How do you backup your files?

[dwdallam]

I've been suing Microsoft's free SyncToy to do backups, and it does a good job. One of its problems, however, is a lack of understanding as far as xmp files go. It can't detect if they have changed or not, so after the first backup/echo/synch it never backs them up again. There is a reason for that explained in a MS forum somewhere, but the point is that it cannot see a change. One reason that I do remember now is that the date doesn't change on an xmp file, since you never open it. You would think you could use SyncToy's "check file contents" option, but that doesn't work on xmp files either.

The other problem with MS ST is that it's too dumb to compare files already in two places and echo/sync them. If you ever change hard drives then you will need to rebuild your echo from scratch--see you in about a day. For some reason it can't say, "Ok he wants me to echo the files on the left to the folder on the right. Now wait, there are files already in the folder on the right. Hmmmm, what shall I do.  Well, if MS had it's head out of its ass, I would compare the files on the left with the files on the right, delete the files on the right that are not on the left and update the rest. Uh O, I don't understand that. I'll just copy all of the files over now and then leave all the new files on the left sitting there when I echo again in the future." Who knows what goes through MS's heads. So like I was saying, the other big problem with ST is that it gets confused when you tell it to echo from the left to the right when there are already files on the right.

So what you have to do is delete all of your files on the right, and then rebuild the echo using SyncToy, from left to right. I think Microbrains suggested that it wasn't a problem. You simply had to synchronize the folders instead of echo. So yeah that would work, but you can't change from Synchronize back to echo when you are done. Also, I'm a little paranoid to go back and forth like that. I know the files on the left are the ones I need. I don't need stupid software synchronizing my files on the left and deleting them accidentally because it's IQ is poor.
 
In a any event, what I want to do is echo right to left with software that can actually understand when an xmp file has changed.
So, what's your solution?

[Roger Calixto]

hey dwdallam, I feel your pain. Actually the reason you're having so much trouble with SincToy is because it was not created with the intent for actually being used as a backup utility. The idea behind it was a quick and dirty option for simple problems like folder on a pen drive or flash disk. If you want something more complete, but still free, I recommend syncback (CNET review here). Unfortunately it doesn't support file appends so it will always replace a file completely if it's been changed. Although this may not be a problem with small files such as raw files, it's a pain in the rear for big things like my outlook archive. Every week I have to wait a while while it copies over my 250mb pst just because I received new mail....

Anyway, it works well as a backup system and it's free. There are definitely better options, but in the freeware group it's the best I've found. You can even backup to a server via FTP (very useful for keeping an offsite backup).

KT

[Tim Gray]

I use the free version of Syncback as well.  I use the backup option, not synchronize.  Due to user error, at one time I sync'd the wrong drive and since my files were't on that drive, they were erased from the target drive as well.  Fortunately I got managed to recover them from the trash.

[dalethorn]

I use a version of a folder-compare utility that shows source and destination folders, and highlights the more recent file, if the file exists on both source and destination. It can display in three basic modes - 1) All differences, 2) Match-difference, when the files exist on both source and dest., 3) Exclusive-difference, when the files exist only on source or dest. The options at those points are - 1) Copy all newer to older, 2) Copy either direction, even older to newer, one at a time.

On Windows NTFS drives, backing up to FAT-32 drives, the Windows timestamp on files can shift by one hour compared to the FAT-32 drive, when Daylight Savings Time goes on or off. This utility compensates for that with an option that removes the difference highlight when the source/dest. files are exactly one hour apart, but the same size.

Lastly, I execute the utility once for each folder I need to back up, using a Windows 'batch' file to semi-automate the process.

Once I complete the visual backup process, if I need to verify the contents of the files, I execute another 'batch' file that's the same as the backup batch file, except it doesn't bring up a folder-compare screen for each folder - it just runs a content-difference utility in the background, and reports the final result in a text file.

[DarkPenguin]

I use Syncback locally.  Mozy Home as an offsite backup.

As an aside it was Microsoft's Synctoy that happily synced 6 months of images into oblivion.  I'm assuming it was pilot error but I'm not entirely certain of that.  Very early version of the application, however.

As another aside there is a great comparison tool called Beyond Compare.  You can also use that to make directory structures identical.

[jjj]

I use Clone 2.1 on the PC. Simple, cheap, a bit plain, but does a very good job at incrementally backing stuff up.
Clone 2.1

[dwdallam]

Hey thanks for the ideas. I had the SAME THING happen with a version of synchToy. It got rid of a set of nudes that I could never replace. After that I never used Sych again.

