Best way to BU MP3s?

Hi, I'm thinking about purchasing Acronis (home?). I'd like to back up my MP3s, and move the file onto another networked hard drive. Subsequently, I want to be able to back up only the new MP3s I've added to my library every month or so and move the updated files to the same networked hard drive. Is this possible with Acronis? Should I buy Home or another edition? Thanks!

 

Sounds like you want to do an incremental backup every month. Acronis Home will work.

Is adding the new files automatically to the backup a big deal? If not, you can just copy them over your network to the drive. Since MP3s are already compressed you don't need a comression feature.

IMO, a lot easier to manage if you just leave them as MP3 files rather than sorting through giant backup files.

 

Thanks for the reply. Currently I'm just dragging over MP3s to another drive. The problem is that I'll have a folder called "Beatles" and in that folder I'll have a few albums. Then I'll buy another album and put it into that folder. When I go to back up, I have to remember that I bought a new Beatles album and it's in that folder. I want my Back Up Software to do this for me! Can Acronis do an "incremental" back up without compression or propietary file? i.e. compare both drives and just copy over the mp3s that are not present on the Back UP drive?

 

Sunshy,


I agree with seekforever, I don’t see the need to place your mp3s into a big backup file. I have thousands of Jpeg files from photography, on a separate partition, that I duplicate both to an internal HD and an external HD using a synchronization program. For the Jpeg files this is quite fast, only copies new files or changes, and keeps the files as separate entities, not one large image file. Also does it automatically. It works great for me.

I use Acronis True Image Home Version 10 to image my O/S partition, and the everyday data files (My Documents folder in Windows, plus other data folders) which I keep on a separate partition. I image these to a second internal hard drive and periodically to an external USB HD. I think ATI is a great program for Imaging a HD or Partition. It’s versatile, fast, and so far for me through three versions, error free. Documentation is industry standard, however, meaning really not so terrific.

CatFan

 

OK, I see the different applications of the aps. I'll still pick up TI ti image my OS drive. What is a good "synchronization" program for backing up my MP3s to a different hard drive?

 

I replied to this via private message, being new to this forum, I don't know the etiquette if recommending another vendor's software (albeit non-competing) on Acronis's forum. Just seems a bit rude.

CatFan

 

Thanks. I don't think it's a competing product. I've done plenty of research and have found Acronis TI to be the best favored imaging product. If they offered a "sync" product. I'd probably purchase that!

 

Sunshy: it's not clear to me that this is what you're trying to do, but I don't think your backup file (ie, the .tib file) can be on a networked drive, I think it has to be local. Of course, you could move it yourself. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong<g>

 

TI can put the .tib file on a networked drive and it can be retrieved from there when you need to restore.

 

Try Microsoft's Synctoy 1.4.

It will synchronize your MP3 folder with the backup folder.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/prophoto/synctoy.mspx