I was happy with Novastar until I read their privacy agreement which stated they would monitor my web travels and pass them on to a third party. Acronis didn't like my computer. Genie9 only backed up my windows files ignoring my photo directory.
Any software recommendations for someone who would rather spend his time with a camera and not a computer?
Posted by John Mumaw on October 27, 2012 at 8:38 AM
I've been using the free Microsoft SyncToy for years now with no problems. It doesn't perform automatic backups, but it's pretty simple to operate and the price is right!
What is your operating system? If it's Windows 7, you can use the Backup and Restore feature included with it (Open Control Panel>Backup and Restore). The utility will allow you to back up all the files on your main drive, including libraries (see note below) and system image, to another internal or external HD (preferred). You can also set it up to run at a time you're not using the computer. In the same control panel applet you can create a bootable Windows System Repair CD.
Note: If you are using Windows 7 Libraries, and some files in the libraries are located on another internal drive, Backup and Restore will back them up, as well.
When I installed an SSD to be used as my OS drive, I used the repair disk to access Backup and Restore and restored my OS, files and programs from an external drive to the new drive. It worked perfectly.
I just started using Second Copy. Really like it. It is very easy to use. It is easy to schedule times to backup. I used Sync toy previously. Had some reliability issues. You can schedule sync toy through Windows task scheduler, not as easy as Second Copy. Second Copy is more versatile. It is not free. The $29 cost is worth it for me.
John
Posted by Jim DeWitt on October 27, 2012 at 1:08 PM
If you are doing cloud backup, I envy you your bandwidth. Can't help with Windows, but if you are on a Mac, Time Machine, the backup option built into the OS, does just fine.
Posted by Richard Ditch on October 27, 2012 at 1:08 PM
Like Preston, I'm on Win 7 and find the system Backup & Recovery works just fine. I've got it scheduled for once a month backups to an external drive. It takes a couple hours to perform the backup and system image of the "C" drive. You do need the recovery or repair disk that Preston mentions, but that's easy enough to generate too if you ever need to recover from a system drive loss....
"I've got it scheduled for once a month backups to an external drive. "
Paul,
You might consider backing up more often. Microsoft will sometimes install patches or hotfixes to Windows or IE at odd times (not just on 'patch Tuesday'). Also, if you do a lot of document and/or image work, it's best to backup more often.
I backup once/week on Monday mornings. Some folks run a backup every night. In the end, choose what works best for you.
--P
Posted by Buck Ward on October 28, 2012 at 5:02 PM
Hi Dave.
I use retrospect. (www.dantz.com - they have a 45 day free trial version)
Mine came with a Western Digital external drive. You can use it to make a backup or a duplicate. I prefer to make a duplicate, because the duplicate is usable, as is, on whatever drive you copy it to without having to be restored. Retrospect makes incremental copies, which means that once you have made the initial duplicate or back-up (which can take some time if you've got a terabyte or two to copy) then after that, it only replaces the copies of files that have changed or are new. I make a daily back-up and a separate weekly back-up from my primary RAID drive, which is not the boot drive.
Retrospect doesn't have the most intuitive interface, but once you figure it out, it easy and reliable.
Posted by Jon Bach on October 29, 2012 at 12:47 PM
If you have a few PCs, CrashPlan is an excellent piece of software. You can back up one PC to another. Or you can pay to backup to the cloud through their service. I use it to back up my office PC to my home PC, and vice versa. Using it in this way, it is free offsite backup.
I have Seagate external hard drive that backs up automatically via my network connection. It uses a software program called Memeo and does real time backups, changing myfiles as I change them. Might be overkill, but after a burglary 4 years ago,I take no chances.
Discussion
11 repliesAny software recommendations for someone who would rather spend his time with a camera and not a computer?
What is your operating system? If it's Windows 7, you can use the Backup and Restore feature included with it (Open Control Panel>Backup and Restore). The utility will allow you to back up all the files on your main drive, including libraries (see note below) and system image, to another internal or external HD (preferred). You can also set it up to run at a time you're not using the computer. In the same control panel applet you can create a bootable Windows System Repair CD.
Note: If you are using Windows 7 Libraries, and some files in the libraries are located on another internal drive, Backup and Restore will back them up, as well.
When I installed an SSD to be used as my OS drive, I used the repair disk to access Backup and Restore and restored my OS, files and programs from an external drive to the new drive. It worked perfectly.
I hope this helps,
--P
.
John
Paul,
You might consider backing up more often. Microsoft will sometimes install patches or hotfixes to Windows or IE at odd times (not just on 'patch Tuesday'). Also, if you do a lot of document and/or image work, it's best to backup more often.
I backup once/week on Monday mornings. Some folks run a backup every night. In the end, choose what works best for you.
--P
I use retrospect. (www.dantz.com - they have a 45 day free trial version)
Mine came with a Western Digital external drive. You can use it to make a backup or a duplicate. I prefer to make a duplicate, because the duplicate is usable, as is, on whatever drive you copy it to without having to be restored. Retrospect makes incremental copies, which means that once you have made the initial duplicate or back-up (which can take some time if you've got a terabyte or two to copy) then after that, it only replaces the copies of files that have changed or are new. I make a daily back-up and a separate weekly back-up from my primary RAID drive, which is not the boot drive.
Retrospect doesn't have the most intuitive interface, but once you figure it out, it easy and reliable.
Hi Jon, it's nice to see you here!
--P