Backup Software

Clarifications

Personally I wouldn't give up on the external hard drive just yet. It is the easiest way to backup. Maybe just get a second drive and rotate two external drives for you backups. If you don't have a crazy amount of data, flash drives can be used for a backup drive.

As far as software goes, there is lots out there. Don't be afraid of something with it's own compressed file format. Just remember to have a copy of the program available to re-install on a different computer. Some, like Acronis, can be simply re-downloaded from the website anytime...along with keys.

If you still want to backup to DVDs, I think and burning software can do this with a data copy (Roxio, Nero, etc). Select the folders you wish to burn to dvd in the program and save the selections for future use. The next time you open the selections from the saved set, the program should rescan the selections and backup the files (found in the folders) as they exist in that point in time. I have done this with Roxio plenty of times, but I haven't used Roxio in three years in favor of Nero. Also, I haven't backed up to DVDs since I got the external hard drives.

as it is a lot easier to use an external hard drive or a share on another System.

This batch file will do a full Backup the first time that it is run and an incremental Backup afterwards.

Set up a Drive Letter for the Drives. Connect the Drive you are going to use for the Backup. Right click on My Computer, select manage, and then click ?Disk Management.?
Change the drive letter of the drive. Right-click on the drive in the list, and from the resulting menu select "Change Drive Letters and Paths"
Click on Change so you can change the drive letter. Click Change.
Select a new drive letter from the drop down list, preferably the one that is not normally used for this drive. EG: U:
If the USB Drives are identical it should allocate the same drive letter.
You can then copy this batch file to the Drive and run it from there. To automate it use the TaskShedular or run it from an .inf.

munexbck.cmd
=====================
@echo off
:: variables
set path=%~dp0Backup;%path%
set drive=%~dp0Backup
set backupcmd=xcopy /s /c /d /e /h /i /r /k /y

if not exist "%drive%\Backup" mkdir "%drive%\Backup"
:: use below syntax to backup other directories...
:: %backupcmd% "...source directory..." "%drive%\...destination dir..."

if not exist "%drive%\munex" mkdir "%drive%\munex"
%backupcmd% "C:\munex" "%drive%\munex"
======================

This was the original file:

============

@echo off

:: variables

set drive=g:\Backup

set backupcmd=xcopy /s /c /d /e /h /i /r /k /y

echo ### Backing up My Documents...

%backupcmd% "%USERPROFILE%\My Documents" "%drive%\My Documents"

echo ### Backing up Favorites...

%backupcmd% "%USERPROFILE%\Favorites" "%drive%\Favorites"

echo ### Backing up email and address book (Outlook Express)...

%backupcmd% "%USERPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book" "%drive%\Address Book"

%backupcmd% "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities" "%drive%\Outlook Express"

echo ### Backing up email and contacts (MS Outlook)...

%backupcmd% "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook" "%drive%\Outlook"

echo ### Backing up the Registry...

:: if not exist "%drive%\Registry" mkdir "%drive%\Registry"

:: if exist "%drive%\Registry\regbackup.reg" del "%drive%\Registry\regbackup.reg"

:: regedit /e "%drive%\Registry\regbackup.reg"

:: use below syntax to backup other directories...

:: %backupcmd% "...source directory..." "%drive%\...destination dir..."

echo Backup Complete!
=============

I always Backup Plain Data not in any way compressed or encrypted for my personal systems.

In the past I've been caught out with new versions of Windows not supporting the Backup Program and being unable to read the Data on a new system after some catastrophe has occurred. So I personally don't like any of the Backup Programs as the Only Backup that I keep.

Of course that all depends on who the data is being backed up for and if they are required to use any special devices/software depending on what it actually is. For instance I wouldn't trues a Plain Data Backup for Medical Records for a Doctors Surgery.

But for my own personal use I find that Plain Data is still the best and easiest way to go. ;)

Col

I suggest Todo Backup from EASEUS, try it. it is free and simple to use.