Backup program that doesn't change the file structure

[Gary Gary]

Not sure if anyone or myself asked this before but I'm looking for a
backup program that will copy and update modified files to another
location without putting them in some proprietary file format. ntbackup
from XP makes some file called .bkf and other programs seem to create
their own type of files. If I have 300 files in 22 folders that I'm
backing up from drive C: I want to see 300 files in 22 folders in the
backup location after its done. Is this even possible? Basically a
mirror of the existing data.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Not sure if anyone or myself asked this before but I'm looking for a
backup program that will copy and update modified files to another
location without putting them in some proprietary file format. ntbackup
from XP makes some file called .bkf and other programs seem to create
their own type of files. If I have 300 files in 22 folders that I'm
backing up from drive C: I want to see 300 files in 22 folders in the
backup location after its done. Is this even possible? Basically a
mirror of the existing data.

You could use xcopy.exe or robocopy.exe.

 

[Terry R.]

On 3/1/2010 2:05 PM On a whim, Gary Gary pounded out on the keyboard

Not sure if anyone or myself asked this before but I'm looking for a
backup program that will copy and update modified files to another
location without putting them in some proprietary file format. ntbackup
from XP makes some file called .bkf and other programs seem to create
their own type of files. If I have 300 files in 22 folders that I'm
backing up from drive C: I want to see 300 files in 22 folders in the
backup location after its done. Is this even possible? Basically a
mirror of the existing data.

Hi Gary,

Here's one from a Google search:
http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm

There are others....


Terry R.

 

[Anna]

Not sure if anyone or myself asked this before but I'm looking for a
backup program that will copy and update modified files to another
location without putting them in some proprietary file format. ntbackup
from XP makes some file called .bkf and other programs seem to create
their own type of files. If I have 300 files in 22 folders that I'm
backing up from drive C: I want to see 300 files in 22 folders in the
backup location after its done. Is this even possible? Basically a
mirror of the existing data.

Gary...
Have you considered a disk-cloning program? For all practical purposes the
clone would be a "mirror" of your HDD (or a specific partition if you were
only interested in a partition-to-partition copy). Of course you might
consider a disk-cloning program overkill if all you were interested in was
backing up personal data and not particularly interested in a comprehensive
backup program that would back up the *entire* contents of your "source"
HDD, including the OS, all programs & applications, all personal data - in
short, *everything* that was on your HDD.
Anna

 

[Bob CP]

You could use xcopy.exe or robocopy.exe.

or xxcopy. (Free for personal use)

 

[Dave]

I also use Combien - it's very good

Dave

On 3/1/2010 2:05 PM On a whim, Gary Gary pounded out on the keyboard


Hi Gary,

Here's one from a Google search:
http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm

There are others....


Terry R.

 

[Twayne]

In

Not sure if anyone or myself asked this before but I'm looking for a
backup program that will copy and update modified files to another
location without putting them in some proprietary file format. ntbackup
from XP makes some file called .bkf and other programs seem
to create their own type of files. If I have 300 files in 22 folders
that I'm backing up from drive C: I want to see 300 files in 22
folders in the backup location after its done. Is this even
possible? Basically a mirror of the existing data.

Unless I misunderstand you:
Yes, it's not only possible but most imaging and even XP's ntbackup.exe can
show you that; Just open the Restore features and look thru the folder
structure and files and go to the one you want. They work by using
Explorer's API so most of the features are even still available.
I use both NOorton Ghost and XP's backup program and can find a single
file to recover easily in either of them. Ntbackup was particularly useful
for System State backups and to see what exact files are backed up when you
run a System State backup. It's sort of a super-Restore Point.

If you want to see exactly the same structure in your backup location, then
use simple copy or xcopy commands in a batch file. Xcopy is better because
it can tell if a file has changed since the last backup was done and not
bother to copy it because it's already backed up.

Note however that you can NOT back up your Operating System with xcopy or
any other copy program because it requires VSS or Shadow Copy Services to be
able to copy files that are "in use". You'll just get error messages for any
files that are in use. XP's backup and most any true backup or imaging
program however CAN back up the OS because it calls the VSS services.

This might be too advanced from the sound of your post, but you could also
get the same thing from a RAID setup if you have the drive to hold
everything. Both disks will be identical at any point in time.

May I ask what your aversion is to using the program that backs up the files
to look at the files that were backed up? It's rather unusual, IMO.

Twayne

 

[smlunatick]

Not sure if anyone or myself asked this before but I'm looking for a  
backup program that will copy and update modified files to another  
location without putting them in some proprietary file format.  ntbackup  
 from XP makes some file called .bkf and other programs seem to create  
their own type of files.  If I have 300 files in 22 folders that I'm  
backing up from drive C: I want to see 300 files in 22 folders in the  
backup location after its done.  Is this even possible?  Basically a  
mirror of the existing data.

One easy program is Comodo Backup, when you use the "Simple Copy" mode.

 

[Billns]

Not sure if anyone or myself asked this before but I'm looking for a
backup program that will copy and update modified files to another
location without putting them in some proprietary file format. ntbackup
from XP makes some file called .bkf and other programs seem to create
their own type of files. If I have 300 files in 22 folders that I'm
backing up from drive C: I want to see 300 files in 22 folders in the
backup location after its done. Is this even possible? Basically a
mirror of the existing data.

xcopy *.* [destination] /e
should do what you want, where [destination] is your backup drive.

Type xcopy /? at a command prompt for more details than you really need.

Bill

 

[Gary Gary]

Not sure if anyone or myself asked this before but I'm looking for a

Unless I misunderstand you:
Yes, it's not only possible but most imaging and even XP's ntbackup.exe
can show you that; Just open the Restore features

Don't I have to Restore it first? And if its say a 20gb file, won't that
take a rather long time?

and look thru the folder structure and files and go to the one you want.
They work by using Explorer's API so most of the features are even still
available.
I use both NOorton Ghost and XP's backup program and can find a
single file to recover easily in either of them. Ntbackup was
particularly useful for System State backups and to see what exact files
are backed up when you run a System State backup. It's sort of a
super-Restore Point.

If you want to see exactly the same structure in your backup location,
then use simple copy or xcopy commands in a batch file. Xcopy is better
because it can tell if a file has changed since the last backup was done
and not bother to copy it because it's already backed up.

I realized just now that perhaps I'm looking for a Sync program, rather
than a backup. I want to be able to work on duplicate files in 2 locations
and have the mirror imaged all the time when they are connected on the
same machine or network.

This might be too advanced from the sound of your post, but you could
also get the same thing from a RAID setup if you have the drive to hold
everything. Both disks will be identical at any point in time.

I'll be using Raid in the future but it will be striped for performance. I
don't need to backup/sync all the time - just once a day should suffice.

May I ask what your aversion is to using the program that backs up the
files to look at the files that were backed up? It's rather unusual,
IMO.

I guess.... But I need to be able to work on both without having to
restore files each time. I should have specified a syncing program.