Topic: PC Backup (Read 2113 times)

Jonathan Cross · « **on:** December 30, 2020, 02:48:40 pm »

I use Cobian to backup everything on my PC. It does one full and then 5 incremental before another full. I am not sure about restoring as it seems that this has to be done by manually, copying and pasting from both the last full and subsequent incrementals. My internal HD is 2TB and I have a 3TB external HD and a 4TB one so that I alternate backups. I have multiple copies of my photo library on other external HDs. I do not have, nor want, NAS.

What software do people use to backup a PC running Windows 10?

Best wishes,

Jonathan

PS I have searched this site but anything on backups seems old.

MDL_SD · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2020, 03:05:54 pm »

I use the Windows Backup and Restore (Windows 7) to create backups and a system drive image to a NAS. I also make a second image of the system drive to a 4TB hard drive that is in the PC box.

Although old (Windows 7), this software is still supported by Microsoft and I have found it to be rock solid and simple to configure/use. Many will chime in with suggestions of 3rd party software to handle backups and I agree that there are many fine choices. I simply prefer to use software that is provided by Microsoft so that I don't need to worry about additional programs/updates or finding the 3rd appropriate version of the 3rd party software when I need to recover something.

To me the crucial aspect is having both file backups and a system image. Without the system image it is a lot of work to rebuild the system if you lose the system drive.

Joe Towner · « **Reply #2 on:** December 30, 2020, 04:18:21 pm »

If you're looking for a software update, I would suggest Acronis True Image Home. It does backups really well, plus supports things like UEFI boot & would be the tool I'd recommend if you were to upgrade your primary hard drive.

BobShaw · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2020, 10:18:20 pm »

Quote from: MDL_SD on December 30, 2020, 03:05:54 pm

To me the crucial aspect is having both file backups and a system image. Without the system image it is a lot of work to rebuild the system if you lose the system drive.

If a backup system does not back up the operating system, the applications, the users, the settings, licences and documents, and if can't restore them onto a completely different computer that you can buy today, within say 4 hours, then it is not a backup system.

Jonathan Cross · « **Reply #4 on:** December 31, 2020, 05:20:02 am »

Quote from: BobShaw on December 30, 2020, 10:18:20 pm

If a backup system does not back up the operating system, the applications, the users, the settings, licences and documents, and if can't restore them onto a completely different computer that you can buy today, within say 4 hours, then it is not a backup system.

This is a good criterion. What I like about Cobian is that I can choose what to backup (everything) and it does a full backup then 5 increments the latter taking about an hour on to a spinning external HD. Full back ups (about 1.1TB) can take most of the night. It is the restore, should it be necessary, that seems clunky as it is manual apparently. All my archive files are kept separately on other HDs.

Is there a system that meets Bob's criterion, and will do full and incremental backups with minimum fuss?

Best wishes,

Jonathan

geneo · « **Reply #5 on:** December 31, 2020, 09:31:15 am »

Macrium Reflect is hands-down the best. I have restored hundreds of images with it with no issue. And it is free and easy to use and fast. I paid for the home edition to get encryption though. Has everything you need such as scheduling etc. You can also mount an image backup and browse (and copy) files, which comes in handy. You can also do file based, incremental, differentials, etc. It is really one of the best pieces of PC software I have run across. And I have used Microsoft, Acronis, and several others. I have restored to new hardware with only have to do a few minor fixes (like reinstall chipset drivers.

It takes me about 4.5 minutes to backup my 50 GB system imaged less than that to restore it. I backup my data separately.

PeterAit · « **Reply #6 on:** December 31, 2020, 10:35:28 am »

Quote from: Jonathan Cross on December 30, 2020, 02:48:40 pm

I use Cobian to backup everything on my PC. It does one full and then 5 incremental before another full. I am not sure about restoring as it seems that this has to be done by manually, copying and pasting from both the last full and subsequent incrementals. My internal HD is 2TB and I have a 3TB external HD and a 4TB one so that I alternate backups. I have multiple copies of my photo library on other external HDs. I do not have, nor want, NAS.

What software do people use to backup a PC running Windows 10?

I use a program called sync back pro. It's very flexible. I have three external HDs, two used actively and one in our safe, and they rotate every couple of weeks. It also backs up to FTP.

BobShaw · « **Reply #7 on:** December 31, 2020, 06:09:30 pm »

Quote from: Jonathan Cross on December 31, 2020, 05:20:02 am

Is there a system that meets Bob's criterion, and will do full and incremental backups with minimum fuss?

Ha Ha. Yes, it is called a Mac.
Happy New Year.

Jonathan Cross · « **Reply #8 on:** December 31, 2020, 07:49:00 pm »

Yes, Bob, we have a MacBook, and will go fully Apple soon! It's just that the PC is working OK, hence the query.

Jonathan

Alan Klein · « **Reply #9 on:** December 31, 2020, 09:14:03 pm »

I'm using WD passport external drive to backup. But what do I set to back up everything so that all I have to do is attach to another computer if the first fails and just press a button to restore the new as if it was the old?

BobShaw · « **Reply #10 on:** January 01, 2021, 02:10:26 am »

Quote from: Jonathan Cross on December 31, 2020, 07:49:00 pm

Yes, Bob, we have a MacBook, and will go fully Apple soon! It's just that the PC is working OK, hence the query.

Jonathan

Well in that case you can get VMWare Fusion for about $50, put the PC as a window in the Mac and not have to worry about the backup.
You can then put the PC on eBay and make a profit.

