Hard Drive Backup Software
Do You Need Hard Drive Backup Software?
Have you ever been working on a project on your computer and rued the day that you didn’t have hard drive backup software? You spent hours on it already. Perhaps it’s a programming project, or perhaps you’re making some webpages. Then, all of a sudden, the next time you turn on your computer…it doesn’t turn on.
This is a nightmare scenario for some people, and for others, a nightmare they’ve lived through already. But backing up your hard drive can be the difference between doing everything all over again, and having it simply a few mouse clicks away.
Hard drive backup software is exactly what is needed in this modern age of computers. Because let’s face it: sometimes our computers fail us, and when that happens, we don’t want to lose everything that we had stored on our hard drive!
So What Exactly is Hard Drive Backup Software?
Hard drive backup software is a program used in computers to restore data in case it gets damaged or corrupted. This software backups data i.e. it creates exact copies of your original files and saves it as somewhere else. This backup data can then be used in case the original data gets corrupted.
The key features of this software make it more reliable when backing up files.
- Volumes – the backup software divides the data into several parts, so it becomes easy to store it on removable media like Compact Disks. However, with the increase in broadband speed and decline in hard drives cost, this method has become outdated now.
- Data Compression – the data is compressed so it takes less space on the drive.
- Access to Backup Files – the software allows the selected people to access the data.
- Different Types of Backup – the data is backed up by the software in number of ways depending upon the user’s requirement. The software could only backup the newer data so it pace up the speed of backup and save disk space.
Types of Hard Drive Backup Software
Hard drive backup software copies your data and saves it somewhere else. This might sound very simple and in a sense it is! But today’s backup software can do a lot more than just to backup your files. It depends upon how you want to backup your data and how you want to use it. There are several ways through which you can backup your data.
Here are three types of how you can backup your files:
-
Select Files and Folders
Sometimes you only want to backup some important files. This can be any file type. Simple data backup software can do this trick. You might think here that why not just copy and paste the files somewhere else? Why need backup software? To simply answer this, if you copy and paste your files on a different location on your hard drive, it can also get corrupted along with your main files. Backup software keeps your data in a place so there is very little chance that it gets corrupted.
It is much better that you save your entire folders. There is already integrated backup software in Microsoft Windows which works perfectly.
Top File and Folder Backup Software 2019
Genie Timeline Home
Special Key Features:
– Add or remove files from backup
– Double-protect your data
– Backup with lightning fast speed!
– Find and restore files easily
– Automatic purge to save space
This is more of to-the-point, user-friendly and effective backup software with lots of useful options. Genie Timeline Home 2017 creates easy-to-operate backups of files and folders in the form of simple programs and can be used on supported operating systems. This Genie9 software is available for purchase at $39.95 only.
Paragon Backup and Recovery 16
Special Key Features:
– Full range of backup and recovery solutions
– Backup and Restore to or from FTP
– Set & Run technology – set it up once and backups will be managed automatically
– Define scenario-based backup jobs (NEW)
– Quick “stand-alone/single time” backups (NEW)
Get Paragon Backup and Recovery
This new hard drive backup software is the Paragon Company’s latest attempt to fill this need within the market. Although it is their latest release, many hard drive backup software review websites give it, on average, 4.5 out of 5 stars. There are a few reasons for this. Paragon Backup and Recovery uses dated menus, which can appear daunting to the unsuspecting newbie.
Furthermore, this hard drive backup software includes help files that, while helpful, appear to need some ‘English proofing’ before being released into the market. The instructions often leave you asking more questions, while at times being helpful. This program can help you to create a hard drive partition to which you can save you information, your entire system, or even just single files. You can choose where you want to save everything. As compared to others, this is available for purchase at a slightly lower price of $39.95 only.
Handy Backup Standard
Special Key Features:
– 3 Convenient Backup Modes: back up Windows files, folders and popular apps
– Data Compression Maximizes Storage
– Data Restoration
– Vast Storage Media Support
– Powerful encryption and ZIP compression of data
This backup software is one of mixed blessings and curses. Handy Backup Standard does a lot of things well. It offers you multiple ways to backup your files, documents, or even archives. It also offers you password protected copies with encryption, and the ability to compact your files in order to save space. And this hard drive back up software makes this all simple and easy to do. However, sometimes things do go wrong, and this is where they get you.
Handy Backup Standard program offers an online technical support for people in trouble, but the small problem is that it is not really cheap.
-
Full Disk Image
For backing up your full hard drive it is better you use another medium for backing up your data like an external hard drive. This will make it easier to restore your current data even in case of hard drive failure. Just remember to backup your data on regular basis.
Also, you can take help of imaging to make a restoration point for your hard drive. What it does is that it takes a snapshot of the exact time – of all your data – and in future you can revert back any changes you have made in your computer to this earlier time. However, be careful that it will erase all your new data. So, you should also back it up in case you need it.
Best Drive Imaging Software 2019
Acronis True Image 2019
Special Key Features:
– Back up your entire computer including your OS, data, software not just files and folders.
– Restore your entire computer to its exact previous state or just restore selected files and folders
– Encrypts backup with 256-bit encryption and a private, user-defined key.
– Windows 10 and latest Mac OS X Support! (NEW)
This particular software is by-far known as all in one backup and recovery platform. It contains backup and recovery options, disk management and synchronized cloud-backup. Acronis True Image is available for purchase at $49.99 only.
Paragon Hard Disk Manager 16 Suite
Special Key Features:
– Full range of backup, recovery and partitioning solutions
– Secure data wiping on SSDs
– Fast migration to new HDDs, SSDs and virtual machines
– Embedded Recovery Media Builder 3.0
– Windows 10 Support!
