Great Freeware: SyncBack
Simple automated backup and synchronization tool for Windows.
Posted Sep 17, 2007
The four year old program SyncBack from 2BrightSparks is a flexible and free way to backup any data you've got. Within 10 minutes of downloading this program I had an automated backup plan in place. It's really that easy.
Backup specific folders or (if you're not the organized type) specify a file type like .psd and SyncBack can watch entire hard drives, backing up any file of that type. Should you have the space, SyncBack can also store multiple copies of the same file, creating a library of all historical versions of that file.
SyncBack grants a lot of control to the user when comparing files during a sync/backup. Older and newer files may be compared and overwritten based on size, date modified, or an MD5 checksum, detecting even the slightest modifications.
The best thing about SyncBack is that I don't know it's there 99% of the time. The program is only 1.63mb when downloaded. When running it uses few system resources. In fact it only opens during scheduled backups - then, after a backup completes, the program closes. And should I be using the computer during scheduled backup time, SyncBack can be set to wait until the system goes idle before starting.
Surprisingly full featured for a free program, SyncBack offers FTP and zip compression of backups, network login access, simulation runs, and backing up to removable media. Luckily, all the features don't bog down the interface. It's well laid out with plenty of tabs and large icons.
If you don't have a backup system in place - you've got no excuse now. SyncBack is a powerful and free option that won't slow your computer down.