System for Backing up Files

[dailydwellin]

I'm wondering if any of you have a set system for backing up your digi-files. I have all of my files on my hard drive, and back up to an EHD and Carbonite. Carbonite continuously runs, so that's not the problem. It has been a while since I've backed up to my EHD and I sat down to do that this morning. It is taking an hour to back up and I have a feeling that I'm going to end up with duplicates because I selected my entire "kits" folder to copy to the EHD.

I'm sure there has got to be a better way to do this.

I also want to start using my laptop and EHD more for scrapping. Currently I use my desktop but sitting on a comfy couch with my laptop is sounding mighty appealing! But I want to make sure I have what I need on my EHD first.

Should I back-up every time I purchase a new kit? Once a month/week?

Do you have a system that works for you for backing up your digi-files on a regular basis?

[mummytothree]

I back up the 1st of every month and to make sure I'm not backing up duplicated I keep everything "new" in a folder named (wait for it..................) Needs Backed Up!! So from the 2nd of the month till the 30th (or 31st), everything I download and unzip gets put in that folder.

Then once it's backed up to my EHD and DVD, I move it to it's appropriate folder!! And start all over again till the next back up day!!!

[luvmykids]

I backup all my scrapbooking supplies and photos to CD's. I just started using an online backup service and still backup everything to a CD, I'm just so afraid I'm going to lose something.

[dailydwellin]

Originally Posted by mummytothree

I back up the 1st of every month and to make sure I'm not backing up duplicated I keep everything "new" in a folder named (wait for it..................) Needs Backed Up!! So from the 2nd of the month till the 30th (or 31st), everything I download and unzip gets put in that folder.

Then once it's backed up to my EHD and DVD, I move it to it's appropriate folder!! And start all over again till the next back up day!!!

Oh, that's smart!!!!

Thank you!

[KateD]

I used to use software (Memeo AutoSync) that would mirror certain folders onto an EHD. Plus, I backup online with Backblaze. That system seemed to work pretty well. Because the software did the mirroring, I didn't have to keep track of what I had backed up. Every time I plugged in the EHD, it would automatically make any changes since the last backup - both additions and deletions. I don't have that software on my laptop, though, so I'm now using Backblaze plus using Windows backup to back up to the EHD. It also keeps track of what's been backed up and only copies the changed files.

Before I started using these systems, I'd end up with multiple copies of files and kind of lost track of things. I'm in the middle of untangling the mess now, and am having to find and delete multiple duplicates of files. What a pain!

[Nettio]

I am way to lazy to move files by hand, haha, so I always use software for backing up and syncing my files. When I had a PC I used a program called Acronis True Image. On my Mac, I use a combination of Time Machine and Carbon Copy Cloner. The nice thing is you can set these up to be automated so it'll remind you if you've gone too long between updates, etc. My ideal setup would be for all this to happen wirelessly but I haven't taken the steps to make that happen quite yet.

Since I'm on a laptop, I don't like to keep my EHDs plug-in all the time, so I aim to backup my files every Friday. Sometimes it's longer or shorter depending on what I've been doing that week, but since I also use Backblaze, I figure that covers me for the time between backups.

[maryinaz]

Backblaze is my primary backup. I have an EHD that has some stuff on it, but not everything.

I'm in the same place as you - wanting to start scrapping on a laptop, so I'm moving some photos and my digi-scrapping supplies to the EHD.

For my EHD, I usually just delete everything and then reload it. However, like I said, it doesn't have everything on it and I don't do that very often since I have Backblaze. I may have to get more organized though if I do start scrapping on a laptop.

[dailydwellin]

I think something automated would work perfectly. I'm going to look into the PC program you used, Lynnette.

[Txcorey]

I found a free program a few months ago called SyncToy. Before using that, I would copy my entire digital folder to my ehd to backup and this took hours. I started researching a way that I could just copy the new stuff that needed to be backed up. Enter in SyncToy. They have three different backups that you can choose and I do the "mirror" backup so that my digital file on my laptop is the primary and the folder on my ehd is the backup. It's much easier to do this way than the method I was using previously.

[MamaBee]

We use Crashplan... all the laptops are automatically updated up to Crashplan daily... then we do have a server that I move things over when I think of it - not ideal... which in turn is copied to an EHD and updated to Crashplan.

[rach3975]

I have BackBlaze running continuously, and I have a "New Downloads" folder that hold everything until I get around to backing it up. I've tried automatic software, but I've always had problems with it. Maybe it's because I go too long without backing up (often a few months) or maybe I needed better software, but too many of my backups failed and needed to be started from scratch. Manual backup is a bit of a pain, but at least it has been reliable for me.

[kscwgirl]

I have backblaze running as well. I keep all my digi supplies on my EHD and that is backed up daily.