After a disastrous data loss, I'm using an external hard drive to back up all my data. Is there software, preferably free, that will only copy new files? I've looked through the Ask Jack site but can't find an obviously similar query! Steve Ballantyne
It's a frequently asked question and you can find some previous answers by searching Ask Jack for Centred System's Second Copy, which costs $29.95.An excellent alternative is Karen's Replicator, which is free for personal use. Acronis True Image 11 Home is also worth a look because it's very good at copying an entire PC ("drive imaging") and has a "just testing" mode with roll-back features. It's good value at £27.48 (at Amazon.co.uk).
Backchat: William Hudson and others point out that Microsoft has a free SyncToy that does the job. Colin Hall suggests Mozy, David Brinicombe suggests Lionmax's Compare and Backup, and Allan Jones suggests AJC Directory Synchroniser. Windows Vista has a powerful built-in utility, Robocopy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robocopy).
