Freeware backup software

[dannyboy75]

I'm looking for a freeware backup app that I can use to take images of my SSD's/HDD's. I know there are loads out there, but the free versions of the ones I've tried all lack a feature I need, which is the ability to exclude specific files/folders.

Can anyone recommend anything that would fit the bill?

thanks
Danny

[AGTDenton]

Are they large files, is that why you are trying to exclude them?
If you're constrained on space I would just use the highest compression method available when making the backup, it does save oodles of space, also don't backup by sectors otherwise it will be massive.
If any of the free editions offer Incremental/Differential options I'd consider using those methods to backup. Though I think they're often reserved options for the pay for editions.

If you are looking to do a complete image but exclude files I'm not 100% certain if the freeware version of Aomei Backupper can do that.
However, they do a file/folder backup method where you can just deselect the files you don't want which is available in the free version. I have the Technician version and I'm about 100 releases behind.

https://www.ubackup.com/

Another I've used in the past is EASEUs Todo Backup, I've only had a pay version of this so not 100% on the free capabilities.

https://www.easeus.com/backup-software/tb-free.html


Then there are a couple of Open Source solutions to explore as well:

https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
https://www.bacula.org/free-windows-backup-software/
http://download.bareos.org/bareos/re...atest/windows/

[dannyboy75]

Hey, thanks for the reply.

Are they large files, is that why you are trying to exclude them?

Yeah, exactly that. I have a folder full of films which is quite large (and not very compressible) but which I'm not really bothered about backing up - and if I exclude this folder then I can image all 3 of my drives onto my 1TB external drive as long as I use the highest compression setting.

I should've mentioned that I tried EaseUS, Aomei and Paragon but none of the free versions of these allow you to exclude files/folders. Thinking about it though, I guess one option would be to only image my system disk, and then just do file/folder backup for the data drives.

Thanks for the suggestion of ubackup and the open source ones too though - will check those out

[AGTDenton]

The open source ones look quite good, I've just downloaded the BareOs one to give it a go, see if it's something I can incorporate into work.

[lee_evo]

I use AOMEI Backupper and Clonezilla. Both are excellent and best of all they are free. My preference is clonezilla for full cloning of drives, you just need a usb drive to run it off (use Rufus to install the iso to usb)