OT: compare drives software

kairosmatt wrote on 6/4/2009, 7:24 AM
I back up my projects to an external drive, but I don't like the "automatic" backup stuff that come with my drives, because it just ends up putting a bunch of other crap over there. I like my backups to be neat and tidy, in short I like to be the one doing it.

Is there software that will just compare what's in the folder of one drive to the folder in another? Say I have "Project A" folder I'm backing up and I just want to back-up what I've added since, is there an easier way than looking through all the folders and trying to remember what you did last?

Any suggestions?
kairosmatt

Comments

Jøran Toresen wrote on 6/4/2009, 7:31 AM
I have used SyncBackSE for a long time. It's fast and reliable. I use the sync mode.

http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/syncback-hub.html

Jøran Toresen
Byron K wrote on 6/4/2009, 11:30 AM
I use Microsoft's backup utility that comes with your system. It can do full, incremental and differential (which I think you're wanting to do) backups and you can select the individual folders and or files to be backed up. There's a calendar so you can schedule the backup too.

In XP it's located in the Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup

The GUI's file structure is a little quirky to navigate.

Zulqar-Cheema wrote on 6/4/2009, 4:20 PM
http://beanland.net.au/AutoVer/

"AutoVer is a configurable automatic or real time backup and personal versioning system"

http://www.2brightsparks.com/freeware/freeware-hub.html
kairosmatt wrote on 6/4/2009, 5:20 PM
Thanks guys, I will be checking those all out. I didn't know that Windows could actually do it, I guess I need to dig deeper.

See, I've been wasting all my time doing this the hard way, and all I had to do was ask!

kairosmatt
Tinle wrote on 6/5/2009, 4:41 AM
"In XP it's located in the Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup"

It sounds very useful & I would use it, but it's not located there on my XP.

Microsoft says that it may not be there & explains how to install it at: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/maintain/backupsw.mspx
and how to use it at:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/maintain/backupfiles.mspx


JohnnyRoy wrote on 6/5/2009, 7:11 AM
I use Beyond Compare 3 and it works really well. I sync between my desktop and laptop using this and an external firewire drive. It's fully integrated into the Windows shell so you can right-click on a folder and select compare and it will do the comparison for you. Then you have options to sync left, sync right, sync both, etc. Really nice piece of software. Download the 30-day trial and see for yourself.

~jr