Best file backup software that is easy to use to mirror folders (NOT SyncToy)

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dydx

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
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I have a WHS which I like to use to keep mirror copies of the important folders of the machines in my network.

For years Ive been using SyncToy due to ease of use. I use the "Echo" function to echo the folders on my main machines to the folders on the home server. The problem with SyncToy is that occasionally, if you delete the source files or folders on your main machine, SyncToy does not always end up deleting the corresponding files/folders on the mirrored folder (eg, on my home server). Therefore, files start to clutter up after a while.

I'm sick of having to go through the folders on my home server every so often to delete files and folders which should not be there. Is there another piece of software that you guys could recommend which is easy to use (since the whole family has to use it)? All I want to be able to do is mirror one folder to another. To be able to schedule the backups would be a nice bonus too.
 
Check out RoboCopy - You can get it as command line only , or with a GUI interface on it.

While searching for Robocopy for download, I also found RichCopy which is reportedly a MultiThreaded Robocopy...

I have used RoboCopy extensively over the years for all sorts of copy needs - copy jobs frequency, 'changed file' thresholds, and used it as a 'replication' tool before the introduction of MS's DFS product.

It's good, and it works.

Hope that helps you out,
Happy Thanksgiving!
 
I would prefer something with a GUI, rather than command line based utilities.

Also, isn't Robocopy for copying over files instead of backing up? I only want to mirror a folder such that deleted files and new files are copied over. No need to re-copy the whole folder contents through each sync run.
 
RoboCopy is what you need. It has a mirror option that in my experience works flawlessly.

RoboCopy will not recopy entire folder contents on each run - that's essentially it's strong point.
 
Try Handy Backup, it's a reliable mirror backup software that can be used for folder mirroring, as well as for a complete hard disk mirroring.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I ended up using a program called SyncBack and it is exactly what I was looking for. File synchronizations are much faster than SyncToy, does not leave behind hidden residual .dat files like SyncToy, it can be scheduled, and there are even tweak-able options to make copying files even faster.
 
Just an FYI for this thread...

RichCopy is GUI based, and Robocopy comes in a GUI based form now.

I have RichCopy scheduled to copy server data to a RAID1 workstation that uses Mozy Online Backup to pull the data off site.

Easy batch file, set it up as a scheduled task, and it runs like a bandit!

HTH...
 
dydx said:
Thanks for the suggestions. I ended up using a program called SyncBack and it is exactly what I was looking for. File synchronizations are much faster than SyncToy, does not leave behind hidden residual .dat files like SyncToy, it can be scheduled, and there are even tweak-able options to make copying files even faster.
Click to expand...

What method does SyncBack uses to verify the copies? I wonder if it actually does a hash check to ensure files are copied securely?
 
Pierre said:
Just an FYI for this thread...

RichCopy is GUI based, and Robocopy comes in a GUI based form now.

I have RichCopy scheduled to copy server data to a RAID1 workstation that uses Mozy Online Backup to pull the data off site.

Easy batch file, set it up as a scheduled task, and it runs like a bandit!

HTH...
Click to expand...

Does RichCopy have a secure copy option? I'm looking for a program that will do a hash check just to ensure that the files are copied correctly. It should work flawlessly with Windows 7 64-bit. Will RichCopy do what I need it to do?
 
I recommend SyncBack Pro, it has a verify option which does MD5 checks hashes. Whether this makes sense to do depends, here is a clip from their forum:

"You can switch on hashing ('slower but more reliable method of file change detection') as per the options on Modify > Expert > Compare Options page. But this only compares the hash values of the files on either side, 'on the fly'. There is no list of what the hash values were last time. And in any case, what if they are different? This only means the contents have changed, not necessarily that one of the files is corrupt (example: TrueCryot containers never change size or LastMod stamp, but the hash value might - indicating 'changed contents', which might be perfectly 'valid' changes)

But be aware that this may in fact cause you grief. Imagine if the size and LastMod stamp are unchanged (same on both Source & Dest) but the Source file is corrupt and now produces a different hash value. This would - if you set the above options - trigger a copy (assuming the rules are set that way). If the file can still actually be read (copied) you will then overwite your OK backup with a corrupt copy :shock:

You might be better off leaving things alone till you discover the corruption at a later date (when trying to open it, maybe). With luck your unchanged/non-updated backup will still be OK"

If you are looking for end to end checks, you would have to do an MD5 hash of the original file, then do an MD5 hash of the written file, then compare them. That will take a while.
 
dydx said:
I have a WHS which I like to use to keep mirror copies of the important folders of the machines in my network.

For years Ive been using SyncToy due to ease of use. I use the "Echo" function to echo the folders on my main machines to the folders on the home server. The problem with SyncToy is that occasionally, if you delete the source files or folders on your main machine, SyncToy does not always end up deleting the corresponding files/folders on the mirrored folder (eg, on my home server). Therefore, files start to clutter up after a while.

I'm sick of having to go through the folders on my home server every so often to delete files and folders which should not be there. Is there another piece of software that you guys could recommend which is easy to use (since the whole family has to use it)? All I want to be able to do is mirror one folder to another. To be able to schedule the backups would be a nice bonus too.
Click to expand...


