Is there an easier way to back up your computer files?

[kuurt]

There has got to be a better way to back up computer files.  I have an external hard drive that I back up all my files to.  For a while I would just back up files one at a time - the files that were new or updated.  But sometimes you forget what files need backed up.  And over time my files and folders on my computer were different from what I had on my external hard drive. 

Then I thought maybe I should just put all folders in my My Documents folder and back up all of those files (that folder) all at once.  Some files are larger like ebooks and audio files - I thought I could just save those in a different folder on my external hard drive and remove them from my computer all-together.  That way they're not slowing down my computer. 

But the folders in my My Documents folder on my hard drive have way way more files in them then what I got on my computer.  And my computer is already got way to many files that's probably contributing to my slow computer problem so I don't want to add more files to it.  So I can't put all the files from the My Documents folder (from the external hard drive) into the My Documents folder on my computer - it's too many. 

Is there any easier way to back up your files? This is always such a pain.  I'm starting to think it would be better just to get a new back up drive every few years and just keep the files I'm currently using on my computer and back those up to the new back up drive and leave everything else on the old external hard drive. 

How do you guys do it?  And what's the best hardware for backing up all your computer files?  What do they use these days - still an external hard drive or do they have zip drives that will hold as much data?

[strollin]

Sounds like you need some backup software that will allow you to specify which files to backup (All, new, etc...).  You'd also be able to schedule unattended backups.

Here's an article about backup spftware: https://www.techradar.com/best/best-free-backup-software

[Allan]

Even better, create disc images on a regular basis.

[kuurt]

I wonder if any of those backup softwares will let you back up all files created within the past week or whatever.  I can't do scheduled backups because I don't leave my external hard drive plugged in all the time. 

I'm not sure how to create a disk image, but I wonder if that would put everything in one file making it difficult to see the individual files that it contains. 

[Allan]

Disc imaging allows you to see any view you like - entire disc, individual folders, or files. Disc Imaging is the best backup method available, allowing you to restore individual files or entire discs if and when needed. Here's something I put together a while ago:


Disk Imaging software takes a "snapshot" of your drive as it exists at the time you create the image. You can then restore the entire image or any file(s) or folder(s) you choose. It is a virtually foolproof way of backing up your system and providing a safe haven in the event of a catastrophe that requires you to blow away your system partition and restore it to a previous state. It also allows you to "test" various software and be confident that you have a the ability to return to the prior state any time you choose. I use Acronis True Image. It is the best of breed, but it isn't free. The best free alternative is Macrium Reflect. 

1) I create an image of my system partition once a week to a second hard drive and keep the 2 or 3 most recent images. I also image my other partitions about once a month. I always enable "verify image" in the options. It takes a little longer, but insures a valid image (the last thing you want is to try to restore an image only to find it is corrupt - it happens).

2) I also create an image before performing any drive level function (ie, changing the size of a partition) or making any significant change to the OS such as installing a service pack or even when installing a "questionable" Windows update, etc -- also sometimes before installing new software.

3) Images may be created on any medium (external drive, usb drive, cd's or dvd's, etc). For obvious reasons they should not be stored on the same drive you are imaging. The easiest option is a second internal hd if you have one and, if you're really ambitious, to an external drive as well (one week to the internal & one week to the external or just duplicates on the external - that's actually the procedure I follow).

4) Images may be created "in the background" within the OS. If you need to restore the system partition, that will need to be done before the OS loads. You can start the process within the application in the OS and it will then tell you it needs to reboot to finish the process. Alternatively, you can boot to a "recovery disk" which you create from within the software (or to the application disk itself if you have one). Non-system partitions or drives can be restored without a reboot.

[kuurt]

According to this page, the free version of Macrium doesn't backup files and folders:  https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

[patio]

Bullpucky...

[Lisa_maree]

Macrium Reflect is a do everything backup solution, but is quite difficult to get your head around. There is these 2 solutions.

1. Roadkil unstoppable copier from here https://www.roadkil.net/program.php?ProgramID=29
    this will make a batch file which you use to make a copy of all changed files on the source disk to the destination.

2.  ToDobackup  https://www.easeus.com/download/tbf-download.html
     This does the main thinks Macrium Reflect does in a simpler interface. The backup files can be accessed the same as a physical drive.
     You can also have a full system backup as well as multiply copies of your work files.
     If you use a password on the backup it then also gives some protection against cryptolocker