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Archive 2009 · Autobackup software??

Jason Ambler
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p.1 #1 · Autobackup software??

I have been using memeo autobackup for about a year but I can't say that I am all that happy with the program. I currently have 3 1TB WD external drives that I backup my images in triplicate (one drive is the main folder and the other two are copies)

I would like a program that has a user friendly interface and that reliably backs up files that have been changed as they are saved or added to a folder.

Can anyone recommend some software for me??

One of the programs that I have come across besides memeo is second copy 7 Anyone have any experience?

Thanks

Jason

Nov 19, 2009 at 04:38 AM

paulhodson
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p.1 #2 · Autobackup software??

I use Mirrorfolder in real time to an additional internal hard disk and to an external disk when it is switched on.

I also back up over the web with Carbonite as well.

But than - I once lost all my files when a power supply blew and fried three disks

Nov 19, 2009 at 04:45 PM

Peano2
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p.1 #3 · Autobackup software??

I use GoodSync and like it very much.

Nov 19, 2009 at 05:03 PM

rachp
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p.1 #4 · Autobackup software??

I have been using this for about six months now:
http://www.acronis.com/promo/ATIH2010/ATISpecific/index.html?source=us_google&ad=norton&c=3061507427&k=acronis%20true%20image&gclid=CMnDiLTJl54CFQYMDQoduG_glw

Love it! Set it and forget about it or if you need to make changes it is very user friendly even for a dummy like me

Nov 19, 2009 at 05:22 PM

Jo Dilbeck
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p.1 #5 · Autobackup software??

Acronis looks interesting, particularly the part about "Backup Consolidation". I have a decent back up program now that allows for incremental back-ups, but it puts those changed files in a new location, not in the file location of the original unchanged file. I know, I know, it's to prevent overlay of the original file, but what if I WANT to overlay the file? Trying to find a changed file through all the incrementals is an impossible task. Does this "backup consolidation" feature of Acronis allow for this "backup to original location" on the back-up disk?

Nov 19, 2009 at 06:53 PM

rachp
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p.1 #6 · Autobackup software??

Jo, this is a little more info to the PM I sent to you (from Acronis):
* Consolidation of backup files – you can create a consistent copy of the archive while deleting selected backups. This allows you to delete the backups you do not need anymore from any archive without harming that archive.
* Automatic consolidation – you can set limitations for backup archives, namely maximum archive size, maximum number of backups, and maximum storage period for the archive files. In case any of the preset limits is exceeded, Acronis True Image Home will combine the first full backup with the next incremental one into one full backup which will be dated the later backup date. Then, if necessary, this backup will be combined with the next, until the occupied storage space (or number of backups) decreases to the preset limit. Thus, the archive integrity will not be affected, in spite of the fact that the oldest backups will be deleted. This procedure is called automatic consolidation.

Nov 19, 2009 at 07:29 PM

Jo Dilbeck
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p.1 #7 · Autobackup software??

Cool, thanks Rachel! That sounds like it would work for me.

Nov 19, 2009 at 10:21 PM

Jason Ambler
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p.1 #8 · Autobackup software??

paulhodson wrote:

I once lost all my files when a power supply blew and fried three disks

Three lost disks?!? I think my heart would stop cold.

Nov 20, 2009 at 02:49 AM

Jason Ambler
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p.1 #9 · Autobackup software??

Thank you all for your suggestions I really appreciate your time in posting.

I have been looking at reviews on CNET and PCworld but I really wanted suggestions from fellow photographers as some of the magazines suggestions seemed great on paper but I wanted to hear from real world experience.

Jason

Nov 20, 2009 at 02:54 AM

jcbradshaw
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p.1 #10 · Autobackup software??

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp

I like this. It does not compress, but backs up the actual files. Quick, easy, and free!

Nov 20, 2009 at 03:11 AM

paulhodson
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p.1 #11 · Autobackup software??

Jason Ambler wrote:
paulhodson wrote:

I once lost all my files when a power supply blew and fried three disks

Three lost disks?!? I think my heart would stop cold.

I wasn't thrilled.

I recovered some stuff from memory cards, internet sites etc - but I lost a lot too. Certainly concentrates the mind on backing up onto media not supplied by the same power supply!

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:38 AM

stillresonance
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p.1 #12 · Autobackup software??

Ouch... that sucks. Just goes to show the importance of having off-line backups in place.

I'm thinking about picking up a hardrive docking station like this this and keeping raw drives in static bags and doing a weekly rotation of the drives. Keeping an offsite backup is important too. Having a dock and then just swapping the actual drives out would be cheaper than having each in it's own enclosure and wouldn't tie up too many ports.

