Recommend a good freeware backup program?

I do NOT want an imaging program; I don't want to waste that kind of space.. The idea of making and restoring an image is like using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut; in the process you destroy the meat. I want a program that allows for the restoration of files and folders not wiping out my drive with a full restore.

The ones in the freeware DB take images.

TM - Check out this program, looks like it might work for you.
FBackup4.5 free backup software

for Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2008/2003/2000 Server (32 and 64-bit)

FBackup4.5 has a simple interface and guides you through the process of defining a backup job using a friendly wizard that asks you:

• Where do you want to store the backup (the destination).
• What do you want to backup (the sources).
• How do you want to run the backup (using full backup that zips the files, or mirror backup that doesn't zip them).
• When do you want to run the backup (you can schedule it to run automatically or run it manually).

http://www.fbackup.com/


Here's a list from a website I found:
Comodo BackUp - http://backup.comodo.com
GFI Backup - http://www.gfi.com/backup-hm
FBackup - http://www.fbackup.com
Drive Backup Free Edition - http://www.paragon-software.com
TrueSafe Personal Edition - http://www.qpointsoft.com
AceBackup - http://www.acebackup.com/download.htm
Cobian Backup - http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cbnew.htm
Karen's Replicator - http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp
JaBack - http://www.hiteksoftware.com/jaba/index.htm

Have you checked out the backup program that comes with Windows 7?

Yes, that is what I had been using but it's starting to frustrate me. My C: drive is partitioned to 400MB but the backup is using 560MB but when I look to free up space it says there is only the one version. Plus it is taking anywhere from 30 min one week to 8 hours the next.

The sledgehammer does help with frustration.

Well an image would be smaller than what W7 is currently spewing but I don't like the idea of having to loose everything I did that week simply to restore a file or folder. If it would be possible to restore just specific items from an image that would work but if I understand correctly the free version of macrum reflect doesn't offer that ability. Wiping out a weeks worth of data on a complete restore is one big sledgehammer and if I needed that it would not relieve any frustration.

Windows 7 creates a image along with the backup. You can set it to delete old images when it creates new ones. Last night when I opened Firefox and went to a website that I have to login to I noticed that my AI Roboform Pro saved data all disappeared. I had it back in under 2 minutes with Windows 7's backup. Though my external hard drive is 2tbs. and space isn't a issue for me.

I do use an image program. It has saved me on many occasions.

But I , from time to time, need to do a basic install. To cover my data in this, I periodicall copy the entire "users\username folder to a safe place. This takes care of my data, pictures.etc.

My backup plan is not for everyone. But for one, when I set up my systems, I have all my data (docs, tunes, pictures, contacts, email, appointments, etc.) go somewhere under My Documents. I also have an old PC on my network that serves as my backup device that Windows uses to save it's backup files. But also, I periodically just "drag" a copy of My Documents folder to this spare PC. Since my data is worth many times more than my hardware and all the applications (which can be replaced/rebuilt/reinstalled) having a current copy of my data is what is important to me.

You can set W7 to just back up selected files or folders also without doing a full image backup. Just use the let me choose option.
My Backup is I use W7 to do a daily full back up to a internal HD (I Have 4 of them). I also use Macrium Reflect Purchased version to do a weekly Backup on a separate HD from the W7 Backup