Can anyone recommend a good file backup program?

[dbminter]

I need a good file backup program. Not a partition backup program, but, a file program. I tested True Image 11 and its backups to optical drives don't appear to work. So, that, my old solution, is no longer a viable one.

 

 

What I'm looking for is something with a reasonably good interface, which is a relative opinion, I know that will backup files to optical drives. I'd prefer something that's free, but, I'll try anything with a trial prog and see if it's good.

 

 

Thanks!

[eSkRo]

Shadow Protect Desktop Edition,,,, (trial)

[Jim44]

I use the pay-version of Macrium Reflect. The free version only does disc images (I use it on the laptop & 2nd PC). The pay version adds the ability to backup individual files/folders.

 

Might be worth a look(?).

 

Not sure what problem you had with TI 11 (I used to use TI 10), but one tip I learned was to have the images be saved in file sizes of about 1.492GB - 3 of these chunks would fit on a SL DVD.

 

I'll say I've been fortunate and not had to actually use the backups, but they've all been created fine. And Macrium has a pretty easy "Explore image" facility, which allows you to look into any image file with a Windows Explorer-style interface (basically the image gets mounted as a drive). That's worked fine so far.

[dbminter]

Actually, I discovered Macrium the same day I downloaded the trial for True Image Home 2011. I've not installed it yet, but, I do have the free version sitting in my download directory to remind me to try it out someday.

 

 

I was using TI 11 before I decided to give TI 2011 a try. Can't begin to tell you how many times over on the Acronis forums I've said TI 11 instead of 2011. TI 11 was the last "working" version. The 2009 and 2010 versions had a fatal flaw in the rescue recovery CD modes: external USB drives would "disappear" after a restore operation was attempted. So, you could load an image set to recover, the recovery operation would then delete the existing partition as per its operational function, but then the external USB drives would "disappear" from the software, resulting in a failure to restore.

 

 

My main beef with TI 2011 is they obviously apparently released the software without a major key part of it working. Backups to optical drives don't work, either partition or file backups. The backup operation always says to insert the last media of the backup even though the backup never actually runs. Selecting Retry just causes the same dialog to open and only Cancel does any good. I posted on their forums about it and have yet to get a response. Which just reinforces my theory that they released the software without that part working.

 

 

Without an option to give the full blown Macrium a try, I doubt I'll buy it THEN try it, given how many times I've paid for software before without it working. No offense to the Macrium people, just I've been burned too many times before. However, it sounds exactly like the function I'm looking for that WAS in TI 11.

 

 

I always split my archives into 4 GB chunks for exactly the reason you stated. In case I ever want to move them off to single layer DVD's.

[dbminter]

Just installed and am trying out the free Macrium partition imager. Wow, it's considerably faster than True Image. I may just switch over to using this for my backup needs. I wish it had a verify/validate function in it like True Image does, but, that's a minor thing I can live without.

[dbminter]

Discovered a big deal breaker with Reflect. It apparently doesn't overwrite existing images. It just creates new file names. That's not how I roll. I need my old backups to be overwritten.

[dbminter]

Another thing I wish Macrium did was do backups from the rescue CD, not just restore. With a new system, I like to have an image of the system before Windows has even booted for the first time. This way, I can restore my PC to a "factory default."

[eSkRo]

Shadow Protect Desktop Edition can do that

[Pudah]

My own back up method is to use a batch file that zips up desired files and folders by calling GnuWIN/Info-Zip Zip. I then burn said zip files to disc with ImgBurn. I could probably add the burning part to the batch file too but haven't gotten around to that yet. This obviously isn't an automated solution as one might get with a full-fledged back up program. But it works for me.

 

I have not personally used these (pay) programs, but a few to check out that claim the ability to back up to optical media include the following:

 

NovaBACKUP

Genie Backup Manager

Backup4all

NTI Backup Now

Paragon Backup & Recovery

SyncBackPro

 

 

I think most of them have trial versions.