Simple Back Up Solution Needed.

Started by Trekkygeek, September 23, 2008, 01:18:53 PM

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Trekkygeek

Okay guys, I don't know why I didn't think of asking you this before as It's a solution I really need.
Every couple of weeks I like to back up "My Documents" into my External hard drive. When I do this, I always delete the existing files from the external drive and then drag and drop the folder from my PC. This takes an absolute age and I run the very small risk of losing valuable data during the transfer.

What I'm looking for is a programme that will only add all files from my PC to the drive that have been added since my last back up, and not have to go through the whole rigmarole described above.

I'm sure there is something out there that my simple untaught PC mind is missing.
Please help me guys otherwise I'll have to really embarrass myself and ask Leo Laporte "The Tech Guy". ( Love that show) Cheers in advance.
You could learn something from Mr Spock Doctor..... Stop thinking with your glands"

Geekyfanboy

I use Norton 360 and it has a back up program that saves every day but only the files that have been modified or added. I don't know of a stand alone program.. sorry

celestialteapot

My external hard drive has a backup utility that I can set to backup automatically at certain times, currently mine does without being told at 2pm every day. Have you checked to see if you have a similar option?
This question has baffled mankind for all eternity... why don't sheep shrink in the rain?

Trekkygeek

Good question Teapot and I should have also added this info:

I use a laptop and don't have a desktop. Also, I have my external hard drive packed away in the cupboard and bring it out each time, so I'm wondering if there is a little programme where I plug in the hard drive and click a button to save the most recently added files.

Another option for me would be an online backup like carbonite. This automatically backs up to the Net everyday. I will probably go for this but was also looking for a physical solution.
You could learn something from Mr Spock Doctor..... Stop thinking with your glands"

celestialteapot

Quote from: Trekkygeek on September 24, 2008, 12:39:17 PM
Good question Teapot and I should have also added this info:

I use a laptop and don't have a desktop. Also, I have my external hard drive packed away in the cupboard and bring it out each time, so I'm wondering if there is a little programme where I plug in the hard drive and click a button to save the most recently added files.

Another option for me would be an online backup like carbonite. This automatically backs up to the Net everyday. I will probably go for this but was also looking for a physical solution.

Snap for the setup.

My laptop is my only computer and my external hard drive is currently on top of a pile of books, I try to plug it into my laptop every couple of weeks or so. The software that came with it has an automatic backup facility, I got into the software tick the boxes of the folders I want  backed up and it does it. Mines got a button on the front I can press when I plug it in and it automatically updates (it's a Maxtor One-Touch Backup). 

I've got it set to backup at 2pm every day because I couldn't be bothered to change the default, the times when my laptop is on the desk are usually times I'm doing a lot of work and my backup is attached for that period of time.
This question has baffled mankind for all eternity... why don't sheep shrink in the rain?

psikeyhackr

I use a program called nncron lite.

http://www.brothersoft.com/nncron-lite-17315.html

It is a freeware clone of UNIX cron.  I have had it backing up to a USB drive as often as every 3 hours.  It starts a batch file that runs xcopy.  You make the batch file as complex as you want.

psik
Andre Norton does it better than J.K.Rowling

iceman

Acronis is another good program which alows you to make incremental backups, I use it and find it to be an excellent program