good backup utility for windows?

[crinkles]

I've tried using the backup utility that comes loaded with windows.

I want to do a total backup, then say monthly incremental backups. but every time i try back up to my external 500 GB hard drive, it makes an error come up, halfway through, saying the backup file can't be larger than 4 GB.

are there any better programs?

 

[Shannow]

Better programmes than windows ?

A couple

 

[crinkles]

that's what i'm asking, which backup programmes are better than the windows backup utility, and that are free.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

Comodo backup is free and good.

 

[tropic]

Format your external drive with NTFS. Sounds like it's formatted with FAT32 if you're hitting a 4GB file size limitation.

 

[mstrjon32]

IIRC there is an option to split the backup into multiple files too, which bypasses the limitation. I use the utility occasionally, but with a SDLT tape backup drive, which is surprisingly "plug n play" and doesn't require too much configuration.

FWIW, ntbackup is a decent utility.

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: crinkles
I've tried using the backup utility that comes loaded with windows.

I want to do a total backup, then say monthly incremental backups. but every time i try back up to my external 500 GB hard drive, it makes an error come up, halfway through, saying the backup file can't be larger than 4 GB.

are there any better programs?


Your destination drive is likely formatted FAT32, which cannot handle files larger than 4GB without some voodoo. Format it NTFS (assuming you're using Windows 2000, XP or Vista/ 2007, NTFS should be the default for formatting) and you'll be fine.

 

[StevieC]

I like SyncBackup. It's cheap and works very well..

 

[SrDriver]

Over the years I have tried several backup programs with mixed results.

The one I highly recommend is Acronis True Image Home (see their web site below).

Link To Acronis Web Site

With this software you can make a CD recovery disk. Great for backups, installing new hard drive, etc.

Boot CD can be a real lifesaver.

I backup to an external usb 500 gig hard drive formatted as NTFS.

Have used it with both Windows XP and Vista both to backup and restore.

It too will backup many Linux distributions.

I have tried several other programs including Norton Ghost, etc., and find that Acronis meets my needs.

Often you can find it where software is sold for less that the price @ their homepage.

 

[unDummy]

RAID-1

 

[crinkles]

Thanks everyone. This is what makes this site great.

Formatted it as NTFS (was indeed FAT32) and using NTBACKUP it worked fine for a "normal" backup.

Now I just need to get into the habit of doing my incremental backups weekly.

While the interface aint great NTBACKUP seems to do the job

 

[uc50ic4more]

Sorry to resurrect a dead thread, but a discussion very similar to this one just caught my eye on another forum, and many of the folks there were recommending SyncToy; a PowerToy (software released for free, but not supported by Microsoft).

Here is the Wikipedia entry, which will link you to the product page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SyncToy

 

[Buffman]

I've used Cobian Backup at work and home. Works for me..