Best backup software and external hard drive

[RetiredGuy1000]

So, I am in the middle of a situation where my Macrium image was created with corruptions. Apparently, this was an issue with Macrium. Luckily, I had a second backup. Redundancy is crucial.

I can't be redundant with everything. If I don't have a backup and if the client doesn't have a backup, data is forever lost.

So, it occurred to me to use only the best backup software and best external drive to ensure that my backup files are all validated and safe.

1. Backup software- don't tell me Macrium free edition is the best. They just ripped a hole through my client's data, But the paid version does Auto-verify backup data. Not so in the free edition. This brings them back up in my mind in terms of quality. Is Macrium still 'one of the best' in your view?
2. External drives-Seems with the advent of SSD that external drives that are thought to be leading would all be SSD drives. Is that the case? Any favorites?

 

[Diggs]

There are many "backup" programs that should work flawless for you. Acronis, Aomei, etc. Heck - I just installed Cobain backup for a customer so she could see her files "as is" instead of compressed into a set. Macrium (IMHO) does cloning better than anyone especially on UEFI 5 partition drives.

Nothing wrong with spinners for backup images. SSDs are a bit expensive to use to save terabytes of images. Their claim to fame is low seek times which isn't an issue on backing up or storing images.

 

[RetiredGuy1000]

Interesting.

I seem to be constantly dropping my external drive to the floor. Largely because it is usually connected to my laptop and when I get up sometimes I forget that the drive is attached via usb. Crash.

So, I guess I was looking for more impact protection which I perceive SSDs do have more of compared to spinners.

 

[Diggs]

A NAS is the way to go for large storage but I've discussed that NASs are too slow for me when backing up images or even large FABs directories. I use a DAS now and it stays on the shelf. I'd send you my old NAS (Netgear NV+) but I don't wish that slow thing on anyone - heh.

https://www.technibble.com/forums/threads/nas-to-das.83040/

 

[Moltuae]

Macrium Reflect has never let me down in well over a decade of using it. IMO it's the best there is, hands down. If your backups have corruptions, most likely the issue is with the storage medium not the backups per se. And the free edition does do auto-verify (assuming you enable it). Are you sure you're using the latest version? In any case, the workstation edition is very inexpensive and well worth paying for.

 

[Your PCMD]

Not going to say its the best, but I have never had any issue with Macrium. You need to have the latest version: v7.2.4440 - which solves "many" of the issues people were having, the main one, clones failing with error 9.

Everything below is subjective and take with a grain of salt.

You didn't specify, but do you want free or paid for backup software? Note that its uncommon to find free anything for use in commercial. You can in many instances use free versions on a clients machine if you install said version on their machine as technically, it is a personal machine.

There is no "the best" as over the years I have used pretty much everything out there and find it boils down to the configuration of the backup. You always want to do an image 1st, then incremental backups there after as I have had much success this way, granted, this is all my opinion, your mileage may vary.

Cobian Backup, Duplicati and FBackup are free and can even be used in a commercial environment. EaseUS Todo Backup is free also and cheap if you decide to buy it, just can't use it for commercial work unless you pay out the nose monthly for the technicians license.

Personally, I use Cobain and Duplicati for clients - depending on their needs. However, for shop use, sorry not sorry to say, its Macrium for me. Yes its expensive and $700/yr but my cost is justified at the volume I use it making 8-10 the amount I pay for it during the course of the year in just cloning.

For external drives, I use an external hard drive enclosure, either USB or USB-C type for cheap and a Silicon Power or Kingston SSD for residential or WD and Samsung for businesses.

But, all this is my opinion and experience and I am sure others will chime in with their favorites and opinions.

 

[Galdorf]

NVME enclosure is the way to go dropping it no problem like regular hard drives NVME prices have gone down quite a bit and if used on usb3 and above much faster.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=nvme+enclosure

 

[RetiredGuy1000]

NVME enclosure is the way to go

Yes, I just bought a 1TB NVME for my laptop. I think it was $100.

There is no "the best"

I hear ya. I like Macrium. It is possible it was my external drive, But I plan on paying $75 for the Macrium commercial product. I haven't lost the faith. Its real discouraging to do a backup and then when you go to restore, all you have is crap. If that. Im real focused on verifiable backups now.

