Reliable backup software for Windows 7?

[classic35mm]

I am looking for a good backup program for Windows 7 Pro (64 bit). I recently upgraded from Windows XP Pro SP3. On that OS, I used HP SimpleSave software for my backups. HP SimpleSave did one full backup the first time I installed it, and after that, it would backup changed files every time my computer was idle for 5 minutes. And as this article notes, "The backup is simply the duplicate of the original files, making restoring very fast and easy." I liked HP SimpleSave's simplicity.

I doubt that HP SimpleSave is natively compatible with Windows 7 -- and even if it is, I'm not even sure where to get it (except from the original external hard drive).

Do you know of good, reliable backup software for Windows 7? I'm particularly looking for software that will backup modified files every time my computer is idle for a certain length of time. Sort of a pseudo-continuous incremental backup or a pseudo-continuous file synchronization, I guess.

I'm looking to backup my personal data files, not the Windows installation. I'd like to be able to specify the particular drives/partitions/directories where those personal data files reside.

Thanks so much for your time.

 

[HWTactics]

You can use Windows 7's built in software to back up individual files or directories, as well as create entire system images on a schedule.

 

[Kursah]

Why not use the backup system built into Windows 7? Works really well in my experience, is already there, and is free. I believe it will handle incremental backups as well, you can select folders/files, etc. Honestly this is the simplest option you have with Windows 7, but it might not be the best or most controllable.

I've had good luck with Macrium Reflect if you want something higher quality and customizable, though you gotta purchase it to have an automated schedule (or look into advanced scripting). This software is capable of doing differential and incremental style backups, I would recommend incremental backups to a main image on a weekly run. It can also handle specifics as well.

Another free one I've used with mostly good success is Comodo Backup, has most of the flexibility of Macrium with a simpler interface, regular updates, constantly improving, but can be a little more finicky. I used to run it as a service when I used it.

I have since moved onto StorageCraft Shadowprotect, which is expensive but I have a contacts so I didn't need to pay full price...this software is capable of doing backups exactly as you want them...and its archiving of backups is amazing. Great stuff!

Seems you want to be a little too aggressive by backing up your changed files every time the PC is idle though...sounds like you're asking for hard drive failures and issues to crop up imho. Daily should suffice for 99% of folks out there.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Try Easus ToDo. It's fantastic, and even the free version has many options: http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software.htm

You can differentiate between the Whole Operating System backup or individual data files. You can set a schedule or do it manually.

 

[HD64G]

Acronis True Image Home has saved me from days (not hours) of formatting and reinstalling OS, apps and configs. So, I am obliged have to propose it as truly reliable.

 

[RejZoR]

EASEUS Todo Backup. Been using it for years. It's free and works great. Also has Linux bootable option for USB drives so you can manipulate backups even without a working OS.

 

[newtekie1]

I use FBackup. Works very well. Not sure if it does backup when idle though, I just have it do a backup nightly.

 

[Static~Charge]

Why not use the backup system built into Windows 7?

Here's one good reason why not: no verify option for the backup. Imagine your surprise when you try to restore your data, only to find that it's corrupted.

 

[Kursah]

Here's one good reason why not: no verify option for the backup. Imagine your surprise when you try to restore your data, only to find that it's corrupted.

Can't say I've had an issue with it, but that's a great point to make regardless. That's where I'd look at Macrium, Easus, Comodo, etc. or other options that can.

 

[classic35mm]

This is a slight change of question, but do any of the backup programs you mentioned support preserving the full Windows directory structure? Many of the backup programs seem to have some sort of proprietary file format that require the software to actually access the backed-up files, but I see possible disadvantages to this (what if the software doesn't run on some future version of Windows?). That is one thing that made HP SimpleSave so simple and easy to use.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Easus ToDo Backup Free encourages you set up a flash drive or dvd (of its own program, presumably Linux-driven), that will then access the backup to for instance, reinstall your system from the backup.

As to it not being around...it just got upgraded to work with W10.

 

[classic35mm]

Thanks. Do you know if Easus ToDo Backup Free offers an option to just preserve the full Windows folder structure, without using some disc image format?

I mean, what happens if Easus ToDo Backup is not upgraded for, say, Windows 11 and I need to access the files in a disc image that I had made on Windows 10?

 

[rtwjunkie]

Thanks. Do you know if Easus ToDo Backup Free offers an option to just preserve the full Windows folder structure, without using some disc image format?

I mean, what happens if Easus ToDo Backup is not upgraded for, say, Windows 11 and I need to access the files in a disc image that I had made on Windows 10?

That I don't know, but Microsoft is on record that W10 is the last one. That doesn't mean it won't eventually get to W10.82. However, Easus has been around a long time, and I have confidence in them staying in the market.

