Check your backup on Windows
A backup you never checked is a guess. Here is a simple way to see whether your backup folder really contains everything from the original, and which files are missing or out of date.
The idea
Compare the original folder (left) with the backup folder (right). Every file ends up in one of a few states, so gaps are visible at a glance instead of buried in thousands of files.
Steps with Folvane
- Choose the original folder on the left and the backup folder on the right.
- Press F5 to compare. By size and date this takes seconds; choose byte-by-byte if you want to be certain that the content is identical.
- Read the states: identical means the backup is current. Left only means the file exists in the original but not in the backup. Left newer means the backup holds an older version. Right only means the backup contains a file that is no longer in the original.
- Use the color filters to show just the problems, or search for a name.
- Double-click a changed text file to see both versions side by side.
- Save the result as a PDF, HTML or CSV report if you want to keep a record.
Bringing the backup up to date
If the backup should match the original, Folvane can sync it. Every action is listed in a preview first, and you can untick single items. “Update right side” copies new and changed files without deleting anything; “Mirror” also removes files that are not in the original. Replaced and removed files are backed up first, so the last sync can be undone from the history.
Honest limits
- Folvane compares and syncs folders when you start it. It does not schedule or run backups in the background. To keep a backup current you run the comparison again, or let another tool create the backup and use Folvane to check it.
- A matching comparison shows that two folders have the same files. It does not prove that the backup can be restored, that the drive is healthy, or that you have an additional copy somewhere else.
- Files that are open or locked by other programs may not be copied; the sync log tells you about failures.
- Two-way sync does not detect deleted files. Use mirror when deletions should be carried over.
Frequently asked questions
Does Folvane make backups automatically?
No. It compares two folders and syncs them on demand, with a preview and undo. It has no scheduler.
Can I check an external drive or network share?
Yes, anything Windows shows as a folder. For FAT/exFAT drives there is a time tolerance for timestamp differences.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Folvane needs no internet connection, no account and sends no data.
What if the backup has files the original does not?
They show as “right only”. Folvane does not remove them unless you choose a mirror sync, which is always previewed and backed up first.
Folvane
Folvane – €9.99, one-time. Windows 10 (1809+) and 11 · x64 and ARM64 · English and German · One-time purchase, no subscription
