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Is there a simple way to back up new data from my computer hard-drive to some other medium?

At the moment all my stuff is backed up apart from new stuff from the last couple of weeks. The trouble is, I now have to remember what's new, and where I put it before I can transfer it to my backup drive.

I'm sure there must be a better way. Something where I can just tell the computer to just copy the new stuff since last time?

Any help much appreciated. (Especially dumbed-down help).

I'm using XP btw.

There are definitely programs you can get (not expensive), that will automatically backup folders you specify on a regular basis.

An ideal system is to have a NAS (a storage drive that sits on your network) and your data can be automatically backed up to it on a daily basis. Or something like that.

There is the built in XP backup facility, but not sure how user-friendly it is:

 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308422

If I have to specify the folders, that means I have to remember what and where they are Dan. I might as well move them at the same time.

6 new word documents stored in 'My documents' 30 photographs stored in 'My pictures' a few new mp3's in 'My music' a video clip in... well, you get the idea.

What you'd do is specify specific folders once, My Documents for example (and any sub-folders). Then what the backup software would do is look for changes in that folder and back it up to the destination folder automatically without you having to do anything.

So as long as you store your files in the same folders all the time, you'll know that they're all being backed up automatically every day.

There are also online services for this so your files can be backed up in the same manner, but to the 'cloud'. Benefits of this is that your files are off site and you can get them from anywhere (with your login), but you have to trust the service you're using of course.

My version is XP Professional (Lol)

I'm scared. I need someone in the control tower to keep me calm and talk me through the procedures.

I'm here for you, Tom.

Better buying a third party program I think. Much easier to use.

I wouldn't want it to back up every day. That would mean leaving the backup storage device connected. I just want it to do it when I ask it to.

Don't fancy the online service. I don't trust anyone I can't arrange to meet.

Thanks Tone. You owe me a new keyboard.

You don't have to do it everyday. You can schedule the backup how you want, and could even have it backup when you hit a button manually instead of on a scheduled basis. Or both (and if the backup drive isn't connected the scheduled backup won't run until next time).

These programs will work how you want them to.

Here are some to maybe consider (it's trying to sell Nova backup, but lists other popular ones):

 http://data-backup-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

Hopefully, someone on here can recommend one they've used.

Blimey. They're expensive. Especially if I find them too complicated to use after I've bought one.


I assumed it was a simple task that I didn't know how to perform. Now I know that's not the case,  I'll probably try to come up with a home-made solution.

Perhaps if I put all new stuff into a 'Not yet backed up' folder?

£40 for all your important files backed up automatically and worry free.  Doesn't sound too expensive. 

There are also freeware programs that do it as well.

Maybe someone who uses one will recommend.

You've not met Mrs Red, one assumes?

http://www.gfi.com/pages/backup-freeware.asp

[X] Free
[X] Backup
[X] Synchronization (watches for changes without you telling it, the thing you were talking about up there)
[X] Optional masks (so you can tell it what not to bother syncing)
[X] Scheduled (so you don't have to remember to do it)


There's also EaseUS Todo Freeware, has no free sync though, nice interface for system cloning.

16GB for £8.25 delivered, not too shabby http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SANDISK-16GB-CRUZER-BLADE-USB-MEMORY-STICK-DRIVE-PEN-UK-/290668421602?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item43ad3021e2

That looks like just the ticket. Thank you.

One thing does worry me a little though... What's in it for them?

(http://www.motivationalz.com/pictures/skeptical_hippo.jpg)

For them, very valuable traffic to their site for all the other software that they do charge for.

There's already quite a lot of other free backup software out there, is getting harder to charge for it.

This is the other one I have

http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software.htm


Creates 'clones' of your hard drive and can back up the 'system'.

Chuck it all on a large capacity pen drive or small external hard drive http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/40GB-60GB-100GB-120GB-160GB-250GB-500GB-External-Portable-Hard-Drive-/300644510647?pt=UK_WSJL_Wholesale_GL&var=&hash=item8bb4b2c565#ht_17148wt_1175

Resurrecting the system from a ghost image on a £25 drive >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>wasting 2 days (hopefully-) removing a nasty virus that got past your scanner.

I love Skeptical hippo.

If I were an animal, I'd be him.

Nah, they never stop eating, farting, & shitting. Oh, wait.....

I'm v interested in those icybox things but I can't work out the capacities, what they cost or which does what.

