Anyone know a backup program LIKE Macrium? I want a 2nd backup program

Hi,

I’m looking for help finding a second backup program in addition to Macrium which I currently use.

I want this second backup program in case Macrium fails. It has once, as have other backup software (I didn't check the Macrium log files to learn a Windows file was corrupted - Macirum wouldn't restore a backup with corrupted Windows file).

I do daily incremental system and data backups. I start a new full backup cycle the first of every month. I want to use one program (Macrium) to backup to one hard drive and another program (still looking) to backup to another drive. Each month I also save full copies to external hard drives.

I need a backup program that lets me edit my monthly backup configurations like Macrium does. I’ve tried Acronis, Aomei, Ashampoo and EaseUS but found them wanting. With these programs, to create a new backup at the beginning of every month, you must create it from scratch. You cannot edit the existing one. This is annoying when you have to select a lot of data folders and files rather than a whole drive.

I’ve searched the Internet but can't find anything that meets my needs. Quite a few backup programs seem to offer only instantaneous/live backups. What I need are historical/daily incremental backups I can retrieve if my system fails or I need to retrieve an earlier copy of a document.

The software you recommend can be free or commercial. I’d rather not have command line software, though. Something LIKE Macrium would be great. I just don't want to have to rely on it. I've been burnt too many times by backup software failing on me.

My thanks in advance for your suggestions and advice.

I have a Dell Precision T7910 workstation running Windows 10 Professional Build 18363.1556

It depends on your backup strategy and this is my best backup/sync tools list:
- Goodsync
- Gs Richcopy 360
-Syncback
-AOMEI Backupper
-Acronis True Image

Litfeg said:

With these programs, to create a new backup at the beginning of every month, you must create it from scratch. You cannot edit the existing one.

Yes I read the thread but I'm a bit lost on what you want/need and these details.

Among the options I have tried, my favorite is AOMEI. Yes you can edit the properties of the backup, however I don't know what's what you want to change there, editing is different depending the type of backup you selected, so perhaps expanding your needs we could suggest something.

Litfeg said:

to create a new backup at the beginning of every month, you must create it from scratch.

AOMEI allows you to schedule your backups, meaning you don't have to do anything every day/week or month, the program will do it automatically, be it differential or incremental.

Litfeg said:

This is annoying when you have to select a lot of data folders and files rather than a whole drive.

You can choose to backup files and folders yes, but you can also backup an entire disk or even just a partition.

At least under my working circumstances I always use Disk backup, then I only update it incrementally or deferentially, it saves me a lot of work.

Hi,

Thanks for all your comments. I very much appreciate them.

Apologies for not replying sooner, but the last week has been crazy.

Thanks also for your suggested backup programs. I've tried a few of them and found them wanting. I'll look at the others though.

Specifically for hroldan:

This November 1, 2022 with Macrium I created two NEW Incremental backups a) system backup b) folders and files from various drives. These two backups run every day. On November 1 as full backups, thereafter as incremental backups.

On December 1, 2022 again with Macrium, I will create two NEW incremental backups, again a) system backup b) various folder and file backups. These two backups will NOT be continuations/incremental additions to the backups I created in November, 2022. The December 1, 2002 backups will be FULL backups. For each succeeding day in December there will be incremental backups to these two FULL backups.

With Macrium, on December 1, 2022 I can edit my November 1, 2022 backups a) to change the FOLDER where the new DECEMBER FULL backups (and the subsequent daily incremental backups) will be saved b) make these NEW backups completely independent of the November backups (SEE BELOW WHERE I SAY I CANNOT DO THIS IN AOEMEI) c) change whatever other settings I want to these NEW backups (add/delete folders/files, change run times etc.).

NOW AOEMEI: I see you can edit AOMEI backup files. However, when I do this I encounter a problem. Again, for November I have two AOMEI backups a) system backup b) folder and file backups. On DECEMBER 1, 2022, I will want two NEW BACKUPS that are completely UNRELATED to my November backups. They will be in new folders. The FIRST backups on December 1, 2022 will be a FULL BACKUPS. For the rest of December INCREMENTAL backups will be created daily.

So, I edit my November AOMEI backups to create a) first FULL backups in two new folders b) then daily incremental backups for the rest of December. HOWEVER . . .

When I do these edits I get the message that all the backup files created in NOVEMBER (full and incremental) will be moved from their current folders to the new folder I have created for my December backups. THIS IS WHERE I THING I HAVE A PROBLEM.

In Macrium the new backups I created on the first of the month do not have any relationship or dependence on the backups I created the previous month. In AOMEI though, it seems that the new backups I am attempting to create on the first of every month SEEM TO HAVE SOME RELATIONSHP OR DEPENDENCE on the backups I created the previous month. Otherwise why would AOMEI want to transfer the backups in the November folder into the new folder where I will be storing the December backups?

Here is why I want new INDEPENDENT backups every month. A problem may arise with say, one of my November incremental backups. Perhaps there is an irreparable disk error on the part of the hard drive where one of the incremental backups is stored. My understanding is that every SUBSEQUENT incremental backup will be irrecoverable: the integrity (restorability) of each incremental backup is dependent on the integrity of each previous incremental backup. I DO NOT WANT ONE LONG CHAIN OF BACKUPS WHERE A BREAK IN ONE LINK (BACKUP) RUINS EVERY OTHER SUBSEQUENT LINK (BACKUP).

Perhaps creating a new AOMEI FULL BACKUP every month in a series of incremental backups obviates this problem. However, I do not want to risk finding this out. I have been burnt too many times by backup programs that have failed because of software flaws/bugs (happened once with AOMEI) or system flaws (bad disk sectors, corrupted Windows files - happened with Macruim). This is why I now want to use TWO backup programs.

As far as I can see there is one only way to create a new AOMEI backup file that creates backups unrelated and not dependent on previous backups. You delete the existing AOMEI backup file and create a new one from scratch.

As I WROTE in my original post this is time consuming when every month you are backing up numerous individual folders and files. I don't want to back up whole drives as you can pretty quickly fill up even 10 TB hard drives when you are daily backing up 250 GB of data. RELIABLE 10 TB drives are still expensive. I think the last one cost me about $240.

So, I'm looking for a backup program like Macrium in that it lets me a) create NEW backups ( i) system ii) selected folders and files from various drives) every month by EDITING the PREVIOUS month backup programs b) creating NEW FULL THEN INCREMENTAL BACKUPS that are independent/unrelated to whatever backups the EDITED backup programs have previously created.

Sorry to be so detailed in my account of what I am looking for and what I find wanting in AOEMEI, but this time I want to make sure you understand my concerns.

Thanks again for your responses and suggestions. I very much appreciate them.