Simplest compressed backup system for windows

You may not realize the importance of Backup, until when you need that and you didn't have that. You may be also ready to spend huge amount, If some one can get those important things back. But the truth is, Its HARD and almost impossible to get them back.

Global Backup Survey Report

Covering 4257 respondents from 129 countries. Survey conducted online between 24-12-2008 and 06-01-2009.
Survey Highlights:
	82% of home PC users don't do regular backup.
	66% have lost pictures and files on their home PC. 42% within the last year.
	71% are most worried about losing their digital pictures on their home PC.

So what to be done? - Precaution. You should be doing a regular backup of important files. You can do what ever from simple file copying to complex, expensive backing up solution. The ultimate goal is to backup. 

My System:

I'm just a developer with lot of source codes and documents that are to be versioned. I already got a best solution like SVN/CVS. But above all.. I designed my own BACKUP solution and I'm using them for the past three years with out any flaw. 

System is simple. A DOS batch file which resides inside system shell "sendto" folder. 

Picks your files/folders from anywhere in explorer through RightClick -> SendTo option. And does all the jobs by itself. System uses external compression applications like 7z, winzip, winrar any thing. for compressed backup. All backups are packed and aligned neatly inside a centralized location (External Hard-disk) with Date-time stamp for easy retrieval. 

Screenshots:

Step 1: Right Click your files/folders.
 Step 2: Select "Do_Backup.bat"
Backup Done!

My Backup - In Action - Powered by 7-Zip

My Backups in ExternalDrive or Any other location. I could have used 7z format. But contents inside 7z can't be "Searched" Where us with ZIP, we can search contents also.

Features:

• Simple / Straight forward backup method.
• Can be easily set on any machine. No need of any admin powered installation.
  (I use it in my office too)
• Can compress using 7z, winzip, winrar... what ever compression tool you have.
• Can be customized as per user's need and availability.
• Date based backup.
• Centralized/Distributed backup area - can be customized.
• Any folder or collection folders, files can be backedup easily.
• One time set-up. 
• Easy to use 

How to setup?

You may need:

• Any compression application like 7z, WinZIP, WinRar (Portable also fine)
  I Prefer 7z. Download it here 

Procedure:

1. Copy the following content into a notepad:
   
   
   ECHO OFF
   CLS
   SET BACKUPLOC=G:\Kumaresan\Backup\
   SET MIDFX=-OAC-
   SET HUR=%TIME:~0,2%
   SET SINGLEDIGIT=%TIME:~1,1%
   if %HUR% LSS 10 (SET ACTHOUR=0%SINGLEDIGIT%) else (SET ACTHOUR=%HUR%)
   SET BACKUPFILE=%~n1_%MIDFIX%%DATE:~-4%%DATE:~4,2%%DATE:~7,2%%ACTHOUR%%TIME:~3,2%.7z
   "F:\Tools\7-Zip\7z.exe" a "%BACKUPLOC%%BACKUPFILE%" %*
   ECHO .
   ECHO BACKUP DONE!
   ECHO .
   PAUSE
2. While saving the file. Type "DO_BACKUP.bat" - With double quotes covering the file name as shown in the figure.
   
   
   
   
3. Save the file to your desktop.
4. Now goto SEND TO folder.
   - XP Peoples, Type sendto in RUN command. Which opens sendto folder.
   (C:\Documents and Settings\<yourlogin>\SendTo)
   - Win7 Peoples, Type shell:sendto in RUN command to open sendto folder.
   (C:\Users\<yourlogin>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo)
5. Copy the DO_BACKUP.bat file from desktop to sendto folder.
6. Everything is ready now. But you have to do minor tweak in DO_BACKUP.bat file.
   Because it was previously configured to work with my machine.

• Line  SET BACKUPLOC=G:\Kumaresan\Backup\   Should be changed as per your need.
  This line determine where to store the compressed backup files preferably External Hard Disk.
• Line  "F:\Tools\7-Zip\7z.exe" a "%BACKUPLOC%%BACKUPFILE%" %*  has 7z path. As it is portable. I kept in F:\Tools\7-Zip. You have to change to the path you placed accordingly.

Thats it. You are ready to go. Right click any file(s) or folder(s) and choose option. "Sendto" and select "DO_BACKUP.bat". You are backup is ready. Goto backup location and check for the file.

Extensions:

• You can put additional BATCHs into windows Task Scheduler for automating the backup activity for regular period.
• You can add a command to end of this batch file to open the backedup folder after backup operation completes.

Hope you like this system.