It's always a pain trying to remember to backup things so why not let an application take care of it automatically?

Cobian Backup works as both an application and service. The program is very light on resources for a backup program of its size and runs in the background very discreetly. it makes periodic backups but unlike some programs, doesn't seem to slow down your PC in the process. It acts too quickly to really slow down whatever you are doing although if it has to backup a very big file, you will notice some lag (more than 1 GB). The program only copies your files and folders in their original or compressed mode to another destination and does not perform any compression itself. This is to ensure that nothing is corrupted during the backup process but if you are backing up particularly large files, you might find this something of a problem unless you've got lots of backup space. However, there are limited compression and strong encryption methods available if you need to reduce the size of your files and protect them at the same time.

A very convenient program that backups quickly, quietly and without any further prompting from it's user.

Download Cobian Backup 9.5.0.201 in Softonic

Apart from the System Restore function in Windows, there used to be no other way to completely restore a bug free configuration of your PC after a major problem hit. What’s more, System Restore only enables you to go back a maximum of a few days to a previous clean configuration. Deep Freeze, on the other hand, enables you to protect and preserve clean computer configurations so that you can always restore your PC in the event of a major crash. No matter what changes you make to your computer, you can simply restart to eradicate all changes and reset the computer to its original state. The program is useful for anyone who has suffered software conflicts, operating system corruption and virus attacks.

After the simple installation procedure, you are asked whether you want to activate Deep Freeze, which will run a quick scan to “freeze” the computer in that state. You can then use the computer as you would normally but every time it is turned off, it will be returned to its original state. If at a later date you decide you want to make a permanent change you can temporarily disable Deep Freeze. The positive side of Deep Freeze is that it doesn’t impede the use of your computer in anyway. You can mess around with your PC as much as you want, installing and reinstalling programs and even deleting essential Windows files without worrying about the consequences. The downside is that if you forget to deactivate it, any work you’ve done or any essential changes you have made will be lost for good. It’s therefore advisable to save essential files or documents on an external drive when Deep Freeze is activated. You can also save to a special “thawed” section of your hard drive that is exempt from restoration.

Whilst useful for those who share a computer or administer a network of computers, Deep Freeze is somewhat impractical on a lone PC. However, if you like to save all your data to external sources, it’s a pretty solid assurance that your PC won’t be rendered useless by a major crash. Deep Freeze is currently available in two editions for Windows, Mac OS X and Windows Server with a Linux edition in the pipeline.

Download Deep Freeze 6.3 in Softonic

Symantec is a company that has been subject to criticism for dropping the ball with recent versions of their anti-virus and internet security software, so does their backup solution show any proof that they are building on their vast experience and that their popularity and reputation is somewhat justified? At first sight, it’s clear that the interface has followed in the footsteps of every other Norton product, meaning that you get a user friendly tabbed based window with a healthy quantity of wizards thrown in for just about every operation.

Unfortunately the make-over seems to have just touched the surface and as a result, each tool you want to use will open a new window. Not only can this lead to a cluttered desktop with lingering dialog boxes but may also cause your system to slow significantly or at worst, crash. Used properly though, Norton Ghost will let you backup your entire hard-drive to another partition, an external, or a networked drive on a regular scheduled basis and also gives you a variety of ways to restore the reserve copies should the worst happen.

For anyone with huge amounts of data to backup, the option to compress everything will come as a blessing and for those with sensitive documents there is password protection and encryption. What’s more, the processes involved have been completely dumbed down, with less jargon and step by step instructions. While this benefits those who want a backup solution that they install and forget about, it strikes more advanced users right where it hurts. You can’t even select what folders to back up and instead must be satisfied that it’s all or nothing.

Although the program didn’t seem to be entirely stable, there was no obvious hit to system performance, which was one of the main problems with other Symantec software. Norton Ghost will put your mind at rest with a comprehensive copy of your hard drive, but if you prefer to be in complete control or to restrict your backup to only your essential files, then you should look elsewhere.

Download Norton Ghost 12.0 in Softonic

Constant backups are an essential part of avoiding the worst if your hard drive ever decides to die on you or your laptop is stolen etc.

Hinx Backup Easy is an unglamorous but very easy to use backup solution for basic backup needs. The program allows manual and automatic copies and backups that you can schedule for the day and time of your choosing so you always have a list and copy of your most important documents without worrying about it. You can schedule the backups to be made automatically to your hard drive or FTP server and choose whether you want unique backups each time or just to copy over the old files. Hinx Backup is a cross platform app because it's written in Java but the downside of this is that it can be rather clunky and unnecessarily slow. Since the program is so basic, I'm not sure why they had to do this. On the plus side, it is extremely easy to use and doesn't change the format or compression ratio in any way so your copies are always pure.

A simple but effective program although the developers could have avoided the Java and made it much better. It's also not exactly sophisticated for advanced backup needs.

Download Hinx Backup Easy 2.3 in Softonic

Backup Chunker is a backup / synchronization program with unique features: multiple synchronization and versatile compression with strong encryption. The program is designed for both novice and advanced users, and has the following features:

• Easy to setup backup tasks.
• Can copy files between many types of storage: Hard disks, USB drives, MP3 players, internet backup services (using WebDAV), FTP & Secure FTP servers and more.
• Has the ability either to synchronize files, or synchronize with "chunks" which are small to medium sized compressed and/or encrypted zip archives. This is a very unique feature of Backup Chunker; you can back up all your files to small to medium sized archives (using the common zip or 7-zip format) that are both compressed and encrypted. On each backup, only the new and modified files are re-compressed, and only the affected chunks changed.
• Can handle many different scenarios, like synchronizing files between many computers and storage devices. For example you can sync your home computer with a USB stick (using compression and encryption), and then your USB stick to your work computer. This way you can keep your computers synchronized and also have a compressed & encrypted backup copy on your key chain!
• Archive format used is the common zip or 7-zip that can be extracted if required with any simple file compression utility. - Industrial strength encryption (AES-256) that has no back doors. - Extremely fast synchronization of thousands of files, even to locations on a network or the internet.

