Definitive Best Backup Software 2009

[Barney T. Administrators]

An updated "Best Backup Software" poll for 2009. Please use this as a reference when researching backup utilities. As time goes on, the poll can be updated to add further options.

Please choose one app or N/A per category when voting.

Happy Voting!

[Premgenius]

Acronis TrueImage is the best Backup software in my opinion.

[Dane]

Acronis TrueImage is the best Backup software in my opinion.

It's not free though which sucks.

Also with what I asked above, about syncing up, I don't want it to take stuff away from my external drive, just overwrite/add to what is there.

[blizeH]

Hi guys, hope you don't mind me asking here, but I'm wondering what backup software...

1. is either very cheap or free

2. will automatically update, say my music folder, and sync only stuff that's changed since the last backup

3. will keep an archive of a specific file or folder, so instead of just updating this one, it'll keep updates and old versions

4. is super simple and preferably won't hog resources, also maybe a 'one click' backup solution according to the rules above, as my external drive won't be plugged in all the time

Thanks!

[sujmano]

SyncBack

[blizeH]

Thanks - would the freeware version be enough for me do you think?

SyncBack looks great but it seems to be mostly schedules - great for most people, but again, my hard drive is going to spend more time in a drawer than it is plugged in I think :(

Hi guys, hope you don't mind me asking here, but I'm wondering what backup software...

1. is either very cheap or free

2. will automatically update, say my music folder, and sync only stuff that's changed since the last backup

3. will keep an archive of a specific file or folder, so instead of just updating this one, it'll keep updates and old versions

4. is super simple and preferably won't hog resources, also maybe a 'one click' backup solution according to the rules above, as my external drive won't be plugged in all the time

Thanks!

Edited June 2, 2009 by blizeH

[blizeH]

Other than doing #3 (which I was sceptical about finding a program to do anyway) I have to say that SyncBack has been absolutely superb, does everything I need it to and a whole lot more, for free!

Great recommendation, thank you :)

[Ji@nBing]

Acronis.

[Kahidru]

Backup Dwarf from here backup software

[4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran]

I use grsync (a Gnome gui for rsync) to back up my data files on my Linux. I just back them up to a portable hard drive. :D

[SCSI_2k]

Hi guys, hope you don't mind me asking here, but I'm wondering what backup software...

1. is either very cheap or free

2. will automatically update, say my music folder, and sync only stuff that's changed since the last backup

3. will keep an archive of a specific file or folder, so instead of just updating this one, it'll keep updates and old versions

4. is super simple and preferably won't hog resources, also maybe a 'one click' backup solution according to the rules above, as my external drive won't be plugged in all the time

Thanks!

Here are the two that I use:

Karen's Replicator http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp

or

Cobian Backup http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm

[pdmcmahon]

No love for Time Machine?

On my depleting number of Windows boxes, both at work and at home, Robocopy is total win, especially as it's free.

[FiB3R]

Wow, a lot of mentions for SyncBack. I'm gonna check it out. Time to add it to the poll?

[White Cuban]

acronis is always rocking the books here... but anyone mind recommending me a free solution that does full HD backup and isn't too diff' to recover? (try'ed filezilla, i must be mentally ill since i wasen't able to work it... pps say it can backup full disks but i only was able to do to a partition barely and it was so obscure...) anyway something free that isn't filezilla? thanks

would preffer something thats live CD or w/e not OS specific

[DrunkenMaster]

acronis is always rocking the books here... but anyone mind recommending me a free solution that does full HD backup and isn't too diff' to recover? (try'ed filezilla, i must be mentally ill since i wasen't able to work it... pps say it can backup full disks but i only was able to do to a partition barely and it was so obscure...) anyway something free that isn't filezilla? thanks

would preffer something thats live CD or w/e not OS specific

You didn't mention cost. Hire me! And, if its worth keeping, trust me, I'll make tons of backups too.

I'd suggest using something like tar.gz or ZIP to compress files (DOC, TXT etc). Just make sure its really well organized before you do anything.

Its still simple, but takes a bit more time, but consider using .PAR2 for a 'recovery record' of your files. If anything gets corrupt you have a good chance of recovering the info - no bad idea for CD/DVD. I save all the files to a DVD and make another for the PAR2 files. This is 100% better and PAR2 works on Windows, Mac and Linux.

[ultimate99]

No love for Time Machine?

