Should I Copy and Paste or use WD Smartware?

[KDinsmore]

I got a new 4TB WD Passport external for my music backup and used the WD Smartware. Is it better to just copy and paste instead since that is just a copy instead of all the software to restore? My other backup was a Seagate and almost full at 2TB and those files once accessed appear as they are instead of the WD stuff.

[bobfa]

I tend to avoid software like the WD and Seagate stuff.    I use either OS backup tools or file sync tools.  For the MAC tools like Chronosync or Carbon Copy Cloner come to mind.  On Windows I would look at GoodSync.  For Windows Backup I have not really tested a lot of local backup tools.  

 

For Internet backups I use Backblaze.

 

 

—rjf

 

 

[cambridgehank]

3 hours ago, bobfa said:

I tend to avoid software like the WD and Seagate stuff.    I use either OS backup tools or file sync tools.  For the MAC tools like Chronosync or Carbon Copy Cloner come to mind.  On Windows I would look at GoodSync.  For Windows Backup I have not really tested a lot of local backup tools.  

 

For Internet backups I use Backblaze.

 

 

—rjf

 

 

You prefer these third party software instead of Time Machine on the Mac?

[bobfa]

To move music to my server I use Chronosync.  I use Carbon Copy Cloner for weekly Image backups.  Time Machine does local backup on the working Macs.  BackBlaze puts everything in the cloud....

 

I was trying to help with getting stuff onto a separate music system not back it up..  My music system is an appliance that only backs up the meta data from Roon.

 

 

[plissken]

If you simply want a folder from point a to point b copy/paste works just fine.

[bobfa]

On 2/25/2018 at 9:53 AM, plissken said:

If you simply want a folder from point a to point b copy/paste works just fine.

That is very true but there is no check that the copy worked properly.. That is why I like to use software that validates large data moves.

[rn701]

I use robocopy in scheduled batch files:

 

 https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/1073.robocopy-and-a-few-examples.aspx

 

Be careful, though. It can be a dangerous tool!

[marce]

On 02/03/2018 at 3:08 AM, bobfa said:

That is very true but there is no check that the copy worked properly.. That is why I like to use software that validates large data moves.

I use copy and paste for moving large amounts of CAD data from a server to my laptop and have done for years, never had a problem yet...