Too much info lumped together.

Your in a good mood today. Any particular reason?

I am ALWAYS in a good mood, except on my very occasional grumpy days.

Icybox looks quite nice, just pick a capacity and colour (black obv) from the dropdown box at the top. 60GB=£26 delivered. Or ubernits could go for a 60GB internal drive for peanuts. I wouldn't backup on to a partition on my original HDD in case the whole drive breaks.

Or....64Gb pen drive http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/64GB-USB-Black-Flash-Memory-Stick-Pen-Drive-UK-Seller-/320877982421?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4ab5d172d5#ht_1139wt_932

Watch out for the Cruzer Blade drives, I've got one & had a hell of a time getting my computer to recognise it - had to reformat it on an XP  to use it on a W7 machine. To be fair it works well after that - and has survived a machine wash or 2.

Are you saying I can back up the whole enchilada, including os / programmes data etc?

Everything everything yes. It doesn't even really transfer file-by-file either, it just clones a copy of the drive as an image, and puts it as an image on to the new backup. If you get a horrible virus that can't really be removed (becoming more common), you just wipe the drive by formatting, and go to your backup ghost image and tell it to just shove the backup-image clone back where it was. Handy,

Of course you can choose alternatives, like just backing up a bunch of user files, or backing up just the (operating) system (in EasyTODO0 US).

I'm really interested now.

Once I have copied the whole thing, could I update it by just adding the new stuff or would that go into a separate compartment on the same drive?

What capacity would I need for this option?

When it backs up your entire drive as an 'image' you can't add to that image incrementally.  You'd need to do a complete backup and create a new 'image' again.  This can be done once a week (for example) and you could have it run overnight whilst you sleep.  The size of the image would depend on the size of the stuff on your hard drive.  64GB would probably be plenty, unless you've got loads of videos and other stuff that uses a lot of drive space.

The other backing up you wanted to do, of specific files/folders would be something you can just keep adding to - on-the-fly so to speak.

Be careful backing up to a pen-drive though. They can corrupt (rarely), you can easily lose them (can happen), or you can physically damage them (run over them, sit on them, hit them with a hammer, etc.).

Like the look of that, might give it a go myself on top of my current backup system (storing files to the cloud, AWS to be precise).

Tom, my advice would be that only back up the things that you want to keep for what ever reason be it sentimental or work. The OS and applications can be rebuilt whenever you want from installation media. I would how ever keep a back up of any downloaded applications.

I have a couple of batch files set up on my pc which I click on once a week which then backs up all the new files on my pc. This is relativley easy to set up using tools already on your PC.
If you buy an external storage device I wouldn't mind guiding you through it. It would only take 5 mins to set up.

Sometimes you don't need a hammer to crack a nut.

The other backing up you wanted to do, of specific files/folders would be something you can just keep adding to - on-the-fly so to speak.

But this could be on the same drive right?



Be careful backing up to a pen-drive though. They can corrupt (rarely), you can easily lose them (can happen), or you can physically damage them (run over them, sit on them, hit them with a hammer, etc.).


It wouldn't really matter unless it happened at exactly the same time that my computer went awol / tits up.

I will be buying an external storage device.

I may take you up on your kind offer. How patient are you?

Very patient in the right company...

Good.

When it comes to technology, I can turn  ;angel; into  ;grr;

No probs, just let me know if and when you need me.

Hmmm, interesting. http://aws.amazon.com/s3/#pricing
I guess you have a really nice connection, and it comes to about £7 month?

I guess Windows Restore disks and synched backup would work ok for some.

For myself, I've left data in a few places sync wouldn't have covered, plus I have all the updates for poker sites, for antivirus, for windows, all my custom software configurations. These would all be lost forever without a full disk backup, and the updates would need to be redownloaded. For this reason, I'll make an iso clone snapshot of the whole disk image once a fortnight, and run sync backups every night at 3 am.

It's using hosting I've already got with them. My connection isn't bad.

I've been using dropbox (http://www.dropbox.com) for quite a while now and it is superb.

• free (assuming you aren't trying to backup absolutely EVERYTHING)
• Doesn't require you to remember to do anything
• Synchronises your PC/laptop/Smartphone instantly (i.e. update a spreadsheet on PC, grab phone, walk out door, latest update is already on your phone)
• Oh, it backs things up too :)

Very simple and a nice bit of kit.