On my depleting number of Windows boxes, both at work and at home, Robocopy is total win, especially as it's free.

the updated version now is RichCopy, right?

[+Xinok Subscriber²]

the updated version now is RichCopy, right?

Robocopy is a command line utility. RichCopy is just a GUI for Robocopy.

[OnePostWonder]

I liked Acronis TrueImage personally. Use it at work weekly...

[omganinja]

Wheres the copy and paste option?

[Grand Maester]

I use to use Nero but switched to Acronis when I started using a hard drive rather than discs. I don't recommend it to novices as it's easy to do a lot of damage to your system if you don't know what you're doing. Having said that, in my opinion it's the most complete and functional backup software out there.

[Starbuck84]

SyncBack SE, does everything I want.

For the creation of complete images, I tend to use SelfImage. (Extremely slow page, be warned).

[BehrendsTech]

WOW I have no clue why Acronis is number 1 on this especially for business? Yea it does backup nice and fast and look clean but have you actually recovered files with it. I have nothing but crashes, blue screens and problems with it from the actual software versions to trail versions. I always used the latest version and did it by the book I am no dummy.

I have worked with an aerospace company that went from old computers and network to a new one built by me. Their old machines on their old network had daily issues with corrupt files, lost files and deleted files. I support Symantec 100% with a good tape drive and raid I could restore files with such ez and reliability. They get my vote when it comes to business or corporate.

Now for home users lots of these don?t even work with windows 7 or server 2008 which I am currently using in my network. I am trying out (Macrium Reflect) which is free and had no issues along with working on windows 7. ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF MACRIUM REFLECT IS THE RECOVER DISK CAN BE LINUX BASED! I can?t support it 100% because I just got it but it seems to get a good mention and have had no issues with it. If you are a smart user and u do have a major crash unless you have very advance cad, and or editing programs with system licensing. I would stick with a file backup not a partition backup a new windows install takes like 15 ? 30 min and will run great .

I got a flash drive a few weeks ago and got to admit (Dmailer) sold me. I have never seen such a easy straight forward backup before that works. They might be my new favorite backup software works on windows 7 (for me), vista, servers and xp. It will work on U3 flash drives, raids and NAS. (I AM STILL TESTING IT)

NOTE: None of my recommendations are for servers except Symantec.

In simple Terms:

Business ? Corp = Symantec

Home ? Small Biz = Dmailer, Reflect

(Yes I was searching backups for a client and I signed up just to get in on the action and because I was amazed Acronis was number 1)

Sorry for the long post that's my 52395 cents.

[EGM92]

I have access to both Acronis TrueImage 2009 through work and Norton Ghost. I like Norton Ghost but it can be buggy. As for Acronis it's very easy to use.

Question about partition cloning. Are there any adverse effects of cloning one HDD to another and using the backup HDD as a main internal HDD?

I remember back when XP first came out there was a tool that I used to create a clone drive and it just never felt the same, the performance of the drive felt more like an external than a internal drive, spinning down at random times, disk access and seeking just didn't like the original source drive did. Is this something thats common? These 2 drives were identical.

[toki]

I am using SyncToy from Microsoft. Works pretty well. Small and good imho.

[BehrendsTech]

I have access to both Acronis TrueImage 2009 through work and Norton Ghost. I like Norton Ghost but it can be buggy. As for Acronis it's very easy to use.

Question about partition cloning. Are there any adverse effects of cloning one HDD to another and using the backup HDD as a main internal HDD?

I remember back when XP first came out there was a tool that I used to create a clone drive and it just never felt the same, the performance of the drive felt more like an external than a internal drive, spinning down at random times, disk access and seeking just didn't like the original source drive did. Is this something thats common? These 2 drives were identical.

Simple answer is I would say yes the clone will never in my opinion run at the same full performance. I have become a firm believer of keeping my data mobile (Second Drive, SERVER, NAS) so I can reformat anytime I want and still have all my data except the programs that are (clean installs, Settings Kept on Mobile Drive) that run it. No matter how many restores or clones I create, I never feel I get the same zoom I do from the original like you stated.

MY MAIN QUESTION

How many people have actually done multiple REAL CASE Acronis restores and/or clones that worked 100% and did not later have to be reformatted or changed to get performance or stability back?

[joe_banana]

Anyone tried O&O's backup utility? http://www.oo-software.com/home/en/product...ress/index.html

How is it compared to Acronis?