Disclaimer: This was created as part of a learning exercise, as a source to use PowerShell. Yes, Robocopy exist and can do a much better job than this alternative. Again, it's just an exercise.

Incremental Backup Script

This PowerShell script performs incremental backups of specified source folders to a destination path. It tracks changes using a manifest file and logs all operations for debugging and auditing purposes.

Features

• Incremental backup: Only copies files that are new or modified.
• Handles long file paths by using the \\?\ prefix.
• Deletes old backups older than 7 days to save space.
• Logs all actions to a log file for traceability.

Prerequisites

• PowerShell 5.1 or later.
• Administrative privileges (if accessing certain directories).

Usage

1. Replace the placeholders in the script:

   $sourceFolders = @("<!-- Insert source folders here -->")
   $destinationBase = "<!-- Insert destination path here -->"
   

$sourceFolders = @("C:\Users\USER1\Desktop", "D:", "F:") $destinationBase = "Z:\Backups"

Save the file and run the script in PowerShell:

• .\IncrementalBackup.ps1

Customization

• Modify the $cutoffDate variable to change the retention period for old backups.
• Adjust logging behavior by editing the $logFile section.