Backup software, I just dont get it!

Could someone please explain the benefits of backing up files and folders using backup software such as acronis.
Ive come to a probably hasty conclusion and would ask someone to put me straight because no doubt Im missing a trick here.
Whilst it is probably great for restoring your system and programs, when it comes to files and folders is it such a good idea.
For instance now Ive backed up my music, all i really need to do is just drag and drop any new stuff to my external hard drive. This would seem alot quicker than doing it with acronis which wants to scan through all my music each time. Nothing has changed, im just adding a new cd. The same could be said for my home video footage.
System stuff and programs which would be difficult to backup yes - but files? can someone explain please. Thanks

 

There are different levels of backup. For example, what you are doing could be called data backup. You are manually creating a copy on an external medium for safekeeping. This is good, and more than most folks do. Another level could be called application backup. In this scenario, the programs you use, and their settings and preferences are backed up, also for safekeeping. Another level could be called system backup. With this level the operating system, and perhaps even all other levels could be restored.

Backup and recovery is really all about risk management, and how much risk one is willing to accept.

Many folks figure in a catastrophic disaster (hard drive crash, for example) they would simply reinstall the OS and their applications. Myself, I take a more proactive approach.

 

As you said, most people use backup applications to create images of the OS and programs. Personal data can be directly copied onto other drives or CDs and DVDs. Nowadays USB drives are huge in memory so it doesn't make any practical difference to backup data using a specific application. The only advantage would be to save space by compressing the data ( a normal image is usually compressed by about 60% of the original). USB drives start with 300 GB easily up to 500 GB- 1 TB, a lot of memory indeed.

 

Thank you
I think you have confirmed it for me. Backup the systems using the software so that in future they can be recovered - hopefully - but simple files and folders can be backed up manually using drag'n'drop so long as space isnt an issue.
Cheers guys

 

Personally I prefer to partition the main hard drive in two. Keep the system partition fairly small so it is fast to backup/restore (but leave enough free space for flexibility and fast defrags), and keep documents, videos, musics, etc. on another partition. I even install all "portable" or sparsely used, non-autorun programs to my other partitions so they don't clutter-up and slow down the system partition.