Backup Material

It has been quite a while since I specifically visited the subject of Sync & Backup Tools (freeware).

Since then there have been lots of new tools and applications developed so I thought I would return with a link-dump of sorts.

Generally, my own personal backup strategy remains a bit pragmatic. Wish I could be much more organized like ComptuerZen’s Scott Hanselman.

• On Losing Data and a Family Backup Strategy - Scott Hanselman
• A basic non-cloud-based personal backup strategy - Scott Hanselman
• BACKUP YOUR CRAP: Missing Operating System, Backups, Disk Images, Home Servers, BootRec, BootMgr, RebuildBCD, FixBoot and Problems, Plural - Scott Hanselman

Here then are a few simple routines I use for different purposes, followed by a list-of-lists of various freeware backup programs.

Collections to USB

I have a few “production” folders on my main system that contain a deep collection of portable applications, how-to documents, reference materials, common third-party browser plugin updates, and incident response checklists and guides. These are replicated to a number of USB sticks and portable USB hard-drives for use in the field.

For this type of situation, what I need more is a synchronization program rather than a true “backup” application.

The one I always reach for is DSYNCHRONIZE from Dimo’s Tools. It has lots of options and is quite fast. AddictiveTips blog has recent post going over its finer points: Perform Real Time Sync, Backup Large Storage Mediums With DSynchronize.

This is the easiest by far type of “backup” process I have. I’m just replicating the master set of folders and files onto the USB sticks as needed and DSynchronize cleans up the changes I make in the main folders to the replicated spawn quite nicely.

“My Documents” to USB HDD Storage

The next set of things I have to back up are the “My Documents” folder for myself and the girls, as well as related personal files and folders.

This is where things get a bit more complicated.

I have a few USB hard-disk drives for backup duties. Each one is formatted into two partitions. The first partition is usually just around 100 MB or less. The second volume is the remaining GB’s.

I format the first partition NFTS and load it with a few critical portable software applications; most important of which is TrueCrypt.

The idea behind this first volume is that in the event I ever have to grab-n-get with the drive, all the tools I need to restore data from the drive to another system are on the drive itself. No hunting around.

I then use TrueCrypt to create an encrypted partition out of that second volume. The first partition is relatively tiny as it only needs to keep a few tools in the clear and helps keep me from being tempted with putting any important docs in the free and clear there. The second volume is fully encrypted and that’s where all the good stuff stays. I also put a copy of my portable backup application on it as well.

I then just need to attach the USB device to my system(s), allow it to find the first partition, run TrueCrypt and mount the second volume and attach to it. Then I can run my backup tool and put the backup files into the encrypted volume.

For the backup program itself, I’ve come to rely upon Back4Sure by Ulrich Krebs.

TinyApps recommended Back4Sure some time ago and that was good enough for me to check it out. I’ve become very pleased with it’s ease of use and reliability.  If I had to go with a second, Create Synchronicity might be a close second also recommended by TinyApps: Backup to drive label instead of drive letter.

Whole System Backup

This is kinda cheating, but once in blue-moon I will also use ImageX to create a full-disk image of my primary system and dump the image file into one of those TrueCrypt volumes as well.

This takes lots longer but is a good option for a catastrophic system failure.

Although I could use one of the more regular data backups to get another system going again, this allows me to hunt down and extract any bits-n-pieces of data that get scattered sometimes in weird places if the need ever arises.

List of Backup/Sync Tools

Here below is a list of additional freeware backup tools, programs, utilities and the like. Some are quite new and others are quite old. They are not really listed in any particular order. Take some time and click around. Sometimes the trick is finding one that has the right balance of ease-of-use with options needed for a particular job. Like me, you may find that using a combo of tools for different purposes may be the best solution.

These first ones are more in the class of focused file set backups. Though some could probably handle a system-wide backup job, they mostly would be better suited for backing up a specific subset of files/folders from a system rather than the whole enchilada.

• DSYNCHRONIZE - Dimo’s Tools
• Back4Sure by Ulrich Krebs
• Create Synchronicity
• Areca Backup - Official Website
• FreeFileSync
• Toucan - PortableApps.com - Portable software for USB, portable and cloud drives
• Personal-Backup - Rathlev
• Cobian Backup
• AceBackup
• Comodo Backup,
• 2BrightSparks - SyncBackSE
• FBackup
• PureSync - Synchronize and backup files and folders
• Hinx Software Backup Easy
• Handy Backup Software 7.0 - Back up Windows PC and Servers
• Dmailer Backup - Free backup software - Online storage service |Windows & Mac
• Everyday Auto Backup
• Zback homepage - portable backup and synchronize tool for Windows
• Freebyte Backup
• ICE Mirror
• Ocster Backup: Freeware Windows Edition - Free Backup Software for Windows (AddictiveTips review)
• DFIncBackup - Freeware incremental backup - (AddictiveTips review)

These next ones are more of the specialty enchilada menu-fare. These will cover more of a whole-drive backup rather than limited file/folder sets. That said, they still primarily run within the existing Windows system so should be familiar and dependable for geeks and grannies alike.

• Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition
• Macrium Reflect FREE Edition
• EASEUS Todo Backup
• GFI BackUp Freeware - (AddictiveTips review)
• Redo Backup and Recovery
• DriveImage XML Backup Software
• Carbon Copy Cloner - Features
• XXCLONE, A New Way of Cloning the Windows System Disk- (AddictiveTips review)

Finally, we can step off the well tread path and go to more geeky options that are system-backup and imaging tools for the tech-crowd.

• ImageX -GSD Blog posts tagged “ImageX”
• Clonezilla
• OSFClone - Open source utility to create and clone forensic disk images
• Disk2vhd
• Device Image
• Partition Saving
• Partimage
• G4L
• g4u - Harddisk Image Cloning for PCs
• Miray Software - HDClone
• Clone Maxx
• Seagate Technology - DiscWizard
• Seagate Technology - MaxBlast 5

I suppose if you were super-geeky or a forensicator, you could also use any of the various tools you probably are aware of for making sector-based drive images. However for personal “backups” I prefer to use file-based backup methods as having a forensically sound exact duplicate of my drive isn’t as critical as having the files I need available for easy restore or off-loading.

More information:

• Best Free Backup Program - Gizmo’s Freeware
• Best file and folder synchronization freeware for Windows 7 - The Windows Club
• Free Disk Image and Cloning Utilities - thefreecountry.com

Back it up,

Encrypt it if it’s personal (or even it it isn’t),

Cheers.

--Claus V.

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SOS Linkfest: Tools, Tips, Stuff + Recipe!

It's Still Raining!

For the past few days the upper Texas coast has been slogging through a series of rainstorms.  Today we stayed pretty dry while the system move more over the “Golden-Triangle” area and East Texas, leaving metro-Houston area under a blanket of clouds and light precip.

Great day for couch-surfing and college-ball watching. The Cougs walked away with an upset but ND gave up their battle in the end.

SOS is the Best

It’s no secret that my favorite meal of the day is breakfast.  I’d eat traditional breakfast fare all day long if I could.

However, my most craved “breakfast” dish growing up and to this day is what we call “chipped beef on toast”.  Lavie will eat it though Alvis usually declines.  Old military guys refer to it as SOS.

A dreary and wet Saturday was an easy excuse to whip up a batch this morning.

My recipe variation is dead-simple, super-quick, and feeds me (or me and Lavie).  It is much lighter than this 1910 Manual for Army Cooks version that feeds 60 hungry troopers.

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Pepper (large-grind is my preference) to taste
• Combine butter/flour/pepper in saucepan or medium-sized skillet over low to medium-low heat until melted.
• Stir well (I use a wire whisk) and let get “bubbly” for about 1-2 minutes.  Watch carefully so the roux doesn’t burn, otherwise the gravy will not be white (though still good).
• Take 1 cup whole milk and add to roux.  (to speed thing up, try microwaving the milk first for 30-45 sec.)
• Whisk well to combine and get roux fully incorporated.
• Bump up the heat to medium or a touch shy of medium. (your range may vary)
• Find as much thin-sliced ham or beef lunchmeat as you care for. For me usually two packages of “Buddings” brand does nicely.  “cube” it up into fingernail-sized bits and add to gravy.
• Continue stirring gravy mix now until thickened and meat has had a chance to warm up.

If it gets too thick (my preference is to be able to cling to a spoon held upside down) just add a bit more milk to thin (Lavie’s preference).

While it can be served over whole pieces (shingles) of toast, I prefer to cube up the toast first. Makes it easier to get it into my pie-hole faster!  In the past I used to tear the toast slices but I’ve found that using either of two tools can make fast and consistent work cubing up toast. Like Alton Brown of Good Eats! I like a kitchen multi-tasker.  Try cubing the hot toast with either a pizza cutter or a chopper/scraper.  Both work great!

I don’t add salt as the meat takes care of that to my tastes.  I do add the pepper immediately when making the roux as I think it brings out the oils in the pepper a bit and infuses the gravy better.

Couple this with a few hard-fried eggs and some hot coffee.

Yummers!

Beautiful Gantts

The Boss (the work one) requested that I convert my procedure checklist for our IT ops on opening up a new office (fulfilling and implementing the phones/network/server components) into more of a visual format so it was easier to see how all the different resources (IT staff) could be tracked.

Sounded like the perfect excuse to put it into a Gantt chart.

Among the various project management software items I posted before, I could have just reached for MS Office Project.  Unfortunately, only a few of us at work have MS Project.  I wanted something a bit more shareable.  The freeware tool ΤΙΜΙΟΣ Gantt Chart Designer is mighty easy to use (and portable!) but not really shareable.

