Free Network Backup
Have you ever lost sleep at night worrying about the funny scraping noise your hard drive was starting to make and trying to remember if you backed up any of your photos or files in the last year?
I have the cure for your insomnia. Read on and I'll show you how to cobble together a Network Backup system with Network Magic and Microsoft SyncToy.
Overview
Microsoft has a nifty free app called SyncToy that allows you to do many different types of file synchronization between folders. By using the Network Magic Shared Folders feature, you can also set it up to do syncrhonization across your network from one computer (Backup "Source") to another computer (Backup "Target"). I'll also show you how to use the task scheduler on Windows XP to make it automatically happen every night at 3am.Here are the prerequisites for the steps in this post:
- Install Network Magic on at least 2 PCs (The backup "Source" and the backup "Target")
- Download and install SyncToy on the Backup Source PC
- Create a Network Magic Shared Folder on the Backup Target PC where you want
your backups to go
Okay, if you're sitting comfortably, let's begin:
1. Open SyncToy and click on the "Create New Folder Pair" button.
2. On page 1 of the wizard, set the Left Folder to be the Backup Source location you want to backup. In my case, I like to keep a backup of things under "My Documents". Then hit Next.
3. On page 2, click on the Browse button for the right folder pair.
4. This will bring up the Browse for Folder dialog. You can use the "Network Magic Folders" node to easily navigate to the shared folder on your network where you want the backups to be stored - the Backup Target. Once you are done, click OK and then Next on the Wizard page.
5. On the 3rd page of the Wizard you will be asked what type of sync operation you want to perform. For doing backups, I prefer to use the "Echo" option. This will perform a one-way sync always from the source machine to the target machine. It's useful incase I ever want to modify the target machine files - (e.g. archive them into a .zip file) and I don't want the changes to affect my desktop PC. Click Next when you're done.
6. On the final page of the Wizard enter a name for your backup. Pick something easy to remember as we'll us this again later when setup an automatic schedule.
7. OK... We're half way there. Now you can go into Sync Toy at any time and perform a backup. But, let's automate it, so that our backups happen at 3am every day. First step is to open the Scheduled Tasks application from the Control Panel, and choose "Add Scheduled Task"
8. On Page 1 of the Scheduled Task Wizard, choose SyncToy for the program to schedule. Then click Next.
9. On the Next Page, choose the Daily Option and click Next. On the next 2 screens (Not shown here), enter the time you want to start and also your Windows username and password. Task Scheduler will use this logon information to get access to your documents if nobody is logged into the machine. Make sure the Windows username you select has permissions to access to the folder you want to sync.
10. On the Last Page, check the "Open Advanced Properties" option and click Finish.
11. Now for the final step, when the Advanced properties come up you need to add the following to the end of the command:
-R "[Your SyncToy Task Name]"
where [Your SyncToy Task Name] is the name you chose in step 6. If the name has spaces in it, it needs to be enclosed in quotes.
That should do it, fresh automatic backups every day. I hope you sleep well tonight.
Comments
Perhaps the 2nd best reason to buy Network Magic is this capability. SyncToy is, by far, the best backup utility I've used as an IT Disaster Recovery Professional or as a Home Network user. I know, because I paid $119 for an updated copy of one from a large storage vendor for the PC harddrive that it originally came with. That backup tool is not even close to being as good or easy to use as the FREE SyncToy backup facility. Now that $119 item sits unused; the money spent is a total loss. It was Pure Genius by the folks at Pure Networks to realize that linking two of the easiest and MOST IMPORTANT facilities every PC user NEEDS was a valuable contribution to the PC community. Bravo! for this work and for Network Magic. Encore! Encore!
Mike Meder
Posted by: Michael Meder | April 27, 2006 06:52 PM
I have a Gateway Wireless Laptop, that Pings with Internet Explorer, but won't get me online useing Aol.com, the router is working fine, I have an excellant cinnection with it, but I still cannot connect with aol, I am so CONFUSED. Can this problem be solved ?.
Posted by: Joseph Ratican | April 27, 2006 08:52 PM
Network Magic and Second Copy v7 (http://www.centered.com/products.html). Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!
-Al
Posted by: Al Udell | April 28, 2006 07:43 AM
Is there any chance that network magic will have a backup utility as part of the software. I think we can all set up what was just proposed and I'm about to do it myself but an integrated backup utility in the network magic software would be awesome.
Please let me know if this is any where in the works.
JEO
Posted by: Jonathan Osborn | May 4, 2006 10:31 PM
I think that would be a great feature to add!
We don't have any plans to include such a feature any time soon, but perhaps one our devs might tackle it as a Network Magic Labs project.
Thx,
-Brett
Posted by: Brett Marl | May 4, 2006 10:42 PM
Nice site! David
Posted by: wcyqd@yahoo.com | June 4, 2006 10:55 AM
I've got two computers and it looks straight forward except for one thing: How do I connect the computers together? Can I use an ethernet cable directly between the two machines or do I need them both plugged into a hub. I was hoping to find a way to connect through usb ports, but that might be like perpetual energy, a pipe dream. Obviously I'm a novice but maybe others have the same question.
Thanks,
~Dan
Posted by: Dan Kroll | September 27, 2007 02:56 AM
Hi Dan,
Thanks for the post - to connect the two computers together you need a Router and an ethernet card (wired or wireless) in each PC.
If you want a wireless router - check out the Linksys WRT54G - it's a great basic device to get started with.
Once you get both computers hooked up, download and install Network Magic and check out "Shared Folders" - you'll be moving files between your PCs in no time at all.
Thx,
-Brett
Posted by: brett | September 27, 2007 03:13 AM