How to verify a local or NAS folder backup

1. Define the expected set

Before you copy, write down the source path, destination path, date, and folders included. If this is a project handoff or a migration checkpoint, record who approved the scope and what should be excluded.

This step prevents a common verification mistake: comparing the destination with a vague idea of the source. A report can be accurate while the wrong folder was selected, so the expected set belongs in the archive record too.

2. Copy to a local disk or NAS mount

Use Safe Archive with a local folder or NAS mount as the destination. Confirm that the account running the job can read the source and write to the destination. On a network path, check the connection and available space before starting a large copy.

Safe Archive is copy-only. It does not rename, modify, or delete the source. During the run it hashes each copied file with SHA-256 and writes the HTML and CSV reports into the destination root.

• Use a stable network path instead of a connection that may disappear during the run.
• Check that the destination can hold the selected source scope and the reports.
• Keep the archive destination separate from the source when the goal is a backup.

3. Check the report alongside the folder size

A matching size can miss a replaced file, a missing small file, or a failed item that was never copied. Open_archive-report.html and review the summary, then inspect the CSV when you need a sortable list.

1. Compare the report scope with the expected source folders.
2. Review the total files and bytes as a quick reasonableness check.
3. Read every failed or skipped entry instead of treating it as a warning to ignore.
4. Spot-check important files with the corresponding SHA-256 values.

The folder comparison tool can help inspect two accessible folders. Use the archive report for the authoritative record of the copy, including items that never reached the destination.

4. Keep the evidence with the backup

Keep the HTML report and CSV report beside the archived folder, along with the source scope and review date. If a file failed because of a permission or network problem, record the correction and rerun the same archive.

When the retry succeeds, keep the updated report as the signoff artifact. Retiring the original disk or source folder is a separate decision and should wait until the archive has been reviewed.