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    Need nice backup software

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by sean473, Aug 29, 2009.

  1. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    Again, i just don't know which back up software to use for my 1 TB Western Digital My Book Home Edition. There is such a wide choice in the free software guide on the forum but i want the best one so i'm asking for all ur ppl's help!!!

    Thanks!!!
     
    sean473, Aug 29, 2009
    #1
  2. ntheo

    ntheo Notebook Consultant

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    If you're data is just video pictures and installers for programs, I think a straight copy to the 1TB drive is fine.

    If you're looking for a full system recovery in the event of a disaster (knock on wood), I'd recommend a imaging program. It'll save all your settings and when you recovery, you'll go back to the state that your computer was in when you made the back up.

    In the free software forums, there's Macrium Reflect or DriveImage XML
    which can do it for you using the MS Volume Shadow copy Service (VSS).

    http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

    http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm
    I haven't used any of the free ones.


    There's also Ghost and Acronis for paid ones.
    I still use a really old version of Ghost and I must say it's very reliable since all the imaging is done in a preboot DOS like environment. The new ones claim to be able to image while you're still using windows which is unsettling for me.

    Some will do incremental back up that saves only the files that have been changed.

    Good luck!
     
    ntheo, Aug 29, 2009
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  3. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    Thanks, i've heard about Norton ghost and i'll get that most probably, but are there any good free back-up softwares as i'm a little low on cash....
     
    sean473, Aug 29, 2009
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  4. goofball

    goofball Notebook Deity

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    backup as in creating an image, or backup as in syncing files/folders from your desktop to the WD?

    If it's the latter, you could use Synctoy or Syncback SE.

    If it's imaging you want, there is clonezilla, driveimagexml.

    All these are free.
     
    goofball, Aug 29, 2009
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  5. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    well i want to have a copy in a way of all my files to my hard drive including my programs and everything so if my harddrive gets corrupted , i would be able to image it. so yes its a image. Any more suggestions? Is Norton Ghost is good?
     
    sean473, Aug 30, 2009
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  6. goofball

    goofball Notebook Deity

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    GHOST is good but so is Acronis. I know the newer version of Acronis will make a USB key bootable with the program so you can restore the image from USB devices. I usually keep the program on a smaller USB key (256MB is fine), then have the image onto a bigger USB HDD so I can restore if needed.
     
    goofball, Aug 30, 2009
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  7. ATG

    ATG 2x4 Super Moderator

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    ATG, Aug 30, 2009
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  8. RaZZNuts

    RaZZNuts Notebook Guru

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    Acronis TrueImage, never had any problem with it, and it does exactly the same job as Norton Ghost.
     
    RaZZNuts, Aug 30, 2009
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  9. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    is this Acronis TrueImage a free software?
     
    sean473, Aug 30, 2009
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  10. miro_gt

    miro_gt Notebook Deity

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    no, but it's pretty good. I've used it before .. too bad I cant use the free trial version anymore :(
     
    miro_gt, Aug 30, 2009
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  11. ortegaluis

    ortegaluis Notebook Consultant

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    You might want to look into Easeus Todo Backup. It's free.
    I haven't tested it myself, but it's worth giving it a shot.
     
    ortegaluis, Aug 31, 2009
    #11