[SOLVED] Update backup folder in realtime

[hamster22]

Hi

I've done a bit of researching on backing up files and folders and need help setting up an automatic back up of a specific folder whenever a change is made. I'm not talking about the Windows 10 automatic back up when it creates multiple copies of the same folder every few hours, I'm more after something like this for example:

• Add new file or save an existing file in to folder A on drive C
• That new or modified file gets automatically copied over in to folder A on drive D

Is something like this possible, so it would detect any change to the files in a specific folder and automatically copy it over to a different drive for safe keeping? The idea is I can mirror my current storage drive folder structure and have it seamlessly update on to the back up drive. So essentially I want to connect specific storage drive folders to the back up drive so they update in real time.

 

[viveknayyar007]

Hello

You can try creating a PowerShell script for incremental or differential backup and then either use the Task Scheduler to automatically run the script at the scheduled time as explained here, or you can use Local Group Policy Editor to configure the a startup, shutdown, logon or log off script, details of which can be found here.

Please note that Local Group Policy Editor is not available in Windows 10 Home or lower editions.

Feel free to report back for any further assistance.

Cheers!

 

[britechguy]

What you describe is file synchronization, and there are scads of versions of this that exist already for cloud storage (e.g. Google Backup & Sync, OneDrive, and the like). SyncToy, which has been around for ages, can be used to do this for local drives and if you schedule it to run cyclically would do precisely what you seek to do.

 

[USAFRet]

FreeFileSync
It has a function called RealTimeSync.
https://freefilesync.org/manual.php?topic=realtimesync

"The primary function of RealTimeSync is to execute a command line each time it detects changes in one of the monitored directories, or when a directory becomes available (e. g. insert of a USB-stick). Usually this command line will trigger a FreeFileSync batch job. "

 

[Alabalcho]

My question is, "Do you REALLY want this to happen in real time?"

If you eff up with a file, and it gets automatically backed up, you've destroyed your backup.

 

[britechguy]

My question is, "Do you REALLY want this to happen in real time?"

Agreed, and for the reason you mention. Since this is being discussed in the Windows 10 forum, I'd suggest using File History, which is a great feature, and can keep an eye out for changes as frequently as once per hour (I think, I have mine set to look only once per day) and it will keep all versions of the file that have existed for whatever retention period you choose.

The default retention period is "forever," which virtually never makes sense and makes ancient versions hang around far longer than is generally necessary. I always set this to a value that reflects how far back I'd really need to go. The latest version of a file will be retained in file history provided it has not been deleted at its source and that backup is actually older than the retention period. The retention period relates to how long to keep prior versions.