Best folder specific mirroring software?

[HerbalKiller]

I just purchase a new HDD and external HDD for backup.
I don't necessarily want to make a mirror image of my new HDD because sometimes I like to just do a complete reformat and start fresh. What I would like to do though is have My Pictures, My Music, Downloads, etc(any folders I select) to be in a "setup and forget it" type backup.
For Example:
I want to have My Music setup for my iTunes and I want to have this folder also identical on my external drive.
So... when I go and get some new music and put it into my iTunes folder, I don't have to manually also put it into the backup folder. The program would, at scheduled times in the middle of the night, scan the selected folders and synch or mirror, as appropriate, the differences in the HDD and the external.


Also, as another music cleanup task, I would like to do a batch task of searching through my 28k music files, finding which ones are not .mp3, and converting to this format so I have standardized music format. Any thoughts here would be nice as well.

 

[Zargon]

synctoy works pretty well, unsure of how schedulable it is

 

[TomTiddler]

Try Beyond Compare 3 .... I use it all the time, it has masses of capability. You can do scheduled execution by writing BC3 scripts, and running them using Windows Task Sheduler. Works like a charm.

 

[derrick2237]

I am thinking you can do this with xcopy, a batch file, and scheduled tasks.

All built in your computer.

 

[Dark Penguin]

Beyond Compare is a tremendous product. I consider it a must have for anyone doing development on a windows system. But I would recommend syncback (or syncback se) for the OP's purposes.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

I really like Syncback myself...

 

[NGC_604]

Glad I found this thread. I've been looking for the same kind of a software and wasn't having much luck. I was using Allway Sync but it sucks with memory usage.

 

[coolVariable]

Another vote for SyncToy.
Also seems to be the only FREE solution suggested so far.

... the only problem is Win7 as it supposedly does not work 100% under Win7.

 

[Dark Penguin]

Another vote for SyncToy.
Also seems to be the only FREE solution suggested so far.

... the only problem is Win7 as it supposedly does not work 100% under Win7.

Syncback (not Syncback SE) is free.

 

[Tsaico]

robocopy all the way... also handles mirroring, so delete it off of source, it deletes off of the copy too It is also free, comes with Vista, win 7, and server 2008. ALso comes in windows 2003, but you have to install it seperately off the CD. (this version for win 2003 also works for XP if you use the 32 bi versio) Set up a batch and scheduled job to do it automatically.

 

[Gooberlx2]

I am thinking you can do this with xcopy, a batch file, and scheduled tasks.

All built in your computer.

This, but with Robocopy instead of Xcopy.

I think xcopy will just copy files, regardless if they're already on the destination. Robocopy will work more like rsync and not copy files that already exist.

Additionally, it can monitor your source, then automatically execute after a certain period of time or X number of changes.

for example:

robocopy c:\source x:\dest /MIR /MOT:90 /MON:10

will mirror dest to source, skip files that already exist and are unchanged, and will update the destination folder every 90 minutes, provided there have been at least 10 changes to the source (new file, directory, deletion, edit, file attribute change, ownership/permissions, etc...).

Just put that in a startup shortcut, or (even better) create and run it as a service.

edit: adding /FFT in the command may help with avoiding copying files over and over as "newer" across mixed filesystems or network shares.