Backups - egnomerator/misc GitHub Wiki

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System Image Backup

File Sync

Note: this is about local only backups

  • I haven't found a free cloud solution that provides enough space and adequate performance
  • I expect that at some point in the future I'll update this article to include such a service

Well over a year ago I went through a few days of intense research attempting to find the best free backup options for my personal use, and I settled on a couple of tools:

  • Macrium Reflect Free for my system image backups
    • I use Macrium Reflect to create weekly full system image backups and have also successfully used this tool to install a backup image to a replacement machine
  • SyncBackFree for synchronized backups of specific areas in my file system
    • I use SyncBackFree to keep a synced (every 2 hours) mirror of my files on an external HDD

After using these tools for well over a year now, I am supremely satisfied with the quality and reliability of each of these tools.

My Criteria

Scheduling: I wanted to schedule backups and then forget about them.

Space Management: I didn't want to have to monitor my space usage and worry about running out of storage space.

Highly Configurable: I wanted the full-nerd settings (because they make a difference).

Profiles: While granular control is great, it can also be a burden. I wanted to thoroughly configure once, then tweak and reuse.

Documentation: I wanted at least enough documentation to know how to setup, configure, and maintain/update the tools.

Reliability: I wanted the tools to prove themselves over time, and in different situations.

How Did These Tools Measure Up?

In short, I could not possibly be happier. Each of these tools were clearly crafted with great care and pride -- well planned, well designed, robust, and reliable.

Scheduling

Each tool has the ability to set backup schedules with many different scheduling options.

Space Management

Macrium Reflect

  • You can configure automated space management by setting a max capacity usage or a max image count before deleting the oldest image
  • Differential backups is an option in the free version
    • (paid version includes incremental backups)
  • Compression options are included

SyncBackFree

  • This tool includes numerous configuration options that can help automate space-saving (including compression options)

Highly Configurable

Each tool has many configuration options including encryption, compression, scripting, cloud service integration, etc.

Macrium had everything I wanted and more.

And, SyncBackFree blew my mind with the level of granular control it offers (SyncBackFree especially shines here). It's list of configuration options goes on nearly endlessly. I won't go into all the options since their existing documentation covers this thoroughly. SyncBackFree also has a simple mode for users who would rather not get into the weeds with configuration settings.

Profiles

Each of these tools has the ability to save configuration settings and duplicate them for a new profile. Macrium uses the term "Backup Definition File."

Documentation

Macrium Reflect

  • Macrium's knowledgebase URL is in the links section at the top of this article
  • There are also some helpful tips in the actual tool

SyncBackFree

  • This tool's documentation is a local CHM file and it is AMAZING-ly thorough and well organized
  • From anywhere in the (very complex) tool, there is a help button that takes the user to the applicable documentation

Reliability

Over the past year, I've been incredibly pleased with each tool.

A special note on Macrium Reflect

  • I had to replace my machine a few months ago and when I got the new machine, it was a beautifully simple and painless process to restore my most recent system image onto the new machine. It was like I never even switched to a new machine.
  • Macrium includes its own PE (Preinstallation Environment) tools that worked without the tiniest hiccup

Additional Considerations

Performance and Resources Consumption

Note: For context at a high level, my machine has an i7 processor and 16GB RAM (this has been the case during the entirety of my experience with these tools).

Macrium Reflect

  • I have Macrium Reflect scheduled to run at a time I don't use my computer. However, I ran it many times manually for testing and it did not seem to hog resources -- I was able to continue using my machine while it was running and didn't have any issues.

SyncBackFree

  • I configured this tool to run as a service every 2 hours and I never notice it
  • There are numerous configuration settings that can affect how long the backup process takes
  • With my configuration it takes only seconds to run through backup processes for TBs of data
    • I have it configured to check for changes and only make updates to the backup files based on what has changed

Regarding VSS

Macrium Reflect uses VSS during its image backup process.

SyncBackFree does not use VSS. VSS is available as a configuration option in the Pro version.

I personally used SyncBackFree for many months and was very pleased. Once enough time had elapsed that I felt confident in the tool, I bought the Pro version so I could take advantage of VSS. The free version was wonderful, and the paid version was well worth it for the use of VSS alone.

Logging

Macrium Reflect

  • It logs the details of every backup process with success or fail indication.

SyncBackFree

  • This tool's logging is thorough and readable in a browser. It keeps just one most recent log per profile (paid version has a configurable limit).

Interesting Hardware Discovery

Macrium Reflect revealed that my Surface Dock is defective (or if not defective then designed to not handle heavy data traffic). I never really had any issues with connectivity, but once I started using Macrium, the Surface Dock was put to the test with intense operations.

I use a Surface Pro 4 with the Surface Dock. I also use an ANKER USB hub and have a few external HDDs and one external SSD connected.

I decided to have Macrium save the images to my SSD. I noticed that about 50% of the backup attempts would fail and I'd have to manually kick them off again.

At first I was concerned that this was Macrium Reflect's fault. It was not.

I tested multiple different hardware connection configurations

  • SSD to USB HUB to Dock to Surface
  • SSD directly to Surface
  • SSD to Dock to Surface
  • SSD to USB HUB to Surface
  • all the configurations above substituting other external HDDs for the SSD

I found that, as long as my Surface Dock was not involved, the backups would always succeed.

Throughout all that testing and after the testing over the many more months of use with my chosen configuration, Macrium Reflect has proven itself wonderfully reliable. Sidenote: so has my ANKER USB hub.

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