Am looking for a solution that runs on my Windows XP PC for a fairly simple set of requirements:

• Define a backup set of folders/files on XP PC (eg My Documents)
• Manually or automatically back up the lot to external USB hard drive
• Run incremental back ups etc after that.

Keep external hard drive as my ‘master’ or safety back up, that is:

• Perform back up
• (accidently) delete Resume.doc from XP PC
• Do one or more back ups
• Discover Resume.doc is gone
• Get it back from USB hard drive

Some ‘syncing’ software would have deleted Resume.doc from the USB hard drive

• Don’t want version control etc; handled manually within Word etc
• Happy for back up to clobber USB hard drive copy if required

So any ideas? Does this type of back up have a name/description?

Update Sept 9th.

Found one that works. Here’s the email I sent to the tech buddies who had helped me find a good solution.

“Have been using Dropbox for a while now and am a big fan.  For my many-GB stuff I’m trying the BPSP "SyncToy" from Redmond way. Thanks to <snip> for pointing it out. It’s contribute mode is just what I was after.

(Binary, Proprietary , Single Platform)   true…but Horses for Courses

Plus  IJFW  It Just Works…”