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Skilled’s Score
Execs
Simple, intuitive interfaceFast and efficient with knowledge foldersGranular scheduling right down to one-minute intervalsOperates robotically within the background
Cons
Some default settings trigger operational errors with system foldersDoesn’t assist on-line storage
Our Verdict
Second Copy works nice for knowledge folders, even in community places, and helps granular scheduling proper down to at least one minute intervals between runs.
Finest Costs Right now: Second Copy 9.5 backup software program
Second Copy is a $30 file backup/folder sync program that sits in your system tray, performing operations robotically with out consumer intervention. If Home windows personal File Historical past or different free choices equivalent to FBackup aren’t reducing it for you, Second Copy simply may.
Additional studying: See our roundup of the perfect Home windows backup software program to study competing merchandise.
What are Second Copy’s options?
Second Copy will copy information from a supply folder to a vacation spot folder (referred to as Easy Copy); copy new information, then delete information within the vacation spot that don’t exist within the supply (referred to as Precise Copy, aka mirroring); and one carry out those self same jobs whereas compressing them to a typical Zip file. Community places are supported as each a supply and vacation spot.
This system additionally helps true synchronization, i.e. deleting and including information from/to each directories to match modifications in both. That is analogous to what occurs with on-line providers equivalent to OneDrive. A Transfer operate is offered which deletes the information from the supply after copying them to the vacation spot.
The Second Copy interface is easy and simple, if a bit dated in look. However all the things is the place you anticipate to be. If you already know something in regards to the course of, you’ll don’t have any drawback acclimating to Second Copy. Even when you don’t, the way in which it steps you thru creating jobs will educate you the fundamentals in a rush.
There’s an archiving choice that saves older variations of information in a separate listing plus an choice to overwrite information within the vacation spot, even when they’re newer. In my expertise, you ought to be very cautious with the latter as there is perhaps a very good motive to maintain the newer file.
Second Copy defaults to the system tray, working its personal VSS service and scheduler within the background. To see the principle interface the place you may create new jobs, you merely click on on the system tray icon, and voila!
Whereas Second Copy sits within the background, it doesn’t do real-time backup as information change. Nonetheless, it may be scheduled to again up/sync as continuously as as soon as each minute. That’s nearly as good as actual time for many customers.
I’ve knowledge scattered about a number of on-line storage providers, and have been searching for a cheaper choice that helps S3-compatible distributors along with Dropbox and the like. Alas, Second Copy will not be that program (many aren’t) because it doesn’t assist even the extra frequent providers.
How does Second Copy carry out?
So long as I used to be copying plain knowledge folders, Second Copy labored like a attraction — quick and correct. I attempted all of the job variations utilizing inner drives, in addition to NAS-to-NAS and exterior media.
However when attempting to repeat the Customers folder, one symbolic hyperlink (a junction) left behind by one other program pointing to a deleted shadow copy halted Second Copy in its tracks.
It appeared this system was looking for the precise shadow copy to drag information from, reasonably than merely copy the symbolic hyperlink to the vacation spot folder. Both method, it shouldn’t halt the backup.
So long as I used to be copying plain knowledge folders, Second Copy labored like a attraction — quick and correct.
There’s a repair for this habits, however it entails coming into a “SkipLinkFiles=1” line right into a config file. Not each consumer is comfy altering configurations by way of a textual content editor, so it’d behoove Centered Methods to make this the default and add it to the record of superior choices.
In fact, no plain file backup/sync program can copy all the Customers listing as Home windows locations unique locks on many information. These can’t be bypassed even for copying, so it’s how a backup/sync program handles these locks that issues.
Most applications merely skip the solely locked information and word the error. Nonetheless, with Second Copy you need to deselect the “Present message field and retry as soon as extra” choice from the Edit > Choices > Copy tab or this system will hit you with 20-second period error popups and grind away with retries. You too can inform Second Copy to skip system information to keep away from this case.
Word that copying sub-directories equivalent to Paperwork and Footage from contained in the Customers folder posed no points for Second Copy. I also needs to say that copying your system information and knowledge of their entirety falls below the purview of imaging applications equivalent to our favourite — R-Drive Picture.
Must you purchase Second Copy?
Whereas I want Second Copy defaulted to avoiding the problems I skilled, they had been fixable, and most customers solely must again up knowledge folders. For that process, it’s nigh on good — simple and quick with community assist. Now provided that it supported on-line storage providers….
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