As to the exact structure it saves in, I'm not sure, I'll be honest.

 

[Kursah]

Preserver full structure to me = system image. If you do a system drive image, or bare metal image, then utilities like Macrium and others mentioned should be able to mount those images so you can view and manage the contents without issue. OS version shouldn't really be a problem there unless the backup software isn't compatible...but a standard image format or even proprietary backup image format should continue with that software unless they decide to change their format in the future.

 

[classic35mm]

Thanks. I probably shouldn't have said full Windows folder structure. I'm not looking to backup the entire OS, just specified folders (e.g., My Documents, My Pictures, etc.). I'm looking for a way to preserve the folder structure within My Documents, within My Pictures, etc.

What is a bare metal image?

 

[rtwjunkie]

Well then that is even less to worry about. You can backup those items seperately. And access them seperately.

 

[Kursah]

Bare metal pretty much means that it copies the physical blocks of the drive into an ISO or image format, this usually includes free space unless otherwise specified. It's used if you need to redeploy exactly on another drive as you had it now, down to the placement of data in sectors and blocks.

As-far-as folder structures it will maintain them with the folder selected as the root for all subfolders and they should maintain their structure as located. That doesn't mean you'll have any folder structure BEFORE those selected folders but will AFTER or BELOW that selected file.

Honestly I find it's easiest to work with system images because then you have everything and are good-to-go, it takes more time and space but makes recovery better should you have missed a directory you needed but weren't unaware of initially.

 

[classic35mm]

Thanks. rtwjunkie, could you please clarify what you mean? Do you mean I can backup those items separately with Easus ToDo Backup Free, without using some sort of Easus proprietary format?

 

[rtwjunkie]

No, i mean it lets you back up data files seperately, if for instance you dont want a full Image, or maybe because you back them up frequently.

 

[classic35mm]

rtwjunkie, that's what I'm looking for. I want to backup data files separately and incrementally; I will want to backup my data files at least once a day.

Kursah, your comment "That doesn't mean you'll have any folder structure BEFORE those selected folders but will AFTER or BELOW that selected file," is very helpful. It is fine and good if My Documents is in some root folder like Backup1 or something. But I would like to be able to access Backup1 without using special software, without having to decompress or untar first, etc. Would this be possible with Windows Backup or Macrium Reflect?

I just don't want Backup1 to become buried or trapped in some sort of image format that I can't read when I need to...

 

[Kursah]

If you want to backup to a standard format, Comodo allows it, and I'm sure the rest do as well.. even using 7z or ZIP. The problem you'll find is that they take up more space than proprietary formatting and in my experience take longer as well. I think you're trying to over-complicate something you want to be simple in all honesty man. No offense meant by that, but I feel you're trying too hard to minimize what you backup...what is the size of the data you want to backup?

As I said before, a system image is going to be the largest and easiest, I realize you want to narrow it down and you can do that with pretty much everything suggested here, including Windows Backup. If you were on Windows 8 or newer, it's backup is just a file-for-file backup and between that and shadow copies you'd be set. I really like it for quick and easy access without needing any image software (though Win8+ natively mounts and accesses ISO's). Plus it keeps track of changed files and backs them up using spare/idle resources. Maybe this is the answer you seek...

What's stopping you from upgrading to Windows 10?

Honestly something like Macrium works well even with it's proprietary format for image access, super easy to mount, like an ISO, but you gotta have Macrium installed of course...similar to the rest of these software packages...that's part of their catch. I feel what you ask for doesn't happen any more, it would ruin good marketing opportunities and probably cause infringement on managing backup images with other software...no bueno when bottom lines count.

 

[classic35mm]

I just don't like to be "tied" to some proprietary format that might be obsolete in a few years; then I might not be able to access my backed up data when I need it.

I'm looking to back up about 1 TB of data.

I can't really upgrade to Windows 10 right now because I'm running software that the developer says will not run on 10.

 

[classic35mm]

I mean, maybe what I'm looking for is "incremental file synchronization."

 

[sneekypeet]

sounds to me like someone needs a NAS.

 

[newtekie1]

This is a slight change of question, but do any of the backup programs you mentioned support preserving the full Windows directory structure? Many of the backup programs seem to have some sort of proprietary file format that require the software to actually access the backed-up files, but I see possible disadvantages to this (what if the software doesn't run on some future version of Windows?). That is one thing that made HP SimpleSave so simple and easy to use.

Fbackup gives you the option to backup the files directly to your backup destination so you can access them directly, nothing special required. It also lets you use standard Zip compression(with encryption if you want), this would require any standard Zip program program to access(7zip is free).