Back-up application suggestions

[Disappearer]

I recently finally went on and backup almost the entirety of my system in a 2 TB external by simply copy-pasting most of my internal hard drives stuff into the external (each on a separate folder named after the drive). The reasons I’ve always seemed to postpone the process were that I basically wanted to perfectly organize everything before I back up (yeah right) AND I’ve been searching for the best backup application for my needs. At the end I realized I better just use the old traditional copy so I make a temporary backup and save me some peace of my mind and THEN keep on sorting my system and find a decent backup app.

Now, by searching I mostly end up in what seems like paid reviews and/or imaging software. I thought I could use some help.

My idea of backup plan is basically having everything from the 3 internals (well, not program files and system folders apparently) backup in the offline 2 TB external and periodically (like weekly) plug it in and update/synch any addition/changes that occurred. I don’t know what you guys think about it but that’s the idea and feel free to point out something but mostly with that in my mind, help me choosing the right back application paid or free, it doesn’t matter, as long as it’s perfectly filling the following criteria:

1. Most importantly I want it to be able to compare a selection of predetermined folders in the internal, SENSITIVELY NOTICE every little kb I might be adding/changing (even if that’s an updated tag or jpg input in an mp3) and go and update its mirror folder(s) in the external when I ask it to and of course not having to tediously copy/paste/overwrite. Automatically if I choose to, i.e. every time I plug in the external BUT also give the choice to do it manually and not forcing auto mode. I would also want to do that freely between let’s say two folders I choose, granted making sure they got the same name and keeping the same subfolders path. What I mean is I hope I got the change to do that update/synching NOW I have already backup most of my system in the external , just applying the new changes and not have to delete everything from the external and start anew with the backup application. i.e. install the app NOW and go and tell it: “you know something? I want to make sure that the “my music” or “my photos” folders I created with the backup in the external some days ago are identical with how their sister folders in the internal look NOW after my new additions. Without having to start from scratch, by only going and changing what’s necessary and not copying the same things all over again.

2. Speed. Reviews report some apps being faster than the others so it’s important if it does the job as fast as possible. External supports USB 3 and my next system will too so if it’s optimized for better performance with it, great. Although I guess that’s not really application related.

3. Compatibility with future systems. Win XP/ 32 bit still for now yet even though I guess this won’t be a problem I want to make sure I will be able to carry my backup and application over to my next system, possibly Win 7/64 Bits. Sorry Steve Jobs.

4. Control. Again I want to able to control everything. I’m aware what I m describing is practically called synching but I want that to be one-way IF I want it to. Which I do. I have used a synching app in the past; I think it even was windows native which was practically synching everything. Things is that it was just making sure internal and mirror folders are identical even if that meant that it has to go and alter the original internal folder so its identical with the external one! No, I don’t want that, I want it “one-way” i.e. the external being a mirror of the internal, not the other way around!

5. It shouldn’t have a problem handling Unicode characters i.e. acting funny if meets other than latin characters (german, greek etc). Same with not truncating a long filename, at least not longer than what windows allow. Dunno, weird stuff like that happens sometimes.

6. I don’t care much for encryption and/or compression. If it gives a reasonable optional one fine. By that I mean not having any weird compressing mode forced upon my files making them useless in an environment outside of it.

I might be ignoring something important but basically that’s it. If it includes more great features, great, but as long as it is stable and fits those criteria, I’m happy. Thank you.

[Ego]

Rsync will do pretty much what you want. My server runs a few rsync commands every day. It's incremental, very fast, very secure.

 

DeltaCopy is the Windows equivalent I think.

[chaosmachine]

DeltaCopy is the Windows equivalent I think.

 

Yeah, DeltaCopy is what you want. Saved me when my drive started going back.

 

With a Mac, you can just buy a Time Capsule and never really worry about it again.

[Disappearer]

Thanks for the reply, by reading the word "server" and some things in the deltacopy site I understand that it uses an online/SSH transfer? I am a bit confused. I don't have my pc connected to network or smth I basically want to just transfer using PC-USB-EXTERNAL. Maybe I got something wrong.