www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

I have ditched my WD Smartware installation because it fails to back up some documents for some reason (I have tried several times, including updating and re-installing).

I have now formatted my external hard drive and done a full backup using Windows 7 Backup and Restore, which seems to have been successful.

However, I have read that, contrary to Microsoft's assurances, it will not perform differential backups. Time will tell, of course, but does anyone have any experience one way or the other?

If it does not do differential backups, can anyone recommend a third party backup software (paid or, preferably free!) that will definitely do differentials?

Many thanks.

Strange, I have the same but using Windows 8. It seems to work fine. What is it not backing up? Are these system files or personal documents

Personally I never back up the OS, just personal files as I as I use Chrome and Google Drive for email, there is no need to back up emails, preferences etc

A reinstall is nice every few years to give the PC a 'spring clean'

DIY_Johnny wrote:Strange, I have the same but using Windows 8. It seems to work fine. What is it not backing up? Are these system files or personal documents

The one I noticed when I checked is an important personal document. I haven't lost it, of course, but if I hadn't checked and something happened to my computer I might have done. What worried me is that there might have been many other missing files from the backup, and I hadn't time to search through everything to check. My fears were confirmed when I read many people's experiences of SmartWare not being very smart!

DIY_Johnny wrote:Personally I never back up the OS, just personal files as I as I use Chrome and Google Drive for email, there is no need to back up emails, preferences etc

A reinstall is nice every few years to give the PC a 'spring clean'

I can see the sense in this, but deleting everything and reinstalling Windows, to say nothing of all the programmes I have, puts me off.

John Robinson wrote:
If it does not do differential backups, can anyone recommend a third party backup software (paid or, preferably free!) that will definitely do differentials?

Many thanks.

I'm not exactly sure on the terminology, so this might be bunkum as far as what you want.

I have an external (additional) hard-drive on which I keep copies of all my photos,invoices,tax info etc etc; I use a freebie programme which copies the info over every day and obviously updates any changes.

It's a bit clunky and not vastly intuitive but it's comprehensible.

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp

some more here,

http://alternativeto.net/software/replicator/

Thanks Ayjay. Although I've never heard of that one, it looks the job.

If the Windows programme doesn't do differential backups, it might be worth a shot.