From the Synctoy FAQ page at MS (http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/is/synctoy/thread/5c021aa1-8738-47af-854d-c38d635800ac)

Q. SyncToy 2.0 appears not to sync deleted files when I have the sync option set to 'Echo'

A. This can happen if the files are updated on the right. This includes if the file was touched by an anti-virus program, music player, etc. To confirm that this is indeed the case - change the sync option to "Synchronize" and do a "Preview" sync. Do NOT hit run because this will sync changes from the right to the left. If on a preview you see updates from the right to the left folder, this means it was changed on the right. The only workaround in this case would be to manually delete the file on the right. And do not forget to change your sync option back to "Echo".


At the end of the day, SyncToy is a useful (free) tool, but it's fairly simplistic.
It sound as if you are hitting on one of it's drawbacks - you could try the free version of Syncback, but it doesn't look much more powerful TBH - though it may have a few more choices/options regarding what to do when it encounters the above situation - it's free though, so you really have nothing to lose by trying it out.


EDIT - Ha, I see you've already found it! I must scan through threads better in future :)
 
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Ive used Allway Sync for years to copy between my server and htpc (I use the HTPC as my backup, everything is mirrored from the server on the htpc)

it works flawlessly and is able to saturate gigabit without a problem. I have no need to even consider any other software as this works perfectly and provides all the inclusion/exclusion filters your would ever need. I highly suggest you check it out.

free as well
 
darren700 said:
Ive used Allway Sync for years to copy between my server and htpc (I use the HTPC as my backup, everything is mirrored from the server on the htpc)

it works flawlessly and is able to saturate gigabit without a problem. I have no need to even consider any other software as this works perfectly and provides all the inclusion/exclusion filters your would ever need. I highly suggest you check it out.

free as well
Click to expand...

Does it have a secure copy option?
 
I just looked through the settings quickly and couldnt find a secure copy option. you could email them, maybe it does it automatically. but if its on your home network then why the need for secure copy?
 
Sgt_Strider said:
Does it have a secure copy option?
Click to expand...

If you are looking for secure copy (assuming you are looking to sync to outside your local network), what protocol or filesystem connection are you looking to use? encapsulated CIFS, FTP, NFS, etc?
 
mwroobel said:
If you are looking for secure copy (assuming you are looking to sync to outside your local network), what protocol or filesystem connection are you looking to use? encapsulated CIFS, FTP, NFS, etc?
Click to expand...

I'm looking to use NTFS and I'll be backing up within my network.
 
Unless you are worried about someone sniffing your data within your local network, why do you need secure copy (not a criticism, just a question)? In any case, since you are using NTFS at both ends do you need the copy to maintain permissions, acls etc.? Are you looking for something with an easier-to-use GUI or CLI?
 
mwroobel said:
Unless you are worried about someone sniffing your data within your local network, why do you need secure copy (not a criticism, just a question)? In any case, since you are using NTFS at both ends do you need the copy to maintain permissions, acls etc.? Are you looking for something with an easier-to-use GUI or CLI?
Click to expand...

It's not just backing up within my network. I want to know that when I'm copying files over to the external hard drives, there are no file corruptions during the transfer. Having a secure option means that there will be some sort of verification process to ensure the transfer was successful.
 
Sgt_Strider said:
It's not just backing up within my network. I want to know that when I'm copying files over to the external hard drives, there are no file corruptions during the transfer. Having a secure option means that there will be some sort of verification process to ensure the transfer was successful.
Click to expand...

Ah, secure copy usually denotes actual encryption for the transfer. If you look back at post #11 in this thread, I recommended SyncBack Pro. It supports doing md5 has compares of the original file against the copied file.
 
mwroobel said:
Ah, secure copy usually denotes actual encryption for the transfer. If you look back at post #11 in this thread, I recommended SyncBack Pro. It supports doing md5 has compares of the original file against the copied file.
Click to expand...

How do you know that SyncBack does MD5? hash checks?
 
This is a copy/paste from the help file in the app....

· Verify that files are copied correctly: After a file is copied, SyncBackPro can check to guarantee that the newly created file is identical to the original file.

Enabling this option can significantly increase the time taken for a profile to run.

Note that this option will not work if you are using an FTP server that does not support the XCRC extension (the log will contain the warning message "The FTP server does not support hashing").


Also, MD5 hashing is specifically mentioned on their Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SyncBack
 
I used Syncbackpro for some time, there are two kinds of "secure copy". One is with the hashes, since I have large quantities of data, it would take forever and a half, so I didn't use that. The other is to copy with a dummy name, and only put the real name at the end if the copy went well. How does it know it went well, I don't know.

Now I use FreeFileSync that has that last option only. It's free and seems to work well, it's quite simpler than SyncBack and I find it's easier to use.
 
I think only cobian copies all the file attributes. do a test and see if your favorite mirroring tool also mirrors date created, modified, and accessed.
 
I used it for years: FBackup (Freeware)

http://www.fbackup.com

free-backup-software.png
 
I'm surprised no one mentioned this Open Source File Synchronization software :-

FreeFileSync

screenshot1.png


I use it to backup files to external HDD, very handy.
 
GMcDonnell said:
RoboCopy is what you need. It has a mirror option that in my experience works flawlessly.

RoboCopy will not recopy entire folder contents on each run - that's essentially it's strong point.
Click to expand...

Yes, basically it will just write over anything that has changed, aka, incremental backup.
 
dydx said:
I would prefer something with a GUI, rather than command line based utilities.

Also, isn't Robocopy for copying over files instead of backing up? I only want to mirror a folder such that deleted files and new files are copied over. No need to re-copy the whole folder contents through each sync run.
Click to expand...

I use Beyond Compare, from Scooter Software. Better than synctoy, because you can do an update on an entire drive or just selected folders.
 
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