USB-Backup
USB-Backup is a free backup solution for creating encrypted backups to external USB media.
For the compression and the backup format itself the proven and very stable software 7-Zip is used.
Features
- local disks, such as the system disk C: can be backed up by using shadow copies (warning, this requires administrator privileges)
- the use of the program is user-friendly and has been developed in cooperation with users
- Network drives and UNC paths can also be backed up
- Installation: no setup, just one AutoIT script (put together into one executable)
- Security:
- during the initial backup, a password is set - without a password, you can not back up!
- when the external disk will be lost, a stranger can not really see what was backed up
- only username@pc are stored plaintext, but this is used to distinguish the backups in case of emergency
- an encrypted index is stored on the external disk, so that a restore at any time and on any computer is possible
- to each directory, you can create exception lists
- after a setable time, USB-Backup reminds the user to update the existing backup
- the degree of compression and other 7-Zip parameters can be completely adapted in the USB Backup.ini
- Automatic updates of program and help file are possible, but you can disable this also
- the help file is currently not finished, sorry about that :(
- you can help me with that :)
Screenshots
-> no usb media plugged in
-> some unknown media
-> with plugged in registered stick
Requirements
- Hardware
- Intel Pentium III, 500MHz, 512MB RAM, 2MB Harddisk
- Operation System:
- Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10
- Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012
- Software:
- for restoring the backups, 7-Zip Zstd is needed, when zstd was used for the backups
Installation
- the program does not require installation and is run under default user privileges
- USB-Backup should be put into the Startup folder, so that it starts with windows - it is seen then in the system tray
- the per user configuration can be found in this folder: %APPDATA%\USB-Backup
Configuration
- the program uses the file
USB Backup.inifor it's settings
| Option=Default value | Description |
|---|---|
| MaxFullBackups=0 | This number defines how many Full Backups are okay, before old ones get deleted. When zero, no limit is used. |
| FullBackupIn=365 | This number defines the days, until a new full backup will be created, instead of an update. |
| ShowUpdateHint=7 | Number of days until an backup becomes obsolete and the user will get some hint about this. |
| ShowEditConfig=1 | Enable "Edit configuration" in the menu. |
| ShowEditIndex=0 | Enable "Edit index" in the menu. |
| ShowWriteIndex=0 | Enable "Write index" in the menu. |
| ShowStatusMessage=1 | When set, the user will get a MsgBox() with Status information about the backup createt (success/failure). |
| EnableVSS=0 | Should USB-Backup use Volume Shadow Copies. This needs the password for the user administrator |
| DebugVSCSCCmd=0 | Turn on debugging of VSS. |
| UsePowerPlan=1 | Turn on the creation of an temporary USB-Backup powerplan. Needed for disabling Suspend Mode and so on, while creating some a backup. |
| DebugPowerPlan=0 | Turn on debugging of the powerplan changes. |
| CheckForUpdate=1 | Defines, if USB-Backup should check for updates. |
| NewVersionHint=300 | Number of seconds, for showing the user some hint for a new version of USB-Backup. |
| FileNameLen=16 | Length of the filenames, generated by USb-Backup. |
| Editor=notepad.exe | Some command for editing files. This is used for opening the configuration. |
| RunBeforeCmd= | Can be used for executing some command before backup starts. |
| RunAfterCmd= | Can be used for executing some command after backup is finished. |
| 7ZipPriority=idle | Possible: idle/normal. Defines, if 7-Zip process should run in background or normal mode. |
| Debug7ZipCmd=0 | Turn on debugging of the compression process / 7-Zip. |
| IniVersion=6 | Internal use, do not change! |
These two options are the compression and the update command line of 7-Zip:
- 7ZipCreateCmd=7zg-mini a "%A" %o -m0=LZMA2 -mx9 -ms=on -mhe -slp -ssc -ssw -scsWIN -p"%P" "%p"
- 7ZipUpdateCmd=7zg-mini u "%A" %o -m0=LZMA2 -mx9 -ms=on -mhe -slp-ssc -ssw -scsWIN -p"%P" -u- -up0q3r2x2y2z0w2!"%U" "%p"