New
#11
The file backup programs I've seriously looked at and used (4 or 5 over 20 years) all work in about the same way. They differ in usability and interface. Some are better in those respects than others.
A key concept in all of them is "mirroring". You can say yes to mirroring or no. I say yes. You would say no.
Yes would mean that I DO NOT want to keep older versions of files. If I delete dog.jpg from my "originals", I also want it to be deleted from my backup.
As I understand it, you would want to KEEP all modified versions of dog.jpg. That is often called "versioning" and should be a clear-cut choice in the configuration. You'd end up with something like dog.jpg, dog (1).jpg, dog (2).jpg, dog (3).jpg, etc. Each version of dog in the same folder would be given a modified name to avoid over-writing.
I've never used versioning, so there are no doubt nuances I am unaware of, but it's doable. Lots of people like you that want to keep older versions of a given file.
I've used Second Copy (30 bucks, free 30 day trial). Excellent interface and in development for 20 years or so.
Currently using SyncBackFree for the last 3 years or so. No issues. Lots of configuration options. I back up 99000 files 2 or 3 times a day. Typically takes 90 seconds using SSD as the source and a slow spinning drive as a destination. I make or modify a couple of dozen files a day on average.
There is a paid version with features I don't need.
Have tried FreeFileSync, but didn't like the interface.
Karen's Replicator is another well-regarded program.
The end result is much like doing a drag and drop or copy/paste. No "image". No further complications. I run SyncBackFree with a single mouse click at will.
You can set up multiple "profiles". For instance 1 to backup ALL files; another to back up highly critical files, another to back up bookmarks only, another to back up video files only. Your choice. You select what folders and files--either by deliberate inclusion or deliberate exclusion.
Not sure how you would set it up to back up to a different folder each day. You say you want to each backup to land in a different folder (Monday, Tuesday, each day of the week). I don't do that. My destination folder is the same every time.
I suspect you could set up 7 profiles, each with the same source, but a different destination...one for each day of the week. Run the Monday profile on Monday, Tuesday profile on Tuesday, etc. If you did that, presumably you WOULD want mirroring because the destinations are different for each profile and you would NOT be in danger of over-writing.