Paragon Hard Disk Manager 16 Suite is the most powerful hard disk management program. It is packed up with powerful and reliable partition management tools that contain wizards for easy to operate performance. Not only could you copy the whole drive / partition to hardware but also the extraction of files and folders from the image backup is made easy. This particular software is supported on Windows and OS X both. It is available for purchase at $79.95 only.
Genie Backup Manager 9.0
Special Key Features:
– Three backup types; Full, incremental, and mirror
– Backup scheduler
– Backs up your documents, pictures , music, videos and more
– Encrypts backup with 128- bit AES encryption
– Purging old backup
Genie Backup Manager is another program who has set its sights on providing for the market of those who need information protected. It is a program touted for being cheaper than the average backup program. It is also available as a trial first, before you pay any money into it. This is their level of confidence. The user interfaces are easy, and offer many different ways to back up your files. As well, it is simple to use, even being good for the newest user.
-
Synchronization
If your work involves the use of more than one computer then synchronization can help you to maintain exact same data on all those systems. What basically happens is that the backup software copies your files on its online storage. The files are always available online which you can access anytime through any device. These files are automatically stored on the hard drives of your other computers once they are synced with it.
It makes it very easy to maintain same data on each computer you have. Also, if you modify the data on one computer it makes the same changes in all other computers.
O&O AutoBackup 6 Pro
Special Key Features:
– Full Backup, backup of the changes and real time file sync
– Automatic file synchronization
– Advanced program settings
– New user interface
– Supports Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7 and Vista
O&O AutoBackup 6 will back up your all files automatically and keep them fully in sync. The software has a user interface that allows easy backing up of data. The process of backup is easy and automatically starts when you connect a portable device to the computer. This way, you will always be able to make backups, in case you update your picture files.
Top Online Backup Services 2019
SugarSync
SugarSync is a bit different from other online backup services, but in a good way, as it offers much more than an online backup service. It is the most intuitive and easy to use cloud storage service available on the internet that supports various platforms and includes a range of outstanding features that assist in protecting important data reliably. The backup service allows the user to sync stored files between various devices and gives easy access through a smartphone as well. When it comes to plan and pricing, SugarSync offers three packages to home users, the 100 GB package is available for $7.49/month, 250 GB package for $9.99/month, and 500 GB package for $24.99/month.
Zoolz Cloud
Zoolz is an exceptional online backup service that enables its users to back up their internal, external, and network drives without worrying about file types and size limits. However, unlike other cloud storage services, there is only one downside to this online backup service which is the restoration process that take up to 5 hours to complete. The backup service lets its users upload any kind of file with any size to the cloud without going over the maximum allowed storage space easily. There are four different plans available; the basic plan with 100 GB storage comes for $14.99/year, the Plus package for 3 users with storage space of 500 GB is available for $49.99/year, the Family package for 5 users with 1 TB space for $79.99/year, and Heavy plan for 5 users with 4 TB space comes for $299.99/year.
SOS Online Backup
SOS Online Backup is an advanced backup solution that comes with an amazing set of features to make backing up and restoration of various important files easy. It is ranked as the fastest and easiest cloud storage service that lets users to backup Windows, Mac and various mobile devices with just a few clicks on the online dashboard. With its easy to use dashboard, the user can archive and get access to stored data from anywhere and manage family devices with ease. The details of yearly subscription backup plans are:
- For Home starting from only $4.99 per month
- For Business starting from only $29.99 per month
What to Look for While Choosing a Hard Drive Backup Software?
After evaluating a number of backup software programs, we have found that all the best backup software include a range of features that are essential to protect a computer and its data. The most important factor that should be considered while choosing a hard drive backup software is that whether it can perform a full, incremental, and differential backup or not.
The difference between these three types of backup is that full backup can save and restore everything stored inside a computer, differential backup only restores the files and folders that have changed since the last backup, and incremental backup preserves the data that has changed since the last incremental backup. When it comes to time consumption, full backup takes maximum time, while differential or incremental backups take lesser time.
Other factors that have been found in top data backup software programs are their ability to restore individual files and folders and password protection feature to secure the files and folders from unwanted eyes. Some software programs also offered data compression tools and customized backup scheduling tools along with the ability to restore data to separate locations.
In addition to the above-mentioned factors, the following features can also be considered to evaluate the performance of a backup program.
-
Backup Features
The most important feature that a potent data backup software program should have is image backup which gives the software the ability to restore the entire system to a dissimilar hardware. Other useful function is the selective backup of files and folders specified by the user and in-built malware detection for optimum protection. Another handy feature is drive spinning which enables the user to backup the whole system to a removable media.
-
Recover and Restore
One more important feature is the software potential to restore lost data, so it is imperative to look for a software that can preserve the original files and folders and restore all the data automatically in case of any data loss or theft. The user should be able to restore individual files and folders to the same or another computer is another key feature that the backup software should have.
-
Scheduling and Reporting
As a home or business user, it is vital to buy a software that has the ability to run reports and send the user notifications for confirming that his computer’s data is safely backed up. One handy feature that a good backup software program should have is that it should let its user schedule when backups should happen so that the computer’s performance does not get hampered with backup tasks during business hours.
-
Help and Support
Good help and support is also important so that any issues regarding the backup software can be resolved on a timely basis. Good hard disk backup software always includes excellent support options for contacting the company’s representatives by using various channels including live chat, email, or telephone channels.
All in all, there are a lot of different hard drive backup software companies vying for your attention, and your money. But only a few really make the cut, and are worthy of the price that they’re demanding for it. So if you really need a hard drive backup software, make sure that you survey the available options carefully, and don’t spend your money on hard drive backup software that you’re not absolutely sure of.
(Hard Drive Backup Software)