I did find this awesome Office move plan (US units) – Template at Microsoft Office Online.  It is Excel compatible and is over the top with views.  I saved it to pick apart later.

Instead I picked through a few other really nice (and free) Excel templates for Gantt charts.

• Project Management: Excel Gantt Chart Template – wook blog.
• Free Gantt Chart Template for Excel – Vertex42 site

In the end I went back to my old standby (and updated to a 2009 release) that is compatible both with MS Excel 2003/2007 versions.

• Manual Gantt Charting in Excel – by David Seah

David’s been hard at work and his Design, Productivity, Inspiration, and Empowerment web-site is now officially “off-the-hook!”

Once I downloaded the Version 2 (2009) Gantt chart and after a few hours had it populated with my project template data and sent off to Boss (dully impressed I must say), I went back and found some great material on David’s site.

• Article Guide: Productivity.

• The Printable CEO™ Series.

• Compact Calendar 2009.

• Emergent Task Planner (Free Version) 2009 Updates.

• Upcoming Emergent Task Planner Print Run Update.

• The Printable CEO™ VII: Resource Time Tracking.

• Adapting the PCEO for IT Departments.

• Adapting the PCEO for IT Departments, Part II.

Couple some of these materials and David’s productivity and organization tips with many of the life-orienting productivity tips from Zen Habits and you might find a some B-12 for your brain!

Posterous

I’ve been generally happy with Blogger as my blogging platform.  It is solid and I can tweak it to my heart’s content.

Last week I was chasing web-rabbits and somehow ended up stumbling upon Posterous.

Basically it’s a blogging platform that you can manage by sending emails to.  Sure Blogger can do that as well, but the pages have nice design and look and it can handle pictures, videos, as well as text content with some fancy formatting.

You can even add Google-Analytics code to it for tracking.

I’m not planning any switches but I like it and it seems to be gaining a modicum of popularity so I thought I would stake out a Grand Stream Dreams spot just to be safe.

• Claus’s Grand Stream Dreams – posterous edition.

I’ve not really got anything in mind for it quite yet but I do like having a “go-to” option for getting post material uploaded via email on the quick.

Tools of the Trade

I love a good set of tools.  My humble collection fits my needs but isn’t nearly as substantial (and cool) as either of my late grandfather’s tool collections.

While checking my feeds out I was intrigued by this Retro Thing post:

• Retro Thing: 16-Piece Deluxe Watch Opener Tool Kit – price, under $10.

In the past I used to change my own watch batteries but my latest pair of daily watches have the fancy backs that require that special tool to twist off.  This looks like it could fit the bill nicely.

That reminded me (somehow) of this Hard Drive Errors and Replacements post over at SANS Computer Forensics, Investigation, and Response blog.  I’ve got a couple of dead-drives I’ve been wanting to open up to use as objet d'art for my desks.  Only they have that micro-Torx (?) screw head.  So I found that Amazon has quite a few nice micro-bit kits as well: Amazon.com: SMALL TORX SCREWDRIVER SECURITY TAMPER PROOF HOLE T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 T10 T15: Home Improvement, or Amazon.com: 33 pc. Security Bit Set: Home Improvement, or Amazon.com: Maxtech 16521MX 32-Piece Precision Bit Set: Home Improvement.  I’m still going to try the mega-home improvement stores first but these look like a good backup plan.

Do any of the GSD faithful have any recommendations for HDD lid screw bit kits?  I’m open to suggestions!

“9” – Short Edition

I’ve really been intrigued by the trailers for the movie 9 (2009 film Wikipedia link).

So when I found this Geek Dad post 9 Things Parents Should Know About 9 over at Wired! I took the bait and read on with curiosity.

After that I hit the already provided Wikipedia link to get the plot (now spoilt but still sounds good).

Turns out that the full-length version of 9 was based on the short film 9 (2005 film Wikipedia link).

Amazingly, that short-film is up on YouTube in standard and HD versions!

• YouTube – 9 - Shane Acker’s original short film/cartoon now adapted into a full CG movie

It’s just over 10 min in runtime and though it doesn’t give away any of the full-length movie plot points, it is a great film and great to watch for all you steampunk fans.

For Lavie only (OK if Alvis peeks also): New Moon

Yep. She’s a Twilight fan. 

I’ve read the first book and found it fun.  I’ve seen the movie with the girls on DVD more times that I can now recall.

Lavie’s consumed/devoured/gorged herself on all the current books in the series as well as the “official” unofficial release of the first book (Midnight Sun) from Edward’s perspective.  Lavie has also gotten lost in the depths of the Twilight fan-fiction sites now.

I was able to bring her up today for this; New Moon’s latest trailer.

• N to tha M Full Length in HD with No Fan Girl Screaming :) – YouTube HD

Nothing like the rain to bring out the fun.

Cheers!

--Claus V.

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