most reliable backup software?

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gerok

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I've read many mixed reviews on popular backup software, however, based on personal experiences what would you recommend? I'm not just talking to people who back up files here and there, but to those who back-up and restore constantly.

I guess things I would be backing up is an image of my OS HDD and specific folders from a different HDD. My concerns would probably fall under the corruption of backed-up files. About 5 years ago I used Norton Ghost and created an image, as soon as my HDD crashed I tried using their bootdisk + my backed up image, and when I tried to restore, the image was corrupt! I wanted to cry 'cause I put all my apples into one basket. I was skeptical against any 'back-up' software since, but now that I have my OS running uber smooth, I can't afford to lose all these tweaks and adjustments I did overtime.
 
Windows 2003+ Shadow Copy Service is the most reliable and quickest backup/restore method you can use if you are talking about constant problems having to do that. Couple clicks and you can restore multiple version of files/folders/etc

Otherwise, Backupexec/Netbackup would be the high end product you would probably look at. Backup to disk, then backup to Tape.
 
Let me just add that software like Backup Exec is NOT user friendly. Those without some kind of background in dealing with stuff like that probably won't want to mess with software that complex. Beyond that the cost for it is insane as I recall. It is overkill for the home user. I am a Backup Administrator and I work with Arcserve and Backup Exec every day. I can only imagine the horrors someone would go through to try and learn that and make it work on their home computer.
 
I recently purchased Acronis True Image Home 2009. I'm very pleased with it. I've already made several backups of my entire C: partition, done some test installs, etc, and then recovered to my clean install. Was quite speedy and smooth and I've had no errors or problems so far.

If you can shell out the 50 bucks for it, I would highly recommend it.
 
It sounds like the OP is talking about a home computer though, not a server. We use Acronis True Image all the time...truckloads of various PCs over the years.
 
I still use Ghost for my home systems...I don't install it, I boot from a CD and create my images from there which go directly to external drives.

Acronis is good also.
 
Cobian hasn't failed me yet. There's an option available to check the validity of backed-up files immediately after they're copied, so you're guaranteed they aren't corrupt as they pass through Cobian.

Now, as for disk images...I don't know if Cobian supports disk image creation, but odds are that it does.
 
drdeutsch said:
I recently purchased Acronis True Image Home 2009. I'm very pleased with it. I've already made several backups of my entire C: partition, done some test installs, etc, and then recovered to my clean install. Was quite speedy and smooth and I've had no errors or problems so far.

If you can shell out the 50 bucks for it, I would highly recommend it.
Click to expand...

It's actually only $32.
 
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I use Acronis True Image, use it practically all the time when I wish to test out some new software.

I image my pc, try the software if I don't like it, I reimage back :) Hasn't failed me yet.
 
Thanks guys!

After reading a few more reviews I'm going to lean towards Acronis TI. I like the idea of validating backups..that was my main concern.
 
gerok said:
Thanks guys!

After reading a few more reviews I'm going to lean towards Acronis TI. I like the idea of validating backups..that was my main concern.
Click to expand...

Even with Ghost you can run a image integrity check, I check mine after I create an image.
 
We use a really old version of ghost at work ant it runs well. Gotta throw that -fni switch on for SATA but it works! Partition to Image Disk to Disk, Disk to Image, Disk to Partition ... Plus flipped restore methods ... and more. Lots of options.
 
Another vote for Acronis TrueImage Home. I've used it to recover my Vista laptop and it worked very well. I started with Acronis TrueImage Home v7 and am now running v11 (also with the $10 deal).
 
Whatever uses SHA-1 hashes to ensure that it imaged correctly :)
 
Acronis is the best I have ever used. I implemented it across all systems capable of running it at work. (We have everything from VAX to DEC Alphas to modern Core2Quad systems)
 
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