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File backup software for home and SOHO users.

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popi
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:12 pm    Post subject: File backup software for home and SOHO users. Reply with quote

I have a box with Windows Vista Home Basic installed. I've realized that while the factory backup software included with Windows Vista Home Basic manages to copy most of my user content it doesn't provide a way to save certain user files and it doesn't let me exclude certain files and folders--as to speed up the back up process and saving some space in the backup media.

Therefore, I'm looking for something that can run backups for selected files and folders at regular intervals. That software must ask any user of the computer -- including non administrators-- to insert removable media (DVD+-RW, USB key, or USB Hard disk) when the need arises. The computer may be turned off or be sleeping at the scheduled backup time. The expected backup size is 3 GB to 20 GB. Also, the backup software must provide a way to recover single files and directories to a specified folder location.

The main backup media will be DVD +/- RW but I may end up using, either, USB keys or an external USB hard disk at some point.

While I'm a complete novice regarding backup software I have noted down some features that I thought may be worthwhile for such kind of software being used in a home environment:

    Low footprint.
    Easy-of-use and friendliness for the novice.
    Low chances to conflict with Windows Vista (after an update).
    Free customer support.
    None or few known and unresolved software bugs.
    A free software updates feature would be welcome.
    Comprehensive help file stored in the computer and easy to understand.
    It being widely used software so it's really easy looking for help.
    Solvent software company unlike to go bankrupt or unlikely to abandon their backup product.


After a few web searches I ended up with this [partial] list of software packages that may or may not be adapted to what I need:

    East-Tec Backup.
    Nero BackItUp.
    Norton Ghost.
    Paragon Drive Backup Personal.
    Acronis True Image Home.

At this point I certainly need other peers input for advice on what software package to pick up. Also, I'm wondering whether an equivalent Windows Seven OS to Windows Vista Home Basic may come with a more customizable backup tool.

All advice is appreciated!
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Nonapeptide
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:05 pm    Post subject: Re: File backup software for home and SOHO users. Reply with quote

I use Acronis True Image Home 11 and found it to be a little buggy. Backups would freeze while trying to copy certain files. It's okay I suppose and maybe version 12 has fixed that. There's one title that isn't on your list that you might want to look into. It's Genie Backup Manager. While I'm not impressed with their server offerings (at least version 8 ), their home use stuff seems to have good reviews. I research Genie when a client purchased the server version and said "Make it work". Their latest offering for home seems to be an imitation of Apple's backup feature for OS X.
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for advicing me Genie Backup Manager Home v8.0. Also, I have found on their website a new offering for home users named Genie Timeline. Both programs seem good enough for my needs.

Concerning Genie Timeline ( http://www.genie-soft.com/products/genie_timeline/default.html ), may it consume too much system resources during the everyday tasks? As a home / SOHO computer user I make or edit very few files over the week so having a backup software running on the background all day long may not be a good idea--I do not know. I figure that a backup job scheduled weekly should be more than enough.

Also, Genie Timeline cannot use DVDs so I'd have to buy an external USB hard drive--which may already come with bundled backup software.

I also like the fact that the backup job is copied to the media (external USB hard disk) whenever it's plugged in. Also, I read on the Genie Timeline website that it's integrated in the Windows Explorer, but I do not know if this could lead to an unstable system or provoking crashes. Usually after a Windows Update.

As for the Genie Backup Manager Home v8.0 ( http://www.genie-soft.com/products/gbm/us/default.html ) it makes me seriously consider the possibility of making system images rather than data backups coupled with an external USB hard disk. I do not expect this computer crashing often so having to install all the software from scratch isn't that annoying and I figure it must be a good way to make sure that there aren't viruses or other nasty programs wandering on the computer.

Would a full system backup job over an external hard drive scheduled weekly be a better option than backing up my user data several times every day?

I read on the specifications of both Genius programs that they do require Flash Player to be installed on the system. But could a required upgrade of Flash Player make the Genius software somehow more likely to crash or be unstable?

Eventually, I could not find anything related to Windows Seven compatibility in their website. Thus, what must I assume?

Again, thanks a lot for your help!
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Nonapeptide
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 6:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

popi wrote:
Concerning Genie Timeline ( http://www.genie-soft.com/products/genie_timeline/default.html ), may it consume too much system resources during the everyday tasks? As a home / SOHO computer user I make or edit very few files over the week so having a backup software running on the background all day long may not be a good idea--I do not know. I figure that a backup job scheduled weekly should be more than enough.
It depends on how the application works. It might be checking for changed files and backing them up immediately which shouldn't take up too many resources. However, I have to say that my suggestion to look into Genie was without personal experience with their consumer products or their latest Timeline product.

popi wrote:
Also, Genie Timeline cannot use DVDs so I'd have to buy an external USB hard drive--which may already come with bundled backup software.
Bundled backup software on hard drives is usually of poor quality and not something I would personally rely on. My first act when I get a new hard drive (I just purchased a Western Digital Passport) is to completely reformat it and then rely on either my own backup scripts (typically using Robocopy on Windows) or my own backup software (currently Acronis True Image Home 11).

