Microsoft SyncToy - An easy and free backup tool from Microsoft

Title: SyncToy 2.0
Purpose: Synchronize files, folders and hard drives as a means to back up your information
My use: I back up my photos and personal files on my home computer
Where can you get it: Microsoft
Platforms: Windows XP, Vista

I found this little piece of software when setting up a backup strategy for my computer. My machine is not cutting edge by any means, in fact it is very average, but it does contain a number of important files including 65 GB of pictures plus other personal file such as financials, resumes, etc. I wanted an easy back-up strategy without having to buy an expensive external drive with some "lite" version of backup software.

My backup strategy is two-pronged: 1) I use CD's and DVD's to backup my data 2) I have a second hard drive installed in my computer that I use strictly for quick on the fly backups. On my computer I run Win XP pro with NTFS enabled. I formatted the extra drive in Fat32 so if I pull it from this computer I can easily hook it to another and be able to readily read the files. Formatting a second drive to Fat32 will be the subject of another upcoming post, suffice it to say that Windows XP Pro would not format a 100GB drive to Fat32 for me. Also, note that using a multi-media back up strategy (CD's, DVDs, and a second hard drive) is always a good idea since no one media format is perfectly reliable. Have a read through Robin Harris' blog post on long term personal data storage over at ZDnet.

Focusing on the hard drive, I use a tool from Microsfot called "SyncToy." It allows me to make exact copies of folders I choose on my backup drive. It's relatively easy to use but the settings can be a bit confusing with options of Synchronize, Echo, Subscribe, Contribute, and Combine. Off hand, can you tell the difference between these?...neither can I. Fortunately the software gives narrative descriptions of each option so read carefully and think about what you are doing.

In short SyncToy will allow a user to compare two folders (one on the left and one on the right in the diaglogue box) and decide how to manage copies of files between the folders. For backup, I only use "Contribute". It only copies new files appearing in the left-hand-side folder to the folder on the right. Other options such as "Synchronize" ensures the folders have exactly the same content. With "Synchronize" if something is deleted from the left-hand side folder it is removed from the right-hand side. Do you see the danger here, it is possible to delete files you are trying to back-up and keep.

Here is the interface...pretty simple with folders on the left and the right:



Here are the folder pair options - read the descriptions on the right very carefully:




Give it a try - do you think it will work for you? What do you like or dislike about this program? Do you know of other good options for freeware backup?