Question backup software

[CU]

Been using AOMEI Backupper Standard for a year now. I have it set to do weekly incremental full system backups. I like the fact it can do incremental backup and send out emails reports on success and failures. It is the only free software that I have found that will do that. My one dislike is that the free version will not delete "x" days old backups to keep from filling up the backup drive. Is there free software that does incremental, only keeps "x" copies, and emails out reports?

I also just got an email from Stardock Software saying they have a sale on Ashampoo Backup Pro 11 for $9.99. Pretty cheap and it seems to do everything even supporting different cloud storage locations. I know 11 is the old version and they are up to 12 now, but has anyone used Ashampoo Backup Pro before? Is it worth $9.99?

 

[balloonshark]

I could be wrong by the way I just read it says that you have to have all of the incremental images to restore the entire image. To me that means you can't delete any of the incremental images. Differential isn't like that. https://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW7/Differential+and+incremental+disk+images

Many of us like Macrium Reflect free. It can do differential images in the free version if you wan to have a look. https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

I never used these options but I just to a look through the options and I do see email and retention rules you can set so it's worth a look.

 

[CU]

Yes, you need each increment to rebuild the backup. But, some backup programs will create a new full backup to start building new incremental backups off of after a certain time. Or, it will merge old incremental backups with the full backup, essentially updating the full backup.

I guess I should give Macrium Reflect free a look. I have seen it mentioned before. I just like the small incremental backups over the larger differential ones.

 

[balloonshark]

I honestly don't know what the best practices are concerning when to make another full image rather than incremental or differential images. I've always made full images just to keep it simple. They take very little time to make but they do take up space. What you mentioned in your first paragraph does sound like an interesting feature though but too many "moving parts" for my liking. IMO I would feel more comfortable with a new image.

If you don't find an answer here or want to explore more options you could try looking around and/or asking at wilders security imaging forum. There used to be a bunch of folks into imaging over there. https://www.wilderssecurity.com/forums/backup-imaging-disk-mgmt.97/

 

[CU]

Thanks I will check that forum out. Read on that forum where AOMIE can have some issues, so that makes me trust it less now.