How to keep a log of your backups

You don't need to keep one by hand. Burn by Zaweba writes a log entry for every backup it makes, recording the date, the backup set, the discs used, the number of files, whether the check passed and the result. Open it from Home or Tools > Backup log, and export it as CSV whenever you want a copy.

A backup log answers the questions that matter when something goes wrong: when did I last back up, which discs hold it, and did it check out?

What each entry records

Each time you run a backup from the Backup Assistant, a line is added. The date tells you how recent your newest backup is. The set name tells you which group of folders it covered, which matters if you keep separate sets for photos and documents. The discs used tell you how many to look for when you restore. The number of files is a quick sanity check against what you expected.

Then come whether the check passed and the result. Burn takes a SHA-256 fingerprint of every file before burning and, with Check every disc after burning on, reads every file back afterwards and compares it. The log keeps the outcome, so a failure doesn't get forgotten once the window is closed.

Exporting to CSV

The log can be exported as a CSV file, which opens in any spreadsheet. That's useful for a few reasons. You can keep a copy somewhere other than the PC being backed up, perhaps printed and kept with the discs. A small office can show when backups were made. And you can sort or filter the list to see how often each set has been done.

Grid by Zaweba or any other spreadsheet program will open the file. Keep the exported copy with your discs and it doubles as a catalogue of the shelf.

Using the log to stay on track

The simplest habit is to glance at the log before each backup. If the last one is older than you'd like, that's your nudge. If an entry shows a failed check, burn that disc again before you rely on it.

The log works well with changes-only backups. When you choose Only files changed since the last backup, new discs hold just the new and changed files, and the index points unchanged files back to the earlier discs. The log is where you see that chain at a glance: a full backup, then a run of smaller ones, each with its own discs.

Where the log is kept

The backup log lives with your settings and saved backup sets in %APPDATA%\Zaweba\Burn. Settings (Ctrl+,) shows that location and has an Open button, so you can find the files without hunting. Since that folder is on the PC you're protecting, exporting the CSV now and then is a sensible extra.

Labels help too. After a backup, Burn offers a label for each disc, marked Disc 2 of 3 and so on, printed as an A4 PDF with crop marks. Matching the set name on the label to the set name in the log means you can go from a line in the spreadsheet to the right discs on the shelf in seconds.