Question Backup Software

[JustKeepOnTruckin]

I'm looking for backup software that keeps older versions of files while incrementally backing up only those files that have changed since the previous backup. This way I will have a "history" of all my files. I used an old version of Nero for years, but can't find a program that does it that way on Windows 10. Note that I'm not all that up on the terminology for the types of backups. Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Lafong]

I think any of several will do that.

Some are free; some are not.

I use SyncBackFree.

Other choices would be FreeFileSync, Second Copy, Karen's Replicator, etc

The need to keep older versions of files is typically an option you can control in these programs.

I configure the application to use what is often called "mirroring".....which means I DO NOT want to keep older versions of files. I instead want a simple replica. If I delete a file from my source drive, it is also deleted from my backup drive when I run the application. If I modify a file and keep the same name, the modified file over-writes the file of the same name on the backup drive.

You do...so you would want to select the "non-mirroring" option when configuring the application.

The application you choose may use some other terminology than "mirroring".

 

[Ralston18]

And I will add the suggestion that you do not overlook Macrium Reflect.

Try the free version first to learn about its features.

 

[Ivy Fridde]

Some options are available, some are free and some are paid, you can try SyncFolder, FreeFileSync, and Syncthing, Also I would like to bring another app Gs Richcopy360 to your attention. It can copy the modified data and can schedule tasks at specific times. It supports various types of source and destination storage devices, like internal and external disks, network disks, OneDrive, NAS and Googledrive, FTP(S), and SFTP. Search all

 

[JustKeepOnTruckin]

Thank you all. Hopefully one will work for me.

jKoT

 

[hotaru.hino]

Keep in mind some of these apps only copy the data over. They don't keep a history of what the data actually was.

You can either use a backup tool that does this, or use Windows' File History feature.

 

[JustKeepOnTruckin]

Keep in mind some of these apps only copy the data over. They don't keep a history of what the data actually was.

You can either use a backup tool that does this, or use Windows' File History feature.

Thank you. Can the writers of the previous comments discuss whether they believe that their recommendations can do what I hope to do? Thanks again.

 

[JustKeepOnTruckin]

I haven't been able to figure out settings on SincBackFree that will do what I want. Seems to do everything EXCEPT what I want. On to the next one . . .

 

[Lafong]

I haven't been able to figure out settings on SincBackFree that will do what I want. Seems to do everything EXCEPT what I want. On to the next one . . .

There is a choice in the configuration to accept or reject "Files will be mirrored from source to destination". You should choose to reject that because you want to keep older versions of files and do not want a mere replica of the source folders.

This choice appears on a "simple" tab.

Karen's Replicator (free) and Second Copy (30 dollars I think; with a 30 day free trial) are probably the simplest to configure and most intuitive.

Free File Sync is not user friendly.

The more control you want over the configuration, the more complicated the interface will be. Some are better designed than others.

Warning: it is in your best interest to test these apps very carefully, copying a small group of sample files to a testing location on your backup drive RATHER THAN jumping in with both feet and later discovering you made an incorrect choice in the configuration and therefore mistakenly deleted or over-wrote something. These tools are powerful but not very forgiving.

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you. Can the writers of the previous comments discuss whether they believe that their recommendations can do what I hope to do? Thanks again.

Macrium Reflect, for instance.

A Full Image, followed by a series of Incremental or Differential.

An Incremental saves all the changes since the last Incremental.
So...
If I create a Word doc on Tuesday, (MyResume.docx) the Incremental for Tuesday will have that new file included.
On Wednesday, if you make changes to that file MyResume.docx and save, that whole new file will be included in the WEdnesday Incremental.

So next week, you need a copy of that .docx as it was on Tuesday.
You Mount the Tuesday.mrimage file, and extract that one single Word doc.
Same with Wednesday.mrimage.

Macrium has 3 types of files created.
Full, Incremental, Differential.

A Full image is exactly what it says. The full drive or partition.
Incremental is the files saved since the last Incremental.
Differential is all the changes since the original Full image.

The Free version includes Full and Differential functionality, the Paid version adds the Incremental.

 

[JustKeepOnTruckin]

There is a choice in the configuration to accept or reject "Files will be mirrored from source to destination". You should choose to reject that because you want to keep older versions of files and do not want a mere replica of the source folders.

This choice appears on a "simple" tab.

Karen's Replicator (free) and Second Copy (30 dollars I think; with a 30 day free trial) are probably the simplest to configure and most intuitive.

Free File Sync is not user friendly.

The more control you want over the configuration, the more complicated the interface will be. Some are better designed than others.

Warning: it is in your best interest to test these apps very carefully, copying a small group of sample files to a testing location on your backup drive RATHER THAN jumping in with both feet and later discovering you made an incorrect choice in the configuration and therefore mistakenly deleted or over-wrote something. These tools are powerful but not very forgiving.

Thanks again to all.

I've been working with one folder with 6 or 8 files in it, including a couple of .doc and .xls files, each of which automatically within their respective programs save their own back-up. So far, I have both Macrium and Second doing what I want. Will spend a few days, or a week or two, deciding whether to go with "simple" or "less simple".

jKoT

 

[JustKeepOnTruckin]

So far I'm thinking that Macrium will best do what I want. But for the settings I have, each successive backup backs up every file, 6 gigs-worth, whether or not there has been an update to a file. So, with two excel files being changed, ultiple thousands of files get backed up again.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to what setting I can change so that only the changed files are incrementally backed up?
jKoT

 

[USAFRet]

So far I'm thinking that Macrium will best do what I want. But for the settings I have, each successive backup backs up every file, 6 gigs-worth, whether or not there has been an update to a file. So, with two excel files being changed, ultiple thousands of files get backed up again.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to what setting I can change so that only the changed files are incrementally backed up?
jKoT

That is literally what the Incremental does.
If a file is not changed on Tuesday, it is not included in the Tuesday Incremental.

It only gets what has changed since the last one.