Backing up to an external hard drive

[Herald]

I have an external hard drive that I use to periodically back up my Windows 7 machine. Is there a way I can back up only new and edited files without having to delete everything on my external HD drive and then transfer all the files from my computer back onto the external HD?

 

[Tim]

Windows 7 has such a feature.

See, e.g.,

Windows 7's Built-in Backup | PCWorld

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

I have an external hard drive that I use to periodically back up my Windows 7 machine. Is there a way I can back up only new and edited files without having to delete everything on my external HD drive and then transfer all the files from my computer back onto the external HD?

I have used InSync for years and it supports the feature you describe as it is something I also like to have in my backups.

Dillobits Software Windows Backup and Time Sync Software

 

[Leslie]

If you click on "view" you can order your files according to date modified. Whenever I'm about to back up, I put the current date onto the names of the files on my laptop. When I look at the list on the external hard drive, it's possible to delete only the files before the current date, either before or after loading the current date files.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

I'm a big fan of GoodSync: GoodSync: File Synchronization Software, File Backup, File Sync

I use it to regularly sync hard-drives on the same system or even to sync drives across the network for different computers. For instance, I have a Network Attached Storage device that syncs to an Online backup system (CrashPlan) and I can synchronize changed files from multiple computers to that drive over the network. Alternatively, I can sync files from one folder to another folder on an external drive.

As one example, I use my desktop for iTunes. When I go on the road, I sync my iTunes folder on my desktop with the iTunes folder on my laptop and then I can use my laptop as my primary iTunes app. When I return from travel, I sync back to the desktop to account for any apps or podcasts I've downloaded or listened to and everything is back up to date on the desktop.

As a second example, my wife and I both use Photoshop Lightroom. Whenever I add new photos to my Lightroom, I sync to her Pictures folder and everything is updated on her machine so she sees precisely what I do.

As a third example, I perform one-way backups that only looks for files I've added since my last backup and it backs up in one direction to the destination computer.

The app is very powerful. I could go on and on.

 

[Herald]

Great suggestions, everybody. The computer I am using is my company computer. It is locked down tight. I need administrator permission to make any changes. The only thing they were willing to do was allow me to use the Windows 7 back up feature. They set it to work with my external HD and automatically back up each evening.