Anyone using a free backup program?

[Boomyal]

I had hoped that XP Backup would be the hot setup. I never really knew about it but I did have it onboard with my XP Pro.

However, when I went to use it, it would not even see my external USB drive. It did see 4 USB drives that constitute my memory card reader. Without it seeing my H: drive that program is useless. That is where I would back up to.

I am hoping to find a program (by recomendation) that will let me set up which folders to back up, retain that information, then give me quick access to run the backup.

Any experiance out there?

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

Free?

Not for my data.... I use Acronis True Image, and it has saved me more times than I want to admit. I have a second drive installed that I use to make an exact image of my "C" drive. No compression (my choice) so that there is no possibility of a 'glitch'.

Happy boating!

 

[skargo]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

I have a 1TB backup drive, I just use the software that came with it.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

Free?

Not for my data.... I use Acronis True Image, and it has saved me more times than I want to admit. I have a second drive installed that I use to make an exact image of my "C" drive. No compression (my choice) so that there is no possibility of a 'glitch'.

Happy boating!

I've heard about Acronis True Image. How does it work? I've heard that it backs up your whole system. What happens if you get an infection of some sort. I assume it backs that up to.

Does it continually back up any changes to your computer? Is it automatic?

 

[dolluper]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

Hey Boom Gizmo's got some....check this link sounds like what you want....note he says remember pick the free download not home or pro
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/real-time-continuous-backup-freebie.htm

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

I just use xxcopy(free) and Mirror(free) and then have scripts run at 3:00AM to back up certain directories. Only files that are added or chaged get updated. I back up to a network drive also and that is what I use Mirror for. You want something that is automatic so you don't forget.

I can send an example of the .bat file I created if anyone wants.

http://home.in.tum.de/~jain/index.html

What actually is just as important is to have offsite backup which I haven't figured out the best way to do yet.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

Bruce check the link above....you will see how...Netdrive

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

Bruce check the link above....you will see how

I want something that is done over the net...not local. Right now I have a couple drives I can swap out and bring to a safe deposit box but I want something that puts my data on a secure server somewhere.

I tried Carbonite but it won't back up external drives which sucks.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

Half way down the link is a link to Netdrive

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

But you have to have your own remoter server somewhere right? I want to back up on someone elses secure server.

 

[i386]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

Free?

Not for my data.... I use Acronis True Image, and it has saved me more times than I want to admit. I have a second drive installed that I use to make an exact image of my "C" drive. No compression (my choice) so that there is no possibility of a 'glitch'.

Happy boating!

^^^This!

I have a disk image of a clean OS + driver install.
I take another image after my favorite software is installed.
Then I just make occasional backups manually of the files I like to keep. My Docs, Bookmarks, certain program settings, etc...


I will also make an image of a friends computer if it comes down to me reloading everything from scratch. My logic is they usually screw it up again anyway and ask me to fix it. One guy gets a major spyware infection about once a year. So when I hand it back I tell 'em to do whatever they want. I can get it back to the state it's in right now.

Oh and I never install Acronis. I only boot from the CD and write my images to an external drive. There are other features of the software if you choose to install it, but I don't take advantage of those.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

......Oh and I never install Acronis. I only boot from the CD and write my images to an external drive. There are other features of the software if you choose to install it, but I don't take advantage of those.

Unfortoonately, this is all Greek to me!

Being the novice that I am, I'll be satisfied at this point in time, to just be able to quickly and reliably back up selected folders (data).

Some of these other options seem they would take more time for me to decipher than it would be for me to reload a corrupt OS or set up a new hard drive.

Sorry guys, that is what happens when your brain reaches the point of saturation and inflexibility.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

I've heard about Acronis True Image. How does it work? I've heard that it backs up your whole system. What happens if you get an infection of some sort. I assume it backs that up to.

Does it continually back up any changes to your computer? Is it automatic?

It does make an exact copy of your working drive. It will do automatic increments of any changes, if you choose that option. All of this is up to you.

I prefer to make an exact copy every other week...that way I know that I have not simply copied an infected drive. If any thing goes south...and this includes any unforeseen changes from adding a new program or upgrade...I can simply click a few buttons and return my hard drive to it's previous state. And Acronis works within Windows, as well as can be launched from it's recovery disc.

All of this works from a seperate hard drive, or a partition on your source drive, or any suitable external means of data recording. For me, the seperate hard drive is the simplest route. Mine is installed in the PC, but any USB external drive would do the same thing.

Happy boating!

 

[Solittle]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

I too am a fan of Acronis. You first make a CD which contains the bare bones operating system and the programs needed to do the recovery. You then do a Acronis back-up from your C drive to any other drive of your choice (don't back-up to open space on C). If C experiences a failure you buy a new C, install it and use the CD and the back-up copy previously created to do the recovery. Acronis installs everything including /windows, registry and user files. I did a fresh Acronis back-up of my system once a week and kept two generations back of the back-up files.

Acronis has lots more capabilities but I'm too lazy to learn how to use them. Also I use the recovery of Acronis only as a last resort. For most problems the back-up recovery within Windows works just fine.

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

I use SyncBack to copy files from my desktop to laptop via a USB drive. Since I travel quite frequently, that keeps my work directories and files the same on both computers and it provides a current backup.

Seagate uses Acronis as their backup software so it's essentially free as a part of Seatools.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Anyone using a free backup program?

A real geeky choice is Bart's PE to make a complete copy of everything installed and its free also....not for rookies though....PE stands for preinstalled enviroment....make copies of install disc's and such