Backup Software - Opinions Wanted

[RGD.]

I have decided that the backup software packaged with Win 7 just plain sucks. On two different boxes it simply locks up and refuses to work. Tired of it so am looking at these two softwares:

O&O DiskImage 5 Professional Edition

and

Acronis® True Image Home 2010


Any users who have opinions, pros, cons, etc etc would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Ron

[mosesbotbol]

What files and folders do you want backed up? Where are you backing up to and how often? Do you want to preserve previous copies, do increments, full copies each times, or differentials?

I'd figure out what is going on with Win7's backup before throwing in the towel.

Backup Exec is the biggest name in backup's, but a simple batch file launched in the task scheduler works too.

[RGD.]

What files and folders do you want backed up?

Every damn thing.


Where are you backing up to and how often?

Dedicated drive, daily.


Do you want to preserve previous copies, do increments, full copies each times, or differentials?

Weekly image with daily differentials is fine.

I'd figure out what is going on with Win7's backup before throwing in the towel.

Good luck with that. Google Win7 backup problems and read for a few weeks. I installed Win7 on this box back in late December. Loaded it up with everything and attempted a backup. Never completed one. Just sits there with it's little spinning icon.

On the new box - as a test - I installed Win7 and did a backup (image and copy) - worked fine no problems. Installed two programs and did it again - no problem. Installed two more programs and did it again. Problem. Deleted and reformatted the hard drive using for backups (brand new WD Black) - reran the backup. Did the image and when it got to 98% sat there for 7 hours. Reformatted that drive, used a different brand new drive - same results - 98% and stuck. Reformatted all three drives and did another clean install of Win7 using a different drive (all three drives are brand new WD Black 1TB - no errors) - repeated everything with same exact results.

Two boxes - same results. I am done with it.

I am coming off of using a RAID setup for the past 7 - 8 years or so, so never worried about it. Am not using RAID in either box and don't plan to.

Before RAID I did use Backup Exec on a tape drive.

I really prefer to just do daily image shots or a weekly image with daily differentials.

Thanks,

Ron

Backup Exec is the biggest name in backup's, but a simple batch file launched in the task scheduler works too.

As a last note: I thought maybe it was trying to back up the back up drive, causing the problems. I mean, ya never know. In the settings I excluded that drive from the back ups just to make sure - no difference.

[mosesbotbol]

You could be running into "files in use" or "UAC" based problems when trying to backup the whole drive. I'd do one Ghost copy of the whole image and then just back up your profile and whatever files are really necessary. Backing the whole drive just isn't worth it.

I'll do just Ghost image copies as that is the fastest way to recover the whole drive.

Have you disabled UAC or ran with elevated priv's and tried a backup?

[shilala]

I use Acronis True Image Home 2010. It worked well for awhile. Now every time I look there's an error message.
I need to fix it when I'm so moved, just haven't had the interest.

[CigarNut]

Moses is right, Backup Exec is a pretty sturdy program and usually if something goes wrong with it, it is due to outside problems that would cause problems for any other backup too. Ghosting the hard drive is always a good way to get a full backup cleanly.

One set of backup tools that I would avoid are the ones that come bundled with external hard drives. Most of those don't work very reliably at all... (at least not of if you want to recover the whole drive).

[Tenor CS]

Another option that is free: I use Puppy Linux. Boot from the CD. Copy the whole hard drive to your external. Bonus is that since you're running off the linux CD, you can't possibly have windows files in use.

[mosesbotbol]

Bonus is that since you're running off the linux CD, you can't possibly have windows files in use.

WinPE and a batch file or Ghost is going to do the same thing and WinPE is free and easy to use.

[MajorCaptSilly]

I like Acronis. It's not the easiest to use but is very reliable. You can choose to do file backup or disk imaging. With disk imaging, you can get a full image then do incremental backups of the changes. I do the full image backup and have done 2 succesful restores with absolutely no problems.

MCS

[Titan410]

I'd love to find reliable software w/incremental backup software for the Mac.
Backup software seems to be the better mousetrap. Many try, few succeed.

[Cyclone]

I like Acronis. It's not the easiest to use but is very reliable. You can choose to do file backup or disk imaging. With disk imaging, you can get a full image then do incremental backups of the changes. I do the full image backup and have done 2 succesful restores with absolutely no problems.

MCS

Concur!

Acronis is the best home solution in my books... can't beat the imaging method.

Or you can buy a Western Digital Passport drive and it's included backup software is pretty decent as well. It's very granular... You can retrieve individual e-mails if you are using MS Outlook.

I've used Backup Exec for 10+ years for corporate servers and am not a big fan it since Symantec bought it out... It works well but it is cumbersome.

In the past 6 months, we have been using BackupAssist for corporate server backups and it works very, very well with external hard drives. For home use, it is too expensive @ $249 USD

[Tenor CS]

I'd love to find reliable software w/incremental backup software for the Mac.

Have you tried Super Duper?

[Razorhog]

I suggest Handy Backup. http://www.handybackup.com/ Only $30 and works great.

[Razorhog]

I'd love to find reliable software w/incremental backup software for the Mac.

Time machine? Easiest backup program I've ever used, and it's built in to the OS.

[Titan410]

Have you tried Super Duper?

No, but Googling it now.

[Titan410]

Time machine? Easiest backup program I've ever used, and it's built in to the OS.

True, I use it for my macbook but I have a couple external drives I need backed up too. I need to see if Time Machine can do those too. I'm fairly new to Macs (1.5 years).

[taltos]

Log onto cnet.com. They have tons of software reviews and downloads for plenty of programs that might do what you want. I have no relationship to them outside of being a loyal user but they are worth checking out.

[Titan410]

Time machine can sync external drives too but non Mac drives are excluded so you have to go into the settings and change them.
Also my iTunes are on a small portable drive and written in Fat32 so my family can use it on their PC's.
Time machine wouldn't backup the drive because of the FAT32. I wonder if SuperDuper would do so?

[Brian_geek]

Try Handy Backup, it's reliable backup software for Windows 7 (http://www.handybackup.net/backup-windows-7.shtml). I have used several backup programs for years, and I recommend Handy Backup.
Hope it will work for you too.