Any backup program should be able to create a bootable optical disc or USB thumb drive. Imaging is the most convenient to restore in case of a system crash, and also ensures you don’t miss anything important.īoot media: Should your system crash completely, you need an alternate way to boot and run the recovery software. Image backup/Imaging: Images are byte-for-byte snapshots of your entire hard drive (normally without the empty sectors) or partition, and can be used to restore both the operating system and data. Some programs automatically select the appropriate files if you use the Windows library folders (Documents, Photos, Videos, etc.). That’s life in the cheap lane.įile backup: If you want to back up only your data (operating systems and programs can be reinstalled, though it’s mildly time- and effort-consuming), a program that backs up just the files you select is a major time-saver.
Seagate, WD, and others provide backup utilities that are adequate for the average user.Īnd of course, while we describe the features to look for, you’re going to find fewer of them in free software. Additionally, if you intend to back up to a newly purchased external hard drive, check out the software that ships with it. Features you don’t need add complexity and may slow down your system. Backup softwareĪs with most things, don’t over-buy backup software. Or, just give the trial a whirl and see if you can live with it. Check the location of the data servers if speed is important to you.
Speed: Speed, in many cases, is far more dependent upon your broadband connection than that of the online service, though the geographical location of the storage and the equipment in between can make a significant difference. In truth, all the services we’re aware of are near-100-percent reliable. If there are too many outages in service, buy accordingly. Check for news of outages and the vendor’s own service blogs. Availability (hopefully 24/7) can also be important. Some of the larger ones even back up to different geographical locations. Reliability: Generally speaking, data centers are backed up to the hilt. If private encryption keys aren’t available, read the privacy policy, especially with the free services-there are significant differences. Sadly, using your own key often limits the types of services (e.g., no mobile backup) available. Do NOT lose it, as it is absolutely required to restore your data. Privacy: If you’re concerned about the privacy of your data, make sure you use a service that allows the use of a personal encryption key that you define. Note: iDrive even supports Windows Phone. Make sure the service you sign up for supports all of your platforms. OS and device support: Most services provide client backup software for the major operating systems (Linux, OS X, and Windows) and both Android and iOS.
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