Recommended backup software?

[mlts22]

I personally use Windows Server 2012 at home, which comes with a very useful tool called wbadmin (both command line and the .msc snap-in) for backups. However for Windows 7 and newer, it, at best, pretty much generates a complete system image, and restorations are not easy on a client Windows edition (open the .vhd, yank the files out manually.)

To help a relative out, what utility do people use for complete backups to external hard disks? I also use Mozy for documents, but for backups to a drive, I've not had that good luck. Acronis TrueImage quietly failed after a few months and would not start without giving any error messages, even after a reinstall. I caught it when doing a random check. I tried Retrospect, and it also had issues where it would just lock up with the CPU pegged until it was manually killed (taskill /f /im retrospect.exe).

The ideal is a utility where if something happens, I can restore individual files, or if the whole system dies, boot a recovery disk, and restore from the external HDD. The ironic thing is that this is very easy with Windows Server operating systems, but for client editions, it calls for a third party program.

[1492]

An important note when using any backup software to image your drive. I recently went to update my system image files using an external USB HD. AOMEI Backupper couldn't find the backup file, though I found the file myself just where it was originally saved. After a little trouble shooting, I discovered the issue.

Windows will by default assign a random drive letter when plugging in an external USB drive. The problem stemmed from the fact that the original backup image file was saved to a path using the drive letter J:. But my WIN 7 desktop now assigned the drive letter as H:.

This was easily solved by going into Windows Disk Management, and forcing the drive letter J: to be assigned to my external HD. But points to a potential glitch in backup software, many of which do not have a provision to specify the location of the backup image files. And behooves the point not to change the path of the backup file. Either the drive letter, folder, or file name when you make an image file. Your backup software may not be able to find the file to either update or restore your system. Check your particular software.

This may also be an issue with NAS storage used for backup if a different IP location is assigned.

On another note, I have been exceptionally pleased with the open source and fast FreeFileSync app that I now use for automated daily backups of my personal encrypted data files, including both my Firefox and Thunderbird profiles. And also to auto backup My Documents folder multiple times a day. Though can even be set to auto backup key folders soon after it detects any changes.

However, FreeFileSync may not be as user friendly to everyone, as you must create a batch file for automated backups. Then link to it by creating a backup job using Windows Task Scheduler. Not particularly difficult. And makes auto backups seamlessly in the background. Note that you don't need to have FreeFileSync running as Windows Task Scheduler will open the application, run the batch file, and close the application.

Best part is that FreeFileSync is completely FREE.

[River-Runner]

mlts22 wrote:
Mozy is similar to Carbonite. The advantage of backing up to a local drive is the ability to deal with a complete hard disk failure without having to redownload hundreds of gigs of data. Mozy, Backblaze, and Carbonite are great for a second line of defense, say one loses their computer and their backup drive. However, it is nice to just restore a file with a click, than to have to find decent Internet access (or burn up precious gigs on a LTE connection) to restore.

Not saying Carbonite is bad. It has its place. However, the first line of defense is an external HDD, if possible.

This sounds good. Will Carbonite make a image of your boot drive to recover a working copy of your system files? I use Acronis as well and am comforted by knowing I can just insert my backup of my boot disc and it will work just like the original. This saves a lot of time when a drive dies - BUT - if - Carbonite does this too - I think this would be most cool. A working hard drive boot disc you could download anywhere!

Cool!

[1492]

That's fine if all you want is to backup or sync bookmarks. A cloud solution is much easier. But I also want my passwords, emails, settings, all backed up encrypted and easily restored from one folder. Would be too tedious to setup sync relations with each file. Much easier to just sync one profile file.

I stopped using SyncToy since WIN XP as you can only sync manually. I'd rather use an app that just needs to be setup once, and than does it job automatically without the need of periodic intervention on my part.

In reality, I have two backups on separate drives on top of the source drive.

[mlts22]

One trick I do with syncing is have sandboxie only share the bookmarks between the sandbox and the actual Chrome or Firefox directory. Then, the sync program never sees the cookies and cache or other stuff thrown on there. Plus, it provides better privacy, because it assures that everything (cookies, cache, etc) is gone... because it was never there in the first place. Of course, this does nothing to stop web browser fingerprinting (a la EFF's Panopticlick), but that is a digression.

I do agree with you -- automatic sync applications have a place, especially if they can store previous versions somehow. That provides an effective third layer of protection (the other two being a backup nightly to disk and backups of documents offsite to Mozy, Carbonite, or another place.)