Jonathan Cross · « **Reply #11 on:** January 02, 2021, 04:59:06 pm »

Looking into this topic has made me realise that I should have a recovery drive, so have now got one on a USB stick, in case Windows 10 goes wrong. For anyone who does not know how to do this, you will need a USB drive (=> 16GB is a good idea) that has nothing on it that you want to keep. The reason is that before creating the files on the drive, Windows will automatically reformat it, so anything there will be lost.

Put the stick in a usb socket and type 'Create a recovery drive' in the Search box beside the Windows logo in the bottom left corner. Launch the app and follow the instructions. In my case it took about 90 minutes. If you ever need to use it there are instructions on the web.

Best wishes,

Jonathan

Alan Klein · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2021, 08:20:16 pm »

Quote from: Jonathan Cross on January 02, 2021, 04:59:06 pm

Looking into this topic has made me realise that I should have a recovery drive, so have now got one on a USB stick, in case Windows 10 goes wrong. For anyone who does not know how to do this, you will need a USB drive (=> 16GB is a good idea) that has nothing on it that you want to keep. The reason is that before creating the files on the drive, Windows will automatically reformat it, so anything there will be lost.

Put the stick in a usb socket and type 'Create a recovery drive' in the Search box beside the Windows logo in the bottom left corner. Launch the app and follow the instructions. In my case it took about 90 minutes. If you ever need to use it there are instructions on the web.

Best wishes,

Jonathan

Do you do this monthly or on some schedule. Or is once enough?

Jonathan Cross · « **Reply #13 on:** January 03, 2021, 04:45:52 am »

Quote from: Alan Klein on January 02, 2021, 08:20:16 pm

Do you do this monthly or on some schedule. Or is once enough?

I have just done my first recovery drive. I do not think I will do it again for some time. This drive should reinstall Windows if there is a catastrophe, and once I have got it going again, I can always use Windows Update in Settings to get the latest version.

Best wishes,

Jonathan

midix · « **Reply #14 on:** February 01, 2021, 09:26:03 am »

I have two things:
FreeFileSync in mirror configuration to a locally attached WD Elements 5TB drive for everything (semi-regular OS system images, rare software archive etc.)
Additionally, Acronis True Image Home with cloud storage subscription - only for the unique content. Also, access from anywhere through the Internet is a bonus.

So, in case if my PC breaks I can restore everything fast from the external drive. But if my house burns, I can at least restore my content from Acronis (although I imagine it would be very slow).

PeterAit · « **Reply #15 on:** February 01, 2021, 09:50:21 am »

Quote from: midix on February 01, 2021, 09:26:03 am

I have two things:
FreeFileSync in mirror configuration to a locally attached WD Elements 5TB drive for everything (semi-regular OS system images, rare software archive etc.)
Additionally, Acronis True Image Home with cloud storage subscription - only for the unique content. Also, access from anywhere through the Internet is a bonus.

So, in case if my PC breaks I can restore everything fast from the external drive. But if my house burns, I can at least restore my content from Acronis (although I imagine it would be very slow).

Based on a post in this thread I have switched to Macrium Reflect. Even the free version does everything I need including real easy creating of system images and flash drives to boot from.

andyptak · « **Reply #16 on:** February 05, 2021, 07:22:12 pm »

I tried the Free File Sync after reading the preceeding post, but I can't figure out how to have the sync constantly on. I have to start sync manually when I am ready. Obviously I'm missing something. Anyone know? Thanks.

geneo · « **Reply #17 on:** February 05, 2021, 07:45:20 pm »

Quote from: andyptak on February 05, 2021, 07:22:12 pm

I tried the Free File Sync after reading the preceeding post, but I can't figure out how to have the sync constantly on. I have to start sync manually when I am ready. Obviously I'm missing something. Anyone know? Thanks.

I don't know that product, but if there is not such an option and it has a command-line interface, you can create a .bat file and schedule it to run nightly (mine wakes the computer from sleep at 3am, then puts it back to sleep when done). That is what I do with Microsoft SyncToy.

midix · « **Reply #18 on:** February 06, 2021, 12:00:48 pm »

FreeFileSync has a help page with instructions for registering a FreeFileSync batch file as an operating system scheduled task.
https://freefilesync.org/manual.php?topic=schedule-batch-jobs

It lets you also describe the desired behavior for how to behave when launched as a background task - be silent, show a dialog, show only errors.

I chose FreeFileSync because I am a programmer and somewhat a control freak, so I prefer open-source software, especially the one that is truly free and does not nag with ads and third-party installers and disabled features that require to buy a full version when I click on the disabled UI element, and do not require to register with an email that gets spammed with advertisements and "weekly news". Also, I like simple tools that do not integrate with the operating system without my knowledge (do not install lots of hidden services for auto-updates, ads etc.).

FreeFileSync is definitely not the kind of software that guides you through a step-by-step process to have regular backups. However, it is a very lightweight tool for having granular control over the backup process - what to backup, how to treat existing files, what to do with files that cannot be accessed (show errors, abort, continue silently), what to do after a backup (shutdown etc.). Also, you can save the stored configuration as an XML file and edit it manually; the syntax is straight-forward in any text editor.

The other mentioned tools - Cobian, Macrium - also are good and trustworthy.

andyptak · « **Reply #19 on:** February 06, 2021, 05:31:07 pm »

Thanks for the link about the FreeFileSync batch file. The only thing I don't get on the instructions regarding Windows Task Scheduler is the "Add argument" entry. The sample shows "D:\Backup Projects.ffs_batch" as the instruction. Is the drive D in the example to source or the target drive? In my case, drive D is source and drive J is target. Which one do I insert in this command? Thanks.

Author Topic: PC Backup (Read 2113 times)