesn't add extra files. If you have 100 files on source then you will have 100 files on destination. With the synch you can also state that "if a file has been deleted on source, then delete on destination but only after X days" I usually use 30 so I have more than enough time to discover errors and correct them. Been using SynchBack SE (pro) for about 5 years with no appreciable problems.

Hey, just did a quick check and that delete after X days is also available in mirror. Learn sumpin new every day. :D

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Let's say I have 100 files backed up on an external drive and the same 100 files on my computer. If I delete 10 from the computer and then do a sync, those 10 files will remain on the backup and will be deleted after a specified number of days?

Grizlybare Loc: Tennessee

First I would look at your operating system or hard drive. That could be the first sign of problems. Especially with windows. Then again you might have missed a click or Save As or Save to the wrong folder or changed format somehow.

I do not have near the problems of many of you.. I use linux. Originally I set up auto back up of selected files but for special files I connect X number of hard drives that I want/need and save whatever I need to them in any format I choose. If I want all raw photos they are saved to X drive(s) and processed photos to X drive(s). I have never had a problem. I use the same process with movies and music. Just my way of security, they do not stay attached to the computer.

Newsbob Loc: SF Bay Area

I also use Carbonite. It's fine once it has copied all your files, but it's extremely slow. It took about a month to copy several terabytes of files. Now it's fine, as it updates my new files every day.

I called them to see if the problem was on my end, and they said Carbonite is aimed at the average computer user with a mere 30-40 gigabytes of storage.

hamtrack Loc: Omaha NE

Could it be "The Hillary Syndrome"?

Dick Z. Loc: Downers Grove IL

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

That would be correct.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

The "rule" with any back up system is to randomly test to see if you can recover the data that has been backed up. Do not assume that just because you've set something up and it appears to be working your data is backed up. You have to confirm it at random times to insure the back up system is functioning as intended. The gap between confirmations determines the amount of data you are willing to risk loss of.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

AMEN
Another user of the KISS method