Backup Software Use and Recommendation

[bpatters55]

Hello All,

I have our main desktop PC which has all of our documents, pictures, financial data, email, email contacts, favorites and music and a laptop that I would like to back-up. Between the two machines, the desktop is far more important. I am running Windows 7 64bit on the desktop and Windows XP SP3 on the laptop. In terms of backup, I only want to back-up the data. I don't care about the applications or OS as I can reinstall those and I would prefer to reinstall them if my hard drive crashes and I to have to replace the hard drive. I would like to keep the backup files on a SATA drive which I placed in an external enclosure. The drive can be accesses via USB or eSATA. I have looked at several sites for recommendations. Here is one I found which is pushing NovaBackup:

http/data-backup-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

I have also used Acronis which seems decent. Anyone else have a recommendation on software? Anyone have a suggestion or change on my backup technique? I would use an online source but I do not want to pay the annual fee. I figure since I am backing up home data, I can lose a month or two and it is no big deal.

Thanks, Bill

 

[mrmaia]

I recommend Cobian Backup. It's FREE and it's pretty good. You can schedule your backups and save everything to wherever you want, including external drives and servers.

Check it out.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

http/www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software.htm

Free ^

 

[bpatters55]

I recommend Cobian Backup. It's FREE and it's pretty good. You can schedule your backups and save everything to wherever you want, including external drives and servers.

Check it out.

Interesting... still not sure what the difference is between running as an application vs a service. I am guessing that a service runs in memory in the background? I chose to install as an application as I want to be able to tell the system exactly what to back-up.

 

[mrmaia]

Interesting... still not sure what the difference is between running as an application vs a service. I am guessing that a service runs in memory in the background? I chose to install as an application as I want to be able to tell the system exactly what to back-up.

Checking the help file I got this:

A service is a special windows application that runs even if no user is logged on the system. The service can run under a special account (LocalSystem account) or under some other existing account. On Windows NT, 2000 ,XP , 2003 or Vista is recommended to run this program as a service. You decide if you want to run the program as a service or as an application in the installation program. You can also change the way the program will work from the Options dialog box.

When running Cobian Backup 9 as a service, a problem can arise: if you want to access a shared drive or folder or some non-local resource, you cannot run the service under the default system account. You must run it under an account which has network access (example: the Administrator account). In the installation program, you can choose to configure the service to run under the system or other account.

Another difference is that you cannot terminate a service the same way you close an application. You stop/start a service using the Control Panel - Administrative tools - Services icon. You can also control the service from the Options dialog box.

 

[bpatters55]

Checking the help file I got this:

A service is a special windows application that runs even if no user is logged on the system. The service can run under a special account (LocalSystem account) or under some other existing account. On Windows NT, 2000 ,XP , 2003 or Vista is recommended to run this program as a service. You decide if you want to run the program as a service or as an application in the installation program. You can also change the way the program will work from the Options dialog box.

When running Cobian Backup 9 as a service, a problem can arise: if you want to access a shared drive or folder or some non-local resource, you cannot run the service under the default system account. You must run it under an account which has network access (example: the Administrator account). In the installation program, you can choose to configure the service to run under the system or other account.

Another difference is that you cannot terminate a service the same way you close an application. You stop/start a service using the Control Panel - Administrative tools - Services icon. You can also control the service from the Options dialog box.

Yes, I saw that which is how I determined that as a service, Cobian must automatically be starting up and running in memory vs the user starting the application. I installed the program as an application and it looks like it starts automatically as an application and places an icon in the tool bar. All I want is the program to run and do its thing on a set schedule and I think it will do that as an application.

 

[mrmaia]

Yes, I saw that which is how I determined that as a service, Cobian must automatically be starting up and running in memory vs the user starting the application. I installed the program as an application and it looks like it starts automatically as an application and places an icon in the tool bar. All I want is the program to run and do its thing on a set schedule and I think it will do that as an application.

Fine then! I hope it serves you well.

 

[Hawkeye22]

For a paid version, I use Acronis true Image. for a free version, I use Macrium Reflect.

http/www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx?x-free=Y