DaelpixPhotos
Super Star
Looking for some good freeware.
Any links?
Any links?
back up files to external hard drive
- Thread starter DaelpixPhotos
- Start date
If you are just backing up data files (ie. music, videos, documents etc) to an external hard drive you do not need any software to do so, you can just copy and paste all the files over and your'e sorted.
Or is it imaging software so you can just image your PC's hard drive in case something goes wrong and you need to reinstall/restore windows that you are after?
Or is it imaging software so you can just image your PC's hard drive in case something goes wrong and you need to reinstall/restore windows that you are after?
DaelpixPhotos
Super Star
No, its just My Documents
ubuysa
The BSOD Doctor
Take a look at the free version of SyncBack from http://www.2brightsparks.com/download-syncbackfree.html. It works by comparing the source (My Documents in your case) and the destination (the external drive in your case) and it only copies over those files that have changed since the last backup. So a backup run is typically very fast because only changed files are copied. I've been running one of the paid-for versions for years and I'm very happy with it, but the free version probably does all that you need.
I use Cobian Backup.
But then you have to keep track of which files are new or have changed, or end up having to copy over the entire lot each time.
mishra
Rising Star
No copying it manually is not a good idea.
If you first make copy of your "Source" to "Destination" everything is backed up and up-to-date. Then you create some files in "Source", then you delete some files in "Source" and then when you copy files again. New files will be copied but files you already deleted will still be present in your "Destination" folder!
Simply saying you need software that is capable of synchronizing your folders. So you always have the same files in both "Source" and "Destination".
As ubuyusa mentioned SyncBack is an amazing software to do exactly that. I strongly recommend, I was using SyncToy for a long time just to find out it's useless when faced with thousands of small files/changes than need to be synced. SyncBack never let me down.
Additionally you need to keep some sort of or archiving going on to. As simply synchronizing folders is not exactly a "Backup" but since I use linux scripts to do just that... was unable to find any free software to do that. I know RDX GoProtect or Symantec Backup Exec can do that... but it is not a free software. Anyhow, try SyncBack you will not be disappointed.
If you first make copy of your "Source" to "Destination" everything is backed up and up-to-date. Then you create some files in "Source", then you delete some files in "Source" and then when you copy files again. New files will be copied but files you already deleted will still be present in your "Destination" folder!
Simply saying you need software that is capable of synchronizing your folders. So you always have the same files in both "Source" and "Destination".
As ubuyusa mentioned SyncBack is an amazing software to do exactly that. I strongly recommend, I was using SyncToy for a long time just to find out it's useless when faced with thousands of small files/changes than need to be synced. SyncBack never let me down.
Additionally you need to keep some sort of or archiving going on to. As simply synchronizing folders is not exactly a "Backup" but since I use linux scripts to do just that... was unable to find any free software to do that. I know RDX GoProtect or Symantec Backup Exec can do that... but it is not a free software. Anyhow, try SyncBack you will not be disappointed.