Best software for backing up a hard drive to another one?

[millerrh]

What is the best software out there (for free or cheap hopefully) that will back up a hard drive to another hard drive. Features I'm looking for:

The ability to sync so that it only copies new or changed files
The ability to choose which folders to copy over.
The backup hard drive should have the same file structure as the source (not that wierd backup file some software makes)

I've found SilverKeeper by Lacie that will seem to do the trick. Any others?

 

[brikeh]

I recommend SuperDuper..its not free but its a great little app and does what you want it to do.

 

[radiantm3]

I recommend SuperDuper..its not free but its a great little app and does what you want it to do.

I second superduper. I've been through few backup programs and this one has been the best so far.

 

[ChrisA]

Rsync

What is the best software out there (for free or cheap hopefully) that will back up a hard drive to another hard drive. Features I'm looking for:

The ability to sync so that it only copies new or changed files
The ability to choose which folders to copy over.
The backup hard drive should have the same file structure as the source (not that wierd backup file some software makes)

Mac OSX comes with "rsync". It will do as it's name implies and "sync" two directories. It can sync to a local disk or across a network Of course you can choose which files get "sync'd".

But before you do this, think about it. Syncing is not the best backup system. The most common way to loos a file is to delete it or write over it. Any sync type system will cause this error to be "sync'd" and your good backup copy will be gone too. A better system is to make incrementals. where you save the changes that were made. With this system you have the history and can put things bck the way they were before they got messed up.

 

[ddrueckhammer]

I would recommend SuperDuper as well. I use to use Apple's Backup software but after my hard drive failed and I was unable to recover my information I switched to SuperDuper. MacWorld did an article comparing all of the backup alternatives out there last year and I believe SuperDuper won.

 

[millerrh]

Mac OSX comes with "rsync". It will do as it's name implies and "sync" two directories. It can sync to a local disk or across a network Of course you can choose which files get "sync'd".

But before you do this, think about it. Syncing is not the best backup system. The most common way to loos a file is to delete it or write over it. Any sync type system will cause this error to be "sync'd" and your good backup copy will be gone too. A better system is to make incrementals. where you save the changes that were made. With this system you have the history and can put things bck the way they were before they got messed up.

Isn't that kind of what Time Machine will do? I think a simple synch utility until Leopard comes out will do me just fine. I just want to protect against my hard drive crashing.