Simple disk-to-disk backup

I need a quick and easy way of making scheduled backups to an external hard disk. I have an external drive, which I want to make a full backups to. Ideally it should be able to backup incrementally (ie. anything that's new / changed) - but I don't want / need versions.

Any suggestions?

Personally I like to work with paragon partition manager on a bootable msdos disk/cd. This will still work even if windows won't run anymore. There's also Acronis True Image that does a pretty good job too.

I'm just worried about my data really - not worried about losing Windows partition or the installed applications, those can be reinstalled easily.

I tried Windows XP in-built backup some time ago, and it kind of worked, but not incrementally. There was something that wound me up about it..

maybe it'd be quicker just to drag the files + folders over to the external HDD.

http://www.superflexible.com/special.htm

Super Flexible File Synchronizer

Thanks I'll give it a try

Acronis True Image 10

windows briefcase works (for 'free')- it syncs any files that have changed.

Just create a briefcase on your my docs folder then drag the folders to archive into it. Then click sync now and again. I dont think you can schedule it tho.

(but you have to watch it or it turns and bites)

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/prophoto/synctoy.mspx

and a Windows scheduled task to control it?

MS-Backup?

Tar?

I use SyncBack.

http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/syncback-hub.html

@Dan -
bites how? I'm using it with an external USB drive and it seems fine... even tells me what actions its taking. Is there something I should know?

Hmm, well I suspect all of these do pretty much the same thing - so thanks for the suggestions. I've opted for SyncToy as it seems really easy to use and does exactly what I want.

Thanks to Mark Tiffany.
SyncBack (free version) is much better than Synctoy.

yup, it seemed the best of the three or four I tried, and very configurable to boot, especially for a free version. I have it set up to back up from my windows to my linux box when the two are both on, an incremental backup that lets me delete less necessary stuff on my pc (e.g. all the "less good" photos I've taken), safe in the knowledge that I do still have a copy over there.

(I also do a regular backup of what's on the linux box to DVD for completeness once every couple of months or so)

I use Cobian. It has an FTP backup feature that rocks.

http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm

Acronis True Image is the beez kneez.