I use SyncToy on one machine, but it cannot do continuous syncs... only on a schedule you manually create, so if you do a lot of changes on a document, then accidentally delete it, it might be of little to no use.

[1492]

Allway Sync is another Free app that can by used for backups. In fact, I looked at Allway Sync years ago, but decided PureSync had the features I wanted. However, since the free version of PureSync removed some key features now reserved for its paid version, I've gone back to Allway Sync.

I do use the program AOMEI for complete system image backups, but also use Allway Sync for more frequent intermediate backups of key files. Primarily for files in my encrypted partition, which includes My Documents, My Photos, Firefox, and Thunderbird profiles. Note that I'm using default save location for My Documents and My Photos, as separately encrypting those folders in Windows User accounts, other than using EFS, can cause system issues or instability upon startup.

You can setup Allway Sync, under properties, to automatically sync based on a variety of conditions. This allows me to keep updated auto backups of both my Firefox and Thunderbird profiles for instance, containing passwords, emails, and extensions, without any intervention on my part. Basically, from one encrypted virtual drive, to a separate hard drive containing another encrypted virtual drive. So both the source files and backup are stored encrypted.

BTW, if using a sync app for Firefox or another browser, I'd recommend setting the browser to clear cache, not necessarily passwords, upon exit. This just reduces the app having to add/delete cache files to the backup file, which change after each session, and is generally not necessary to backup anyway.

Some files such as word processing docs can be auto backed up as soon as a change is detected. This is particularly useful for critical files in that you end up with a backup, without having to manually save it separately. You can also set Allway Sync to keep version backups of files, so not deleted when removed from the source.


UPDATE: I've re-discovered the reason I stopped using Allway Sync. Though it is a feature rich app, the free version will occasionally post a dialog recommending to upgrade to the paid Pro version, when it decides the number of files synced is more than that of an average user. The problem is that it apparently will not continue the scheduled backup or sync job until the dialog box is closed. This makes Allway Sync Free unreliable when you are depending on scheduled backups.

It's only happened a couple of times. But enough so, that I've decided to discontinue its use, and focus back on using the open source FreeFileSync, though not as user friendly for scheduling auto backups. In fact, relies on setting up Windows Task Scheduler to run a batch file. But it also has a separate app that monitors for any changes in a folder/file and backups/syncs after a specified delay. Which is actually what I was looking for as few free backup/sync apps have this capability.

[mlts22]

Very good point. It wouldn't be difficult for a chip in a NIC or a video card to have more on its die than just the intended functionality, especially with the Chinese fabs starting to do the design work and not just mindlessly stamp silicon.

Plus, if it supports encryption, AOMEI's offering is "good enough". I use encryption mainly so that if my rig gets broken into, the data is not accessible to the thief, so what is stolen is "just" a hardware loss, and I can recover documents and such from Mozy.

[1492]

mlts22 wrote:
I have looked at AOMEI's product, but I do get concerned about Chinese written software. Maybe my tinfoil hat is on too tight, but I always think "TANSAAFL" when I see "free" products.

So is Easeus ToDo Backup. But at least there is a fighting chance for OS software based security apps to detect potential issues.

If I was really concerned about imports from Far East countries, I'd be more worried about hardware/firmware based exploits which can evade most all software detection and render them moot. I wonder how much imported tech hardware is actually pulled apart and screened for security issues? My guess is pretty much none?

[mlts22]

Everyone's backup requirements differ. What works for me may not work or be pointless for someone else.

I'm sure a lot of people can get by with Mozy or Carbonite because they mainly browse the web, and write an occasional Word document or two. Others have more data and are better served by going with multiple tier backups.

There is always a third way of doing backups. A service like Box or Dropbox. If one uses it to stash their documents, then if their computer gets destroyed/stolen/fried, the machine can be replaced, the OS reloaded, applications re-downloaded, and the documents be available and ready to go. However, this may not work well for others.

[SCR]

tchil wrote:
I will throw out there Crashplan. You can do online or local or both. Online is nice because it protects you from more than just a HD failure. Although HD failure is prob the most common problem. Theft, fire, flood, lightning strike and power surges often take out the back up drive as well. Crash plan has a deal where you can get up to 5 computers unlimited space for one price. I buy 4 or 5 years of service at a time to get the best price possible. I use it for my computers as well as my parents and inlaws. So far it has been great. I used to use Mozy until they went stupid with their pricing.

I guess I am exposed to the hazards listed for backup drives. However, a bit of protection can go along way to mitigate them.