Well SychBack looks like the one for me. that looks exactly like what I want. I never do incremental since I keep my files backed up regularly and I don't want stem sets sitting everywhere. That depends on the time SB takes to do a full backup though. Actually I don't even want a backup. I just need to make sure files on my main drive are the same as on my backup drive.

Do any of you know if SynchBack actually backs up xmp files after they change, since the dates don't get updated--you never open them?

Thanks again for the help.

[DarkPenguin]

I think it depends on how you make it do comparisons.  Haven't had any problems so far.

[dwdallam]

I can't get SyncBack to update directories, either create them or delete them. I read the manual and looked for options for that function, but cannot find it.

So when I create a new profile, it will copy (backup) all the directories from source to destination. However, if I delete a directory on the source side, it will not be deleted on the destination side. I must be doing something wrong because I can't imagine a backup program that would exclude updating directories, including deleting those on the destination side that are no longer on the source side, along with all files in the nonexistent diredctory.

Other than that huge limitation, which would make the software quite useless for me, it's exactly what I wanted (given it sees changes in xmp files, which I haven't tested yet.).

[dwdallam]

I'm using SynchBAck Free and so far perfect. Barring any unforseen problems, this is EXACTLY what I wanted. Much thanks.

I jsut did a full backup/synchronize (I set up a hybred) using SynchBack. F(%*&!

I can't believe how fast this thing is. This is the real deal here. It compared all my files and did it's job in like 2 minutes--on 181 GBs of data.

So much thanks.

[MichaelEzra]

I use SameDir without any problems. Give it a try. This is THE fastest program, best supporting update-mode backups, where only changes are transfered to create a full mirror.
I have recommend it in my article on Digital Photography Workflow at photo.net:
http://photo.net/learn/digital-photography...rt-photography/

Here is the download link:
http://web.archive.org/web/20071219234118/.../Samedir397.exe

I found it at this location:
http://web.archive.org/web/20071219121541/...samedir.sbn.bz/
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=6031

[Roger Calixto]

I can't get SyncBack to update directories, either create them or delete them. I read the manual and looked for options for that function, but cannot find it.

So when I create a new profile, it will copy (backup) all the directories from source to destination. However, if I delete a directory on the source side, it will not be deleted on the destination side. I must be doing something wrong because I can't imagine a backup program that would exclude updating directories, including deleting those on the destination side that are no longer on the source side, along with all files in the nonexistent diredctory.

Other than that huge limitation, which would make the software quite useless for me, it's exactly what I wanted (given it sees changes in xmp files, which I haven't tested yet.).

So there's an option in the tab -> advanced
to delete files not in destination. BE CAREFUL!! I've already skrewed the pooch once and deleted a bunch of stuff without realizing i was backing up to a folder that had pics from a trip I hadn't yet copied over to my PC (I bkp to an external HD that goes between the PC and laptop). It works just like you tell it to...

there's also an option somewhere to delete empty directories on destination...

edit: One problem with syncback is it uses drive letters. That may change as you connect and disconnect drives from your pc. ALWAYS check your drive letters before you run it. Which brings me to another point. You can schedule a profile to run ata a specific time and day (say, mondays at midnight) and it will backup in the background. This can be great or a total disaster. If your drive letters change, you may run a full backup to somewhere that doesn't (and shouldn't) contain your files at all (and will now) like a pendrive ro whatever USB device is connected to that drive letter. You see where this is going...

[fike]

I have grown so annoyed and tired with the vagaries of these tools, that I have gone back to manually copying my data to a second, external hard drive.

1) Backup an entire year(s) on a hard drive.  Store offsite. (two hard drives in rotation)
2) Every month backup all of current year on a hard drive. Store offsite. (two hard drives in rotation)
3) At beginning of new year, make backup of all previous years on a new hard drive and store offsite.

I am risking the last month of data, but it makes more sense that way.  All the backup programs had problems with my huge panoramic source files (1GB is my largest, but 800MB is very common).  I also had problems with write protect failures in these huge file transfers to my WD Mybook 500GB.  Now I just move it manually, it is slightly annoying every year, and a very minor task monthly.

I sometimes worry about the fact that my data isn't verified, but I am not sure that is as big a problem as it was 10 years ago.  I manually check that the number of files transferred is equal, that the folder size is equal, and that randomly picked, very large files were transferred correctly.

Yeah, I know it is reckless, but I've been going without anything but free antivirus protection for three years.  I guess that is living dangerously.

[DarkPenguin]

Yeah, I know it is reckless, but I've been going without anything but free antivirus protection for three years.  I guess that is living dangerously.

Good luck with that.

Does your ISP provide no Antivirus?  Qwest coughs up Microsoft's One Care.

[fike]

Good luck with that.

Does your ISP provide no Antivirus?  Qwest coughs up Microsoft's One Care.

