Did you just purchase a NAS (Network Attached Storage) to centralize your files and protect your important data? Excellent choice. A NAS is one of the best solutions for data security in a home or small office. But now comes the fundamental question: what is the best way to back up your files from your Windows PC to the NAS?
Many people immediately think of paid software, but not everyone knows that Windows has a powerful, free, and incredibly reliable tool built-in for this exact purpose: Robocopy.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to use Robocopy to create a perfect NAS backup and, for those who prefer a graphical interface, how our free software RoboSuite can make the entire process even simpler and more automatic.
What is Robocopy and Why Should You Use It?
Robocopy (Robust File Copy) is a command-line utility integrated into all modern versions of Windows. Unlike a simple copy-and-paste, Robocopy was created for professional environments and offers enormous advantages:
- Reliability: It’s “robust.” If the network connection is momentarily interrupted, Robocopy can resume the transfer right where it left off (
/Z). - Speed: It is optimized to transfer thousands of files much faster than Windows File Explorer.
- Synchronization (Mirroring): It can create a mirror copy (
/MIR) of your source folder on the NAS, deleting files from the NAS that you have deleted from your PC to keep everything perfectly aligned. - Total Control: It allows you to exclude files, copy security permissions, and much more.
How to Use Robocopy for NAS Backups: The Command-Line Method
First, you need to know the network path of your NAS. It’s usually something like \\NAS_NAME\SharedFolder.
- Open Command Prompt: Search for “cmd” in the Start Menu.
- Write the Command: Use a syntax like this:DOS
robocopy "C:\Users\YourName\Documents" "\\NAS_NAME\Backup\Documents" /MIR /Z /R:2 /W:5
Command Breakdown:
robocopy: Starts the program."C:\Users\YourName\Documents": This is the source folder you want to copy."\\NAS_NAME\Backup\Documents": This is the destination folder on your NAS./MIR: “Mirrors” the directory. It makes the destination identical to the source./Z: Enables “restartable mode,” which is useful for networks./R:2 /W:5: If an error occurs on a file, it will retry 2 times, waiting 5 seconds between attempts.
This method is powerful, but the command line can be intimidating. And what if you wanted to schedule this backup to run automatically every night? That’s where things get complicated.
The Simple, Free Solution: RoboSuite, the GUI for Robocopy
If the idea of using a terminal isn’t for you, the solution is to use a graphical user interface (GUI) that does the heavy lifting for you. RoboSuite was created for exactly this purpose.
RoboSuite is a free application for Windows that gives you total control over Robocopy through an intuitive interface. Instead of writing complex commands, you can simply:
- Select Your Folders: Use the convenient “Browse” buttons to choose your source folder on the PC and the destination folder on the NAS.
- Choose a Preset: Select an option like “Mirror Copy.” RoboSuite will automatically use the optimal commands (
/MIR,/Z, etc.) for you. - Schedule the Backup: With the Job Scheduling feature, you can easily set the backup to run automatically every day or every week at the time you prefer, even when you’re not at your computer.
- Monitor the Process: Follow the progress with real-time graphs and receive a detailed HTML report of all operations at the end.
Conclusion: Your NAS Backup, Simplified
You don’t need expensive software to create a reliable and automated NAS backup. Windows already provides you with the best tool for the job, Robocopy. And with RoboSuite, you have the simplest interface to harness its full power.
Whether you’re an expert user looking to speed up your operations or a beginner seeking a “set it and forget it” solution, RoboSuite is the tool for you.
Download RoboSuite v1.3 today and make backing up to your NAS a simple and secure operation.