A new version, 2.0 is available. Most important (for me) is the new /R switch. This gives you the opportunity to start this back-up tool "minimized". If you make a batch file with the contents like:
C:\Portables\zback\Zback mybackupjob.bal /R
and run it at Windows start-up time, the back-up will run without the user knowing.
The contents of the .bal file looks sometime like:

C:\userdir1\*.* > J:\backup\userdir2 /us
C:\userdir3\*.* > J:\backup\userdir2 /us
C:\userdir3\*.* > J:\backup\userdir3 /us

Great software.
Thanks Davor!

I like this a lot; especially the batch feature, but scanning appears to be much slower compared to similar utilities such as Freefilesync.

I was looking for a good backup/synchronize app for backup my computer into an external HDD, now i can stop searching.
Recommended!

Great tool. The developer responds very quickly to requests and questions. I just wish the user interface would be a little bit more intuitive, it may take some time to get used to.

If this product doesn't write anything to the main disk how does it maintain a list of deleted files in order to synchronise deletions between disks?

That's a really good question, DollyP. I know that FreeFileSync has similar problems with at least one automatic setting of syncing. It pops up an error message noting that some files have been deleted and it doesn't know what to do. It also stores database lists on both disk areas.

Zback 2.40.0.a is available

Recently switched to this as my default sync/backup utility because of its small size, configuration options, reporting features and decent speed. FFS has become bigger, slower, and annoying for the reasons indicated elsewhere.

How does the syncing/backup capabilities stack up to Syncback?

@Li-ion "is the new /R switch. ...start ... "minimized"

This could also be used with launchers that can pass command line such as PStart etc

I just downloaded v2.65.0.b. I created 2 "test" folders one on C:\ with 5 folders with files and one empty on D:\ I then ran the snyc and the program completely left one folder out of the sync task. I tried several times with te same result. So, Make sure you check your Task! I tried the same Task with "FolderSync 2" and it worked perfect on the same task.

v2.65 failed me too. Otherwise, all versions have been pretty reliable.

Using version v2.70.0.a and experiencing no problems whatever.

In my experience the best software often lacks better exposure and perhaps a sexy looking interface. Zback fulfils these criteria. Such an approach usually speaks volumes for a developer that spends his time on creating good code rather than a good image for something they might later commercialise.

I used to write my own batch files for backing up, but replicating file properties for customised folder icons proved a a pain so I went looking and found that a lot of the back up/sync software that people rave about lacks this simple function - or if it is specified it fails to function.

If I could change anything about Zback, it would be the interface, but then I might lose confidence in its naive charm :)

Perfect for my needs which run to backing up and synchronising around 30GB across two laptops using the batch function.

I look no further than Syncovery for synchronisation. The feature set is hard to beat and it seems to work better than all the others I`ve tried.

I just checked out Syncovery. It's not freeware.

I love this application ... I use it for backing up all my files ... it is very quick and much quicker than manual copy-paste by windows. I always use manual mode to preview the synchronization then running it.

On the homepage, the feature list includes: "can be used as front-end for cloud backup/ synchronize/ mirror (Google Drive)" ... yet the program and its help files make no mention of it??

Download the manual (zmanual, not zguide) and checkout Example 25 from Appendices section.

Thanks.

Zback copies Folder Properties, which most backup software does not, according to numerous tools I've tested. For that reason alone I can forgive the rather clunky UI. Love it :)

The interface is a bit of a challenge, not very intuitive. But you're rewarded by outstanding features that are hard to find elsewhere, such as:
- Existing Files only = to refresh a target
- one-click creation of batch-files for commandline
- a kind of fallback-mechanism - it can check for the existence of more than volume label + path, so you don't have to create multiple profiles for different targets that will hold the same backups