Second Copy review: Backup and sync from a friendly interface

Value When Reviewed

$29.95 for 1 to 4 licenses

Finest Costs In the present day: Second Copy 9.5 backup software program

Second Copy is a $30 file backup/folder sync program that sits in your system tray, performing operations routinely with out person intervention. If Home windows personal File Historical past or different free choices similar to FBackup aren’t reducing it for you, Second Copy simply may.

Additional studying: See our roundup of the most effective Home windows backup software program to study competing merchandise.

What are Second Copy’s options?

Second Copy will copy recordsdata from a supply folder to a vacation spot folder (referred to as Easy Copy); copy new recordsdata, then delete recordsdata within the vacation spot that don’t exist within the supply (referred to as Actual Copy, aka mirroring); and one carry out those self same jobs whereas compressing them to a normal Zip file. Community areas are supported as each a supply and vacation spot.

This system additionally helps true synchronization, i.e. deleting and including recordsdata from/to each directories to match adjustments in both. That is analogous to what occurs with on-line companies similar to OneDrive. A Transfer perform is supplied which deletes the recordsdata from the supply after copying them to the vacation spot.

The Second Copy interface is straightforward and simple, if a bit dated in look. However all the pieces is the place you count on to be. If you recognize something in regards to the course of, you’ll haven’t any downside acclimating to Second Copy. Even in case you don’t, the way in which it steps you thru creating jobs will train you the fundamentals in a rush.

There’s an archiving choice that saves older variations of recordsdata in a separate listing plus an choice to overwrite recordsdata within the vacation spot, even when they’re newer. In my expertise, you ought to be very cautious with the latter as there is likely to be cause to maintain the newer file.

Second Copy defaults to the system tray, working its personal VSS service and scheduler within the background. To see the primary interface the place you may create new jobs, you merely click on on the system tray icon, and voila!

Whereas Second Copy sits within the background, it doesn’t do real-time backup as recordsdata change. Nevertheless, it may be scheduled to again up/sync as incessantly as as soon as each minute. That’s nearly as good as actual time for many customers.

I’ve information scattered about a number of on-line storage companies, and have been in search of a cheaper choice that helps S3-compatible distributors along with Dropbox and the like. Alas, Second Copy is just not that program (many aren’t) because it doesn’t help even the extra frequent companies.

How does Second Copy carry out?

So long as I used to be copying plain information folders, Second Copy labored like a appeal — quick and correct. I attempted all of the job variations utilizing inner drives, in addition to NAS-to-NAS and exterior media.

However when attempting to repeat the Customers folder, one symbolic hyperlink (a junction) left behind by one other program pointing to a deleted shadow copy halted Second Copy in its tracks.

It appeared this system was looking for the precise shadow copy to tug recordsdata from, moderately than merely copy the symbolic hyperlink to the vacation spot folder. Both manner, it shouldn’t halt the backup.

There’s a repair for this habits, however it entails getting into a “SkipLinkFiles=1” line right into a config file. Not each person is snug altering configurations by way of a textual content editor, so it would behoove Centered Programs to make this the default and add it to the record of superior choices.

In fact, no plain file backup/sync program can copy the entire Customers listing as Home windows locations unique locks on many recordsdata. These can’t be bypassed even for copying, so it’s how a backup/sync program handles these locks that issues.

Most applications merely skip the solely locked recordsdata and observe the error. Nevertheless, with Second Copy you have to deselect the “Present message field and retry as soon as extra” choice from the Edit > Choices > Copy tab or this system will hit you with 20-second period error popups and grind away with retries. It’s also possible to inform Second Copy to skip system recordsdata to keep away from this case.

Be aware that copying sub-directories similar to Paperwork and Footage from contained in the Customers folder posed no points for Second Copy. I also needs to say that copying your system recordsdata and information of their entirety falls below the purview of imaging applications similar to our favourite — R-Drive Picture.

Do you have to purchase Second Copy?

Whereas I want Second Copy defaulted to avoiding the problems I skilled, they had been fixable, and most customers solely have to again up information folders. For that process, it’s nigh on good — simple and quick with community help. Now provided that it supported on-line storage companies….