[SOLVED] Back up Software

[vwcrusher]

So I have been using WD Smartware for a few years. Every so often I go into the backup file on the external My Book to see if the backup is working. Just checked and it stopped. Maybe it has something to do with a recent complete PC upgrade (new CPU, MB, RAM, etc), but I have to something about this.

Is there any easy solution you guys can recommend? I am essentially just copying what is in my data drive...would like continuous.

Thanks!

 

[USAFRet]

I use Macrium Reflect for this. Have used for years...it 'just works'.

What is your backup situation at home?

What is your backup situation at home? And if you don't do that, why not? Every single day, I read multiple threads here of "How do I get my stuff back?" or "That drive had 5 years of photos of my kids!!" Be it a dead drive, dropped phone, virus, accidental deletion, formatting the wrong...

forums.tomshardware.com

Please define what you mean by "continuous".

 

[vwcrusher]

I use Macrium Reflect for this. Have used for years...it 'just works'.

What is your backup situation at home?

What is your backup situation at home? And if you don't do that, why not? Every single day, I read multiple threads here of "How do I get my stuff back?" or "That drive had 5 years of photos of my kids!!" Be it a dead drive, dropped phone, virus, accidental deletion, formatting the wrong...

forums.tomshardware.com

Please define what you mean by "continuous".

Thanks for the reply.....I mean that when I make a change to a particular directory or file it is applied to that directory/file in the backup drive. Realistically, it doesn't need to be instantaneous, though.

Does that change the recommendation?

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks for the reply.....I mean that when I make a change to a particular directory or file it is applied to that directory/file in the backup drive. Realistically, it doesn't need to be instantaneous, though.

Does that change the recommendation?

I have my Incremental backups run once a day, between Midnight and 4AM.
I've seen other people have it run every 4 hours.

All depends on your needs.


The basic concept is a Full image of the whole drive, and then a series of Incrementals, which is only the changes since the last Incremental.
You could recover the entire drive from any if the Incrementals. Last Thursday, for instance.
Or, mount one of the Incrementals and recover a single file.

 

[USAFRet]

One of the problems with a continuous update...."right now"...is that you can't go back.
If you accidentally delete something, oh well. That change also gets applied to the target drive, and your file is gone gone gone.

 

[vwcrusher]

I see-thanks. That would work fine.....so it would be the home version that is recommended?

 

[USAFRet]

I see-thanks. That would work fine.....so it would be the home version that is recommended?

Yes, the Home (free) version is fine.
https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree