Resolved Personal files and folders backup for Windows 10

On Windows 7 I used a simple program called Karen's Replicator.

It is not based on images and incrementals/differentials but straight copies of files and folders from the original to a backup location.

Jobs (such as Documents, Pictures and so on) defining source and target were created and run manually.

Certain files, like system files, could be excluded from the backups.

The original and the backup were compared and updated files were replaced in the backup but there was no backwards file history.

Replicator kept backups of files and folders even if the original was deleted, unless it was told to replicate file and folder deletions.

Recovering a file or folder was achieved manually by copying it back to the original location.

I like to remove my backup drive when not creating a backup or recovering a file or folder. Therefore I have never used scheduled backups.

Now, with this "wish-list" - I have my eyes on AOMEI Backupper Standard and EaseUS Todo Backup Free but am not sure if they do what I want them to do.

Is there anyone out there with experience of either or both programs - or any other program doing what I want it to do?

 

Is it file based or does it create an image from which I have to extract individual files to restore?

 

Thanks for the link. I shall check it out more thoughly but it indicates that all backups using this application are images and individual files/folders can be restored to the original or a different location.

 

Program called SyncBack has been around for years.... I personally liked the heck out of it.
I set my last company up with the free version for all 10 employees... Four of which worked from home in different states.

It would tie into Windows task scheduler and would do scheduled backups... That way, the people in California could backup while the rest of us Texas folks we at home...

 

Agree with Steve's recommendation - have used SynchBackSE for many years with no issues. Have it set up to backup my Data drive every 30 minutes and other drives daily.

 

I have had a look at two more options, Nero BackItUp and SyncBackFree. As I understand it, as opposed to the first programs I had a look at, these create straight copies of files/folders and not images.

Let me focus on SyncBack, recommended by Steve and Pete, can you confirm that the process is creating straight copies and not images? (Then, I can connect the backup drive, in File Explorer find the backed up file and copy it back to the source.)

I also like the two options in SyncBack;

Backup - the program copies new files and altered files from the source to the destination (overwrites = no backwards history).

Mirror - the program does the same as Backup but also deletes files from the backup that no longer exist on the source.

This is basically what Karen's Replicator does and once a year, I had it delete files from the backup that no longer exist on the source.

As I noted in my first post, I like to remove my backup drive when not creating a backup or recovering a file or folder. Therefore I have never used scheduled backups. I guess that your scheduled backups go to a server or some other not local drive or into a cloud somewhere?

 

Synchback creates straight copies which can be copied back to their original location - or elsewhere should you so wish.

I used that program before Synchback came along.

My scheduled backups go to other dedicated hard drives in the PC. Once a week I connect an external drive and manually initiate a back up using the Group facility.

 

Thanks Pete, it seems like SyncBackFree is the program for me. The 524 page User Manual is daunting but maybe I won't have to read it cover to cover ... ... !

 

I installed SyncBackFree, created profiles for my folders that I want to safeguard (Backup and Mirror) and ran Backup. I found that it did exactly what I want it to do and pretty quick too. That, however, depended on the target HDD. The source is a Samsung SSD. For the first tests I used a 250 GB Western Digital HDD. When I was satisfied that it worked as anticipated, I plugged in the HDD I will use permanently, a 500 GB Hitachi. The processes were ~3 times faster to the Hitachi compared to the Western Digital.

That puts the general differences between a SSD and a HDD into perspective. In another thread, I mentioned that Windows 10 booted twice as fast on the Samsung SSD compared to the previous Hitachi HDD. My conclusion is that the differences between two brands of HDD can be greater than between a fast HDD and a SSD ... ... or?

I'll mark this thread as solved and thanks all for your input!

 

As a side note:

I don't know why, maybe it was temporary but when I tried my old link to Karen's Power Tools it took me nowhere and I deleted it. In April 2011, Karen tragically passed away and after that it seemed like her tools were destined to follow her. Today, I came across a new (?) link (the one provided) and found out that since 2018, her tools have been updated by a guy called Joe. The last version by Karen herself in 2009 was 3.6.9 but now, the most recent version is 3.7.5. It has been updated to work with Windows 10 but it is a little "outdated" in appearance.

Edited:

I retrieved the old link from my backup, created by "you know which program". It still doesn't work, maybe the small difference is the explanation.

Old: https://www.karenware.com/default.asp

New: https://www.karenware.com/