Computer Backup Question - OT

[Hobie]

I know this is OT, but it may be helpful to many of us. 

Calling our high horsepower computer gurus:

1.  Auto Computer Backup  -  Does anyone know of an auto backup program that will backup only changed files and save them in the same format as the original.  I use Ghost which works well but it saves in a special format. 

2.  Create matching disk - Is there a program that would look at two different drives and copy files ( .jpg) so each drive becomes a mirror of the other.  In other words some original files are are drive E and need to be copied to drive F and vice versa.   I keep our family photos on one computer and an external drive but some pictures are only on one drive and I'm trying to create a master file without manually comparing every single image file.

Thanks to all in advance. 

[sweeney153]

I use GoodSync. You can mirror files on 2 or more computers and if you change a file or add a new file on one computer it does the same on the others I have been using it on my computers for about 6 months and have had no problems. It has a free trial. If you buy it its $30.00.
http://www.goodsync.com/

[Nusa]

If it's a Windows XP or Vista machine (you didn't say), you may want to check out SyncToy, a freebie from Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/DownLoads/details.aspx?familyid=C26EFA36-98E0-4EE9-A7C5-98D0592D8C52&displaylang=en

[oldmansax]

I use Synctoy as well. It is simple & reliable. As far as mirroring drives, a RAID array would be the simplest & most trouble free if your machine supports it. If not, there are some free software programs that mimic RAID.

TOM

[Sean]

I use the free version of SyncBack (http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/), which will do both of the things you asked about if you configure it correctly.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

[blue_goose]

I have found Acronis to be a great program for full back up.  My computer went down last week and would not start up with anything that I did, not even in safe mode.  All I had to do was put the Acronis boot disk in and restore from one drive to the other and I was back up and only lost what I had done sense the last backup.
Makes me think need to do another backup.
Jack

[Sean]

I have found Acronis to be a great program for full back up. ...

Acronis is a good backup program, but it will not do either of the things the OP asked for.  FWIW.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

[Hobie]

Two problems solved with one free program-- sweet!!  Thanks Sean.   

You guys got me thinking and now I have a question regarding the RAID:

The motherboard supports RAID but can you configure a RAID after the operating system is installed?  I have XP pro running a single hard drive.  I thought you only can set up a RAID during the original OS install. 

Is it possible to add a new drive and create a new mirror RAID to that one? 

[kd5kfl]

creating a RAID after initial install is an everyday thing. you may be describing creating a RAID array and loading the OS onto it.

two more alternatives:

get a USB external dive
get a standalone network storage device ( i use a D-Link 323 )

store everything there. any editing you do gets saved there. periodically do a cleanup on the external drive and back that up to your computers. just delete major directories on one computer and download fresh directories from the external drive. then repeat the process on other computers.

everything synced, everything the same, multiple identical backups.

change of subject, but in a similar vein:

make a copy of your Windows boot disc: load Linux onto a drive. use Linux to copy the boot drive to another drive, same size or larger.

[rv_safetyman]

I hope this is not a hijack. 

I am now using two computers to do both personal and business work (long story).  I have tried to keep the business and personal directories on both synced, but long ago gave up.  It sounds like SyncBack would do the job for me.

The question I have, is the backup process.  I am very careful to keep my data files in directories I can selectively backup as opposed to backing up the whole disc.  Can SynBack do selective backup?

Thanks!

Jim

[Sean]

Jim,

Syncback lets you select whatever folders and files you want to either backup or synchronize.  You save these selections as "jobs" which you can run on-demand or schedule.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com