Seriously, the most problematic infections come from careless behavior, not ordinary html websites.  I have made the mistake to click okay in a fake pop-up box once.  There isn't a virus protection in the world that will prevent that kind of exploitation of my own stupidity.  I knew what I had done immediately, and I got the right free tools to remove the malicious code.

[dwdallam]

So there's an option in the tab -> advanced
to delete files not in destination. BE CAREFUL!! I've already skrewed the pooch once and deleted a bunch of stuff without realizing i was backing up to a folder that had pics from a trip I hadn't yet copied over to my PC (I bkp to an external HD that goes between the PC and laptop). It works just like you tell it to...

there's also an option somewhere to delete empty directories on destination...

edit: One problem with syncback is it uses drive letters. That may change as you connect and disconnect drives from your pc. ALWAYS check your drive letters before you run it. Which brings me to another point. You can schedule a profile to run ata a specific time and day (say, mondays at midnight) and it will backup in the background. This can be great or a total disaster. If your drive letters change, you may run a full backup to somewhere that doesn't (and shouldn't) contain your files at all (and will now) like a pendrive ro whatever USB device is connected to that drive letter. You see where this is going...

Argh! You wrote this just as i was deleting it. Anyway, I have it figured out. Initially something was wrong with the Profile. It's all working correctly now. The drive letters are fine. I assign drive letters manually so when I plug in the media, they get assigned the same letter over and over again.

[dwdallam]

I have grown so annoyed and tired with the vagaries of these tools, that I have gone back to manually copying my data to a second, external hard drive.

1) Backup an entire year(s) on a hard drive.  Store offsite. (two hard drives in rotation)
2) Every month backup all of current year on a hard drive. Store offsite. (two hard drives in rotation)
3) At beginning of new year, make backup of all previous years on a new hard drive and store offsite.

I am risking the last month of data, but it makes more sense that way.  All the backup programs had problems with my huge panoramic source files (1GB is my largest, but 800MB is very common).  I also had problems with write protect failures in these huge file transfers to my WD Mybook 500GB.  Now I just move it manually, it is slightly annoying every year, and a very minor task monthly.

I sometimes worry about the fact that my data isn't verified, but I am not sure that is as big a problem as it was 10 years ago.  I manually check that the number of files transferred is equal, that the folder size is equal, and that randomly picked, very large files were transferred correctly.

Yeah, I know it is reckless, but I've been going without anything but free antivirus protection for three years.  I guess that is living dangerously.

Fike. Try SynchBack. Like you I ws annoyed and pissed with all of the little idiocies of these programs. For doing backups SynchBack has done what all programs would do. It's really nice. Please give it a try and I think you'll really enjoy backing up your files everyday rom here on out. PLus, I don't have the luxury of losing even one days worth of files. Clients would be really unforgiving on that loss.

[KevinA]

Fike. Try SynchBack. Like you I ws annoyed and pissed with all of the little idiocies of these programs. For doing backups SynchBack has done what all programs would do. It's really nice. Please give it a try and I think you'll really enjoy backing up your files everyday rom here on out. PLus, I don't have the luxury of losing even one days worth of files. Clients would be really unforgiving on that loss.

I use Aperture for my images and back up to vaults, I have my library split into 2 and make 2 backups of each (so 3 copies of each in total). Vaults are brilliant they just back up your changes. The rest of the computer is backed up with Time machine, that just happens automatically. Some important files like accounts also get backed up offline at my .mac account.
Time machine is excellent I've come to use it a couple of times, you can go back to various points in time on your computer and retrieve lost information, from deleted emails to Word documents. Aperture vaults take the pain out of backing up images, it's so easy, everything gets backed up, all your image versions, folders, projects etc.

Kevin.

[Ronny Nilsen]

edit: One problem with syncback is it uses drive letters. That may change as you connect and disconnect drives from your pc. ALWAYS check your drive letters before you run it. Which brings me to another point. You can schedule a profile to run ata a specific time and day (say, mondays at midnight) and it will backup in the background. This can be great or a total disaster. If your drive letters change, you may run a full backup to somewhere that doesn't (and shouldn't) contain your files at all (and will now) like a pendrive ro whatever USB device is connected to that drive letter. You see where this is going...

I use the SyncBack pro version, and it allows you to specify source and destination based on on the volume label of the drives. So as long as you assign unique volume labels it doesn't matter if the drive letter change, it will get it right. The free version works great, but I found the pro version to be worth the cost.

Ronny

[Roger Calixto]

To be honest, I never even looked at the pro version. Lets you choose drive's by Name, eh? That might just be worth the money!
I'll look into that... thks!

KT