Remember to change a hard drives file system to NTFS as most manufacturers default the hard drive to FAT32 which does not have large file support! I had to do that to my new Passport hard drive. You can change file systems without formatting the hard drive or losing data.

popi wrote:
I also like the fact that the backup job is copied to the media (external USB hard disk) whenever it's plugged in. Also, I read on the Genie Timeline website that it's integrated in the Windows Explorer, but I do not know if this could lead to an unstable system or provoking crashes. Usually after a Windows Update.
You could search around online for any feedback on the product. Especially the user forums for Genie Soft.


popi wrote:
Would a full system backup job over an external hard drive scheduled weekly be a better option than backing up my user data several times every day?
I prefer to backup my files at least once a day. I usually perform a full backup on the weekend (Saturday, for instance) and then incremental or differential backups once every evening on the other days. I don't find it to be too taxing on my system unless I've made a lot of changes or have changed some large files (which hardly ever happens). I suppose importing a few GB of photos from a digital camera would make for a long and large backup, but that's just what happens. Personally, I simply create a robocopy script and schedule it with Windows's task scheduler and that seems to be just fine for a file level backup. Applications like Acronis and Genie make restoration easier and also offer other perks such as Acronis's safe zone. Windows Vista and beyond allows for the live creation of complete images so you no longer need to use a third-party tool for that. But those "hand crafted" options using task scheduler and etc. might be a bit cumbersome for you if you simply want something that you can "set and forget" (which is actually never a good mantra to have for backups, but I digress slightly... Smile )


popi wrote:
I read on the specifications of both Genius programs that they do require Flash Player to be installed on the system. But could a required upgrade of Flash Player make the Genius software somehow more likely to crash or be unstable?
I'd simply ask around on the Genie forums to see what other users' experience is. I would imaging that it would be stable as Flash upgrades don't tend to break things.


popi wrote:
Eventually, I could not find anything related to Windows Seven compatibility in their website. Thus, what must I assume?
I would assume that 7 will be supported shortly since it's a major OS that many people will be using. Check out the forums and ask their support team.


popi wrote:
Again, thanks a lot for your help!
You're quite welcome. Smile
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popi
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I will check their forum. That's a good idea, thank you!
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mday
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 8:00 pm    Post subject: which backup software should I get for 3 PC's Reply with quote

We have 3 PC's in our house.

I want to do full image backups. Nothing fancy. Just manual backups every now and then.

Do any of these packages (Genie, Acronis, Ghost, etc.) give me a way to use them on multiple PC's or will I have to buy 3 licenses?
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 8:53 pm    Post subject: Re: which backup software should I get for 3 PC's Reply with quote

mday wrote:
We have 3 PC's in our house.

I want to do full image backups. Nothing fancy. Just manual backups every now and then.

Do any of these packages (Genie, Acronis, Ghost, etc.) give me a way to use them on multiple PC's or will I have to buy 3 licenses?


It is my belief that some home licenses do allow you to use it on multiple computers. Having said that, Genie Home 8 does not allow you to install it on multiple computers. Sad The best way to find out would be to contact the company via email and ask them (or use their support forums if they have one).
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:53 pm    Post subject: Iomega worked Reply with quote

First I tried a Toshiba external drive but the software that came with it would only do FILE backups, not system backups.

Then I tried an Iomega external drive. The software they provide, Restrospect, is downloadable after you provide them the serial number of the hard drive. So I installed it and it does system backups! So I backed up one laptop. Took a look at the external drive. Renamed the folder where EVERYTHING went (no hidden files in the root directory) so I could back up another PC in the house.

Works like a charm, if you want to take rare full backups of multiple machines, just for disaster recovery. Glad I didn't have to buy any software! (much less a license for each PC in the house!)
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:14 pm    Post subject: Re: Iomega worked Reply with quote

mday wrote:
Works like a charm, if you want to take rare full backups of multiple machines, just for disaster recovery. Glad I didn't have to buy any software! (much less a license for each PC in the house!)


Great news mday! I'm usually unimpressed with the bundled backup software that is included on most external hard drives and other mass storage devices but it looks like you found a winner! Thanks for the update.
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