 

[RetiredGuy1000]

A NAS is the way to go

Yeah, my NAS drives(two x 4TB) are all full. I just got two new 4TB drives that I plan to swap them out with so I can have some offsite storage,

 

[frase]

Macrium is awesome, never failed me either. I like the fact one can select certain partitions to clone/backup. This is good for certain systems coming from one branded system to another, as one an remove the recovery partition etc to save space. I most always advise client's (and to make some extra $$) to have a backup system if they have not. Business client's are a different MSP story altogether

 

[labtech]

SSDs aren't so good for long term storage/archiving.
Since the data recording is electric based, over time, the charge can decay, thus losing data and ultimately resulting in corrupt files.
SSDs need to be powered on so very often to keep the charges fresh (this is why it makes sense more to use for all say usage in machines).
I am not sure how often, as there isn't much testing done, but i would say powering on at least once a week/month would be good enough.

 

[MDD1963]

I've used Macrium to clone from HDD to SSD a few times without issues, so, cannot speculate as to what might have gone wrong with the process and or procedure in the exact details of your case and it's failure to work...(I use Macrium to clone 2nd to 3rd offline drives via an IcyDock 5.25" bay that accepts one of each 2.5" and 3.5" drives, vice installing Macrium and cloning an 'in-use'/active/booted OS...)

Perhaps the paid version of Acronis True Image 2020 would be useful if you lack confidence in Macrium Reflect...(There is a free version if you have any sort of WD drive connected, be it internal or external)

I do know that although the next option is not pretty and lacks any GUI whatsoever, I've also used Clonezilla to clone/image several multiboot/multiparitioned drives, and, tested restore with them to confirm it works, and, it has every time I've tested it. (It is also no where near as easy as with Macrium or Acronis, each of which requires only 3 or 4 clicks at most to do the job...) CLonezilla's text-based menus are not as intuitive, and you must read carefully to figure out if they are even asking for you to point to source drive or destination drive; naturally, choosing the wrong source or destination can be catastrophic if you were to accidentally image an empty drive over to the intended source, etc...; it does give several warning summary descriptions of what is going to happen, however)

https://clonezilla.org/screenshots/?in_path=/00_Clonezilla

 

[RetiredGuy1000]

forgetting the time involved(because it does take more time to reinstall programs and to transfer data mainly), isn't a fresh install better than an in-place upgrade from, say, Win8 to 10? Doesn't it get rid of any potential Malware and bad software?

 

[Diggs]

isn't a fresh install better than an in-place upgrade from

Yes! Always! Please!!! ..and it gets rid of vendor bloatware that comes with every computer. I always strive for a fresh install but some customers have so much accumulated apps and stuff over the years that some of it can not be readily replaced (although should be). I give them the long talk of fresh is always better than preserved and then upgrade them in place.

 

[Umbra]

For software , Macrium Reflect (paid version for its very fast perpetual incremental backup/restore).

For example : full backup from SSD to HDD of a 40gb system on i5 8th Gen. With 8gb RAM take around 5mn then following incrementals around 1-2mn.

 

[Galdorf]

SSDs aren't so good for long term storage/archiving.
Since the data recording is electric based, over time, the charge can decay, thus losing data and ultimately resulting in corrupt files.
SSDs need to be powered on so very often to keep the charges fresh (this is why it makes sense more to use for all say usage in machines).
I am not sure how often, as there isn't much testing done, but i would say powering on at least once a week/month would be good enough.

Problem is everything degrades over time recordable cd/dvd have least shelf life found out hard way i made personal backups on cd in 80's now most of it is unreadable even hard drive platters degrade over time nothing lasts forever.

Media Estimated Lifespan
Magnetic data (tapes) Up to 10 years
Nintendo cartridge 10-20 years
Floppy disk 10-20 years
CDs and DVDs 5-10 unrecorded, 2-5 recorded
Blu-Ray Not certain, probably over 2-5 recorded
M-Disc 1,000 years (theoretically)
Hard disk 3-5 years
Flash storage 5-10 years or more (depends on write cycles)

https://blog.storagecraft.com/data-storage-lifespan/

 

[TechPJC]

Macrium Reflect

 

[Mick]

Yep, modern storage technology's rubbish. Time to go old school:

Punched card - 130 years.
Carved stone tablet - 5,500 years.
Paint on a cave wall - 40,000 years.

All this electrickery nonsense is just a passing fad. Mechanical storage, that's the way to go!

I know that's tongue-in-cheek, but there's some truth in it. I always tell my domestic customers: If you have a priceless photo or similar - something you really can't afford to lose - print it. After all, we still have the Magna Carta...