Nov 20, 2009 at 02:19 PM

Jason Ambler
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p.1 #13 · Autobackup software??

stillresonance wrote:
...keeping raw drives in static bags and doing a weekly rotation of the drives. ... Having a dock and then just swapping the actual drives out would be cheaper than having each in it's own enclosure and wouldn't tie up too many ports.

It definitely seems like another option...

Can you create a specific drive location for each external disk that the computer will remember when you plug it onto the docking station? I know you can do this with static USB connected HD's and internal HD's but what about this situation?

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:55 PM

stillresonance
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p.1 #14 · Autobackup software??

I haven't looked too much into it yet but there should be some way to set it up, perhaps when formating the drives setting the drive letter to something that would be past the normal series of C,D,E,F etc. Setting the drive letter to something like W at the time of formating may work, since you wouldn't have more than one of them docked at a time it shouldn't interfere, I haven't tested it yet. I wonder if there is a type of backup software out there that is designed for hot swapable drives, I'm looking at this from a perspective of having worked with tape backups in IT enviro. The tapes and devices would be assigned to a "media pool" for backup purposes and then when media in that pool was available it would be able to write to it. This was using ArcServe software and Symantec software for running the backups. I'm not sure what a more consumer equivalent would be, but it's something to look into.

Nov 20, 2009 at 07:04 PM

donnie hagan
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p.1 #15 · Autobackup software??

I have tried many, the best I have found is smart sync pro.

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:53 PM

Alan321
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p.1 #16 · Autobackup software??

On an Apple computer their Time Machine program seems to do a great job of regular, automated backups.

I used to have a great little program by PowerQuest but Symantec bought them out and threw it away. Even Microsoft has (or had) a long history of making its new backup/ recovery programs incompatible with old backup files. Having been caught out with both approaches and also stung when a Norton Ghost backup could not be recovered when I finally needed it, I chose to manage my own backups on a combination of normally-off-line drives and DVDs as well as using a mirrored RAID system for short-term on-line backups.

- Alan

Nov 23, 2009 at 08:46 AM

mdbassman
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p.1 #17 · Autobackup software??

rachp wrote:
I have been using this for about six months now:
http://www.acronis.com/promo/ATIH2010/ATISpecific/index.html?source=us_google&ad=norton&c=3061507427&k=acronis%20true%20image&gclid=CMnDiLTJl54CFQYMDQoduG_glw

Love it! Set it and forget about it or if you need to make changes it is very user friendly even for a dummy like me

I use, or hesitate to use, Acronis TI 10.0. I am "backup challenged" to the max and find this to be very cumbersome to me! The "how to" instructions are for engineers and very tedious.
You have to develop paths for the main computer to b/up to 2 off line external hard drives and then, nothing is "mirrorred". I use mirrorred because I want to just click on my 2 ehd's and click on the backed up images ther but it is so cumbersome.
Maybe TI 2010 is better. I am investigating.
But my main point that being "challenged" makes it very hard to some to religiously backup all my 20K+ digital images.
Acronis seems to make an excellant product.
Dan

Nov 23, 2009 at 09:27 PM

rachp
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p.1 #18 · Autobackup software??

Dan, I wish I could give you some info on the mirroring part. I do know that the backup wizard makes setup pretty easy. Have you seen the free trial link?

Nov 23, 2009 at 10:39 PM

mdbassman
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p.1 #19 · Autobackup software??

rachp wrote:
Dan, I wish I could give you some info on the mirroring part. I do know that the backup wizard makes setup pretty easy. Have you seen the free trial link?
Yes Rachel..thanks. I have a call into Acronis for some tech support help.
Appreciate your PM and advice...and FMers..dont think my mental challenges here reflect on the Acronis product. It is a fine package!
Dan

Nov 23, 2009 at 10:50 PM

Kyle Yates
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p.1 #20 · Autobackup software??

Hi there

Acronis works fine - you can schedule "Incremental Backups" - these are backups that only backup CHANGED data since the last full backup.

You can select what to backup as well - and imaging the OS is also a good idea too.

However every so often do a COMPLETE backup and keep 1 set off site.

(To do a COMPLETE restore from "incremental backups" you simply load the last complete backup and then the incremental backups).

Acronis 2010 has been updated with a new build -- supports Windows 7 (and 64 bit version as well).

Fast --definitely to be recommended. Also you can create bootable recovery media for a "bare metal restore" too.

Cheers
-K

Nov 23, 2009 at 11:15 PM

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