Best and Free Backup Software for PC

eatwell365 on 10/12/2015 - 00:39
Last edited 10/12/2015 - 09:20 by 1 other user

Would like suggestions as the best and free backup solution/software for PC laptop.

Have a new hard drive - which I used to combine and save all the other hard drives I accumulated for years, Also want to use it to backup/copy files from 2 laptops, updating from time to time - do you use program to sync or just drag and drop filed to hard drive.

Think of installing Paragon backup and recovery free version but not sure if there is an catch.

Any suggestion/link to articles would be appreciated. I am confused. Thought I was pretty ok with PC but technology just keeps changing and I found it hard to catch up.

Thanks.

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  ozhunter on 10/12/2015 - 00:55

  +1

  I like to use Microsoft Synctoy https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=151…
  The latest version is over 6 years old but does the job for me

  Everything on a folder on C Drive gets copied to a folder on D drive. You can schedule it to run using the built in Windows Task Scheduler.

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  mycosys on 10/12/2015 - 06:59

  rdiff is the classic solution, it allows you to host an initial backup and then 'diffs' that show how it has changed show you could roll back to any point in the backup history with a small fraction of the data needed for keeping full backups.
  It is a *nix utility but has been ported to just about everything.

  • 

    scotty on 10/12/2015 - 09:25

    rdiff (& rdiff-backup) should work with cygwin. I am using rsync to backup my laptop to my NAS. Easier to use if you don't need to keep history.

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      mycosys on 10/12/2015 - 13:10

      +1

      I understand there are also pre-compiled ports and a number of graphical frontends available for it, tho i am not sure how well maintained they are. As you say a big advantage vs most software is that rsync/rdiff will run on just about anything including most NASs and Routers.

      Some info on rdiff on 'doze for OP:
      http://www.nongnu.org/rdiff-backup/FAQ.html#windows
      https://www.howtoforge.com/linux_rdiff_backup

      One of the many backup GUIs, supports up to 'doze 10 (not saying it is best - just an example)
      http://www.timedicer.co.uk/index

      And here is some stuff on using it with OpenWRT on routers
      http://www.rooot.net/en/geek-stuff/openwrt/37-automated-back…
      http://busylog.net/backup-script-with-email-notify-2/

      And yes rsync is a bit easier but wont protect you from something that you dont see straight away, so if you do a sync after losing a file accidentally or becoming infected or hacked you lose out - that minor inconvenience becomes hugely less hassle, and the amount of space rdiff uses is amazingly small.

      A classic best case use for rdiff is to do a deal with a mate to keep a server at each others houses, and do the initial backup at your place, take it round theirs and plug it in and just send the diffs every day or once a week or whatever - then even if you have a fire (or in one case i am thinking of your independent news agency is raided by an opposing government agency in a somewhat oppressive regime) you have an up to date backup and the data across the net for each backup is tiny - you can get back up quickly and you obtain the ability at minimal cost.

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  werdnanostaw on 10/12/2015 - 09:51

  +1

  If you have Win 8.x or 10 it has File History built in that does keep forever:

  • if deleted off PC (ie recycle bin) and
  • versioning.

  My backup strategy is save all work to cloud drive directory on PC, eg OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox for immediate backup. They do keep for 30 days if deleted off PC and versioning, unless you flag version as keep forever using web interface. Then FH saves data to my NAS every hour.

  If you use earlier versions of Windows Free File Sync is SyncToy done right, eg you can edit backup commands which ST doesn't allow - you want to change something - DO it again!

  It allows scheduled and as required backups with keep forever and versioning.

  File extension is FFS which I tell my clients stands for For F*** Sake, backup now.

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  [Deactivated] on 11/12/2015 - 00:33

  +1

  I use aomei backupper. Apparently you can restore to dissimilar hardware as well, although you'll have to install drivers on the new machine. Seems good to me.