backup software

R

ratsrcute

New Member
Hi, I'm interested in getting good backup software. Here's what I want:

- selectively back up folders
- when copying files to the backup disk, copy the files without compression, placing them in the same directory structure as they exist on the main disk.
- work fast
- don't require shutting down firefox or thunderbird while backing up


It's pretty critical to me that it doesn't compress the files and doesn't put them all in one file, but actually preserves the directory structure. This is because I like to be able to easily check what it backed up, and manually inspect and retreive files.

I've used the windows backup tool, but it puts all the files in one single backup file.

I've used Nero backup utility... it preserves the directory structure, but is very slow. For some reason, when doing an incremental backup, while it is computing the size of the backup, it very slowly inspects all my files... takes 15 minutes to inspect 20 GB every time I do an incremental backup.

Nero also requires that I shut down nearly every program, because it complains about not being able to access files. I'm not sure what the problem is... maybe it wants to set the "backup bit" and can't get exclusive access to the file?

Thanks,
Mike
 
I would say for your use i would use Raid 1. What this is is a hardware chip that goes into your computer and you hook your main hard drive up and then you put a secound hard drive in with about the same size (make sure it is very close). Raid will then keep an exact copy of your hard drive on the other drive. If one fails, you can just use the other one
 
Hi Brian, thanks for responding. Actually, I don't need it THAT fast. Raid would be over-kill, I think. I still want to use an external drive and I'm okay with scheduling backups (say once per day).. I just want to use ordinary backup software.

I noticed that Pc Magazine sells a backup utility that does what I want, plus real-time backups if you want them, and it's only like $8.

Any other ideas? Familiar with the PC magazine utility?

Thanks,
Mike
 
If you just want to backup folders, then look at Microsoft's SyncToy version 2.0. Link is http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C26EFA36-98E0-4EE9-A7C5-98D0592D8C52&displaylang=en.
I use this to backup all of my Documents, Downloads, Favorites, Music, Picture and Video folders, though you can set up any folders for backup. This will keep them in the the same named folders on a backup drive and are easily accessible. It's also free. If you want to backup the complete system though, then this isn't what you want.
 
I looked at SyncToy, and my only complaint is that a traditional backup system which provides both full and incremental backups has the advantage of storing several versions of changed files. When you do a full backup, you establish the baseline version, and then each incremental backup adds a new version of any changed files. With SyncToy, you just have one version of every file.

So I'm still looking for traditional backup software that provides a good handle or "window" into what it's doing. Specifically I mean that I can examine files before restoring them, that I can inspect which files it thinks changed during an incremental backup, etc.

Any recommendations?

Mike
 
Try: DriveImage XML

It's free and you can backup files or the full hard drive.

Encryptor
Linux rocks the planet...
 
Encryptor said:
Try: DriveImage XML

It's free and you can backup files or the full hard drive.

Encryptor
Linux rocks the planet...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea. Unfortunately it doesn't do selectable folders nor has incremental backups. Only does entire drive images.

Thanks,
Mike
 
tremmor said:
Im curios Brian, is raid something that is done in real time?
Click to expand...

RAID 1 is completely synchronous. So both drives are writing and reading the same data at the same time, one is just a mirror copy. The down side is that it affects your performance.

Check into an application called Retrospect. It is multi-platformed, and can do everything you want it to do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top