'Backing up' advice on the best techniques/software please

HulaHula · Mar 8, 2017

Hi I really need to sort out my backing up for my laptops. Ideally I want something that is as easy as possible that way I will stick to it and get into a routine.

I had planned on using Windows Backup which according to this video ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kV0MzI0gug
would allow me to create -
1 - an image including OS and software
2 - back up of documents

This would allow not only a restore of documents but also a complete HDD swap for disasters by coping the last image on the new HDD and then restoring the documents.

Apparently this doesn't work though and it will not copy onto a new HDD.

So if this isn't the case would it be better to get used to creating an image with another program (if so any suggestions???) and using a backup program which does differential backups so after the first backup each backup is quick due to only the changes being added.

I've recently bough a old Clickfree SE adapter which plugs through any ext HDD as I know this software does automatically backup. Only problem is its USB v2 only and I'm loosing out on the speed of v3. I'm sure there is free software out there that's just as good ... any suggestions please???

BTW so far I've seen suggestions of ...
Macrium Reflect (for a regular clone maybe??)
SyncBack Free (for a regular backup maybe?? not sure how it compares to Clickfree)

USAFRet · Mar 8, 2017

Macrium Reflect
Free version does a full (or Full+Differential) drive or partition image, off to another drive. On whatever schedule you select
Paid version does Full+Differential+Incremental.
Plus, it also does individual folders. But it is in their format...not individually addressable files.

Again, whatever schedule you want.

I use this daily.
My C drive is backed up to the central NAS box every night at 2AM. Full drive image, keep for 7 days, deleting the oldest one as it goes.

SyncBackFree
Does individual folder compare/copy, off to another drive.
These files and folders are individually addressable, as just regular files you'd see anywhere.
I also use this for individual folders. Again, off to that NAS box.
But that location could be anything...an external USB drive, for instance.

Another option similar to SyncBackFree is FreeFileSync. Does pretty much the same thing.

1. Right now, you are way, way ahead of most users, in simply thinking about this.
Most people think about the backup situation about 5 minutes after they need it.

2. Whatever you choose, have it set to do it automatically.

3. Whatever method you choose....test it. Nothing worse than "I have a backup" and don't actually know how to do it, or your automation has actually failed somewhere.

HulaHula · Mar 13, 2017

Thanks for that answer, really helpful and I can tell you have already tried and tested other methods to get to this chosen routine. And I think it has to become a routine.

I should say that alas I am one of the many who get interested 5 mins too late (as my first post details ... oops)

1. It seems that the included Windows Backup solutions are not a good option

2. I will focus on really understanding Macrium Reflect and SyncBackFree

3. Interesting point about testing them. A while ago I think I either used Acronis True Image or Paragon to clone a failing IDE HDD. I had problems saving an image and then recovering that image onto the new HDD, it only worked if I copied direct HDD to HDD which was ok for the purpose, but it got me worried that any seemingly safely backed up images would be useless in a disaster. The problem with that method was that a backup clone required a whole HDD, and hence wasting a lot of space.

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