Theft: I doubt seriously if a thief could find them I don't leave them out in the open.

Fire: OK ya got me on this one. In the event of a fire my computer and HDD's are the last thing on my mind. Getting my wife and myself out safely is the primary and only goal. Never go back in to a burning structure for anything, ever!

Flood: I'm a full time RVer. I move.

Lightening Strike/Power-surge: I have everything electronic that would be effected on surge protectors. The only time the backup drives are plugged in and visible is when they are used for backup or restore. I would hardly be doing a backup in a lightening storm.

There a limited choices for backups as a full timer. Key is to do the best you can and anything is better then nothing.

[mlts22]

I have looked at AOMEI's product, but I do get concerned about Chinese written software. Maybe my tinfoil hat is on too tight, but I always think "TANSAAFL" when I see "free" products.

You are right about differentials versus incrementals. I handle this at home by having two home networks. One for Internet traffic, and another network card and switch for iSCSI. This way, machines can back up to the Windows server, and the server OS can do deduplication in the background so 10 full backups of the same data get replaced by one copy and 9 pointers to the real data. This is definitely not enterprise-grade, but it does work for backups. Since the iSCSI target stores the data in disk images on the server, the underlying filesystem only has a few large files to worry about, as opposed to millions of small files and directories. Every so often, I dismount the iSCSI images so the OS can stitch duplicate data together without worrying about open files.

Since my relative only has one machine, I think I give Acronis a revisit when they get out their latest version (most of the time they just put out a new version so they can get upgrade fees, but maybe what I encountered was an edge/corner case, so it might be fixed.) It is only 30 bones for an upgrade. To be sure, I think I might also have a second drive that has a task that runs weekly to monthly to run wbadmin and do a dump that way. This way, if TrueImage fails, the documents are still protected by Mozy, and there is a fairly recent image of the entire machine, so I can still recover.

[tchil]

I will throw out there Crashplan. You can do online or local or both. Online is nice because it protects you from more than just a HD failure. Although HD failure is prob the most common problem. Theft, fire, flood, lightning strike and power surges often take out the back up drive as well. Crash plan has a deal where you can get up to 5 computers unlimited space for one price. I buy 4 or 5 years of service at a time to get the best price possible. I use it for my computers as well as my parents and inlaws. So far it has been great. I used to use Mozy until they went stupid with their pricing.

[WoodGlue]

1492 wrote:

WoodGlue wrote:
Why not just drag and drop folders onto a portable HDD? No problem and no cost and no privacy issues!

WoodGlue

True, but there a many freely available system backup and sync utilities available that can automate the process. So manual backups are not necessary by the user. Plus, drag and drop may not available for files that are being used(locked) by an application. Some utilities can bypass the locked state, and backup the file.

Excellent point. For me however, backing up my photos, downloads, word docs, etc are all accomplished using drag and drop.

Thanks,

WoodGlue

[1492]

I've only used free or open source system image backup apps such as EaseUS Todo Backup Free. Have successfully restored many hard drives using it. In fact, all with no issues. However, some valuable features on the free version have been eliminated. Such as encrypting image files, and only offering an incremental backup option.

Personally, I prefer differential backups as incremental generally involves many more smaller files, which can break a restore if any one file becomes corrupted. So less reliable IMO.

I now use the free AOMEI Backupper with features similar to paid backup apps. Such as offering differential backups, and can encrypt images with a password. Clean interface, and can easily schedule backups, or mount the image to access files.

For local backups of key folders or files continuously, I've been using the free version of PureSync. Handy for automatically backing up files such as Firefox or Thunderbird profile folders on more or less a continuous basis. But cloud apps such as Dropbox can do the same thing.

However, features in their free version have also been reduced. Used to be able to setup backups/syncs of important folders or files as as soon as a change in file was detected, or when closing the application. Now only available in paid version, as syncing locked files. Have now set folder backups based on system idle time, or when logging off. But can easily select any folder for backup by simply right-mouse clicking and setting options.

Also use the free, open source FreeFileSync, which can backup locked files. But the interface is not as clean, or straight forward as other file backup/sync utilities.

[Ramblin__Ralph]

For several years I've used Casper to make a complete image on an identical drive to what is installed in my laptop. Every week I update that image (usually takes less than 25 minutes). Don't have to do a full copy every week, which takes hours. Recently upgraded my laptop drive from 320GB to 640GB.

Only problem I've had is that things don't go well if there are errors in the file system. Sometimes I can't get rid of them to Casper's satisfaction.

YMMV.