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Still learning my way around this new neighborhood after a BAD experience with Ransomeware on my Windows PC.
I'm seeking a Backup utility that will copy from my download directory to a removable drive that does NOT attempt to sync the directories. I don't want anything deleted from the target directory, and I don't want anything added to the source, and I don't need anything already present in the target to be rewritten just because it's in the source. (I had such a system in Win called SyncBackSE, but can't find the Linux equivalent).
I do not know what backup utilities are available in Zorin's repositories but rsync which is a command line utility should be suitable. rsync has lots of options but is basically a copy program. It copies files from source to destination. If a file exists and is a newer version on the source, the destination is updated. No files are deleted on either the source or destination by default.
As I understand your question, backintime wil do the job for you.
It's rsync based (a huge pro) and will retain all copies as hardlinks. Only deletes what you specify (if any).
It has a GUI, but can operate on the command line as well. You can schedule your backups easily. Restore is a breeze.
There are more (rsync based), but backintime is my personal preferred one.
As michaelk suggest (+1) it's perfectly possible with "bare" rsync. Harder, but you will learn a lot.
I'm not fluent yet with command lines and terminal (although I suspect that will be coming), but I 'think' Grsync will keep things somewhat stable. Luckybackup looked to be a winner until it showed me (the hard way) that sync giveth, but sync also taketh away, without warning or recourse!
Beachboy2, filesync is on my list to check out, thanks.
Sync is not "backup"... as you probably discovered.
You'll have to be extremely careful with the -option list when using any (?) of the sync derivates. Otherwise it will do as the name indicates... delete a file on your working disc, sync to your "backup" disc and the file will be deleted here as well...
If you have sufficient disk space, I'd suggest the following:-
Reserve some separate disk space and run your backup to this space as an auto-run job.
It will be fast and require no effort.
With the right mount options, it should be safe from ransome-ware software, especially if you only install software from trusted sources!
Periodically, copy this backup to your external disk (to guard against your main disk failure).
I looked at it, I liked it, I donated to it and I thank you from the bottom of my cold gray heart. I forgot to mention a GUI preference (rookie, I know...) but so far this thing has filled every box I have found needing filled.
If one folder contains your work files and the other is for backup, then select the Mirror variant.
The left folder is the source and the right folder the target. The synchronization will create and delete files on the target as needed until it becomes an exact copy of the source.
If you only want to add files to your backup, but never delete, then select the Update variant.
Files deleted on the source side will not cause file deletion on the backup drive (e.g. after you've made room for new photos on a digital camera). On the other hand, files deleted on the backup drive will not be copied over a second time (e.g. after you have removed photos you don't want to keep).
The "Mirror variant" is very dangerous, please be careful!
The "Mirror variant" is very dangerous, please be careful!
I learned that you can set up how files are copied (and optionally deleted) in Mirror and Update. Other apps just dumped some important files on me, thus my quest here, and my experiences with sync and mirror that FSS allows me to ‘Season to Taste’…
The Mirror function has the potential to cause a lot of file loss, intentional or unintentional, but before anything occurs there is, by default, a chart displayed that shows the quantity of data being moved and also indicating how much is being added AND DELETED on each side. If you’re not looking to delete anything, you’ve been warned to check your settings. This chart is also always displayed in the lower right corner. It’s easy to overlook, but you shouldn’t…
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jan K.
From the manual:
The "Mirror variant" is very dangerous, please be careful!
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