Download Backup Chunker 2.2 in Softonic

PicoBackup is an easy-to-use award winning backup utility packed with many powerful features to backup all your important data like documents/files, Outlook/Outlook Express emails, Registry settings, Favorites, etc. PicoBackup can be easily extended to support other types of backup by installing plugins.

Various methods of backup like full backup, incremental backup and multi-generation backup are supported, giving you full control on how to backup. Features: Flexible integrated scheduler, CD/DVD burning and spanning, 256-bit AES/Blowfish encryption, backup to remote FTP server, standard ZIP compression, email notification, detailed logging and more. Many different types of media are supported, including flash/thumb drives, Zip/Jazz drive, floppy drive.

PicoBackup comes with a built-in scheduling engine that makes it extremely simple to schedule your backups to run automatically. It also comes with a comprehensive context-sensitive help file. If you have any trouble using any of the features, just pressing F1 will bring up the appropriate help topic.

Download PicoBackup 2.2 in Softonic

Drive Backup Server Edition reduces risks of data damage or loss, system crash or downtime, saving precious time, efforts and costs. It provides you with a wide range of basic and advanced backup and restore functions, features and abilities required to manage server-based network.

It allows you to create exact server disk image for complete backup and totally protects your system and corporate data in any disaster case. Drive Backup Server provides you with the most comprehensive and cost effective backup, restore and recovery capabilities for servers and workstations. New, the most intuitive and convenient interface simplifies management of backup procedures offering greater flexibility to IT professionals and system administrators.

Drive Backup Server Edition also includes some very helpful features: Image Explorer, made to browse your backup archives for separate files and folders with possibility to extract them, and Recovery Media Builder for creating bootable CDs/DVDs to use when you are not able to start your operating system in a common way.

Download Paragon Drive Backup (Server Edition) 7.0 in Softonic

Protecting yourself against the worst is something that all PC users should do since you never know when your hard drive might just decide to die on you.

Paragon Drive Backup is an all-in-one backup utility that gives you a host of backup options in a few clicks. By using Paragon Drive Backup, you can fairly simply undo software malfunctions or crashes, and safeguard your data. Not only that, but Paragon Drive Backup optimizes storage utilization to keep your system running at top speed.

For instance, Paragon Drive Backup can help you free up lost disk space via the Smart Backup option which can help detect those areas of your hard drive which are being wasted or underutilized. What's most useful about Paragon Drive Backup is that it enables you to create a rescue drive - even one that can fit on a USB stick - so that your system can be restored via the USB drive if it fails.

There are so many other backup options with Paragon Drive Backup that's it's impossible to list them all but they include booting from a Backup Capsule, file filter and it now supports backups to Blu-Ray.

Paragon Drive Backup is an extremely comprehensive backup tool that probably goes beyond what the average user needs but for serious backups, it's a top notch solution.

Download Paragon Drive Backup Personal Edition 9.0 in Softonic

Genie Games Backup is a simple yet powerful free backup solution tailored mainly, but not solely to computer game enthusiasts. A database of unlimited free plugins created for the best selling games allows you to easily backup and restore game settings, progress (saves), and goodies with a click of a button, regardless of where your game is installed.

Genie Games Backup is not only a games backup solution, its a comprehensive backup software that allows you to perform regular backup tasks to also safeguard your files, folders and documents, to a wide variety of storage devices, including internal and external hard disks, networked devices, removable media devices, and memory sticks.

Download Genie Games Backup 1.0 in Softonic

WinBackup Standard, the fastest backup and recovery software on the market, allows you to secure all your valuable data within minutes. Featuring a Windows-familiar and intuitive graphical user interface, WinBackup Standard makes it extremely easy to set up and run regular backups in your existing environment.

With shortcuts to over a 100 of the most popular applications, WinBackup Standard makes it possible to easily and quickly backup emails, address books, bookmarks, digital images, financial documents and other records at the click of a button. Home and small office users can rely completely on WinBackup Standard for full data consistency and integrity without compromising superior performance.

Download WinBackup Standard 2.0 in Softonic

CVSNT Server stores a copy of your files and documents and tracks all of the changes to it over time. Based on CVS which for fifteen years was the most popular versioning tool, CVSNT has added five years of development to build the best modern versioning solution. With 1.4 million downloads in the last year it's probably right for you too.

Download CVSNT 2.5.02.2088 in Softonic

ZipBackup is easy to use and stores your backup in Zip format - the most common type of compressed file. ZipBackup's Wizard walks you through a simple step-by-step process for creating ZIP backups. You select what folders you want to backup, where to backup and you are done.

Unlike other backup programs, you don't need ZipBackup to restore your data. In fact, Windows XP ships with ZIP file compatibility built in. Whether you want to backup files to send to someone else, transfer your data to a new computer, or make sure you can open your backups in the future, you need ZipBackup.

Download ZipBackup 4.1 in Softonic

Need a simple yet reliable solution for making a reserve copy of your Outlook Express e-mail accounts? Try entering "Outlook Express backup" and you will drown in information. Over 450000 links, several dozens different applications and no "This is the right one for you!" sign. Or, if you don't want to waste your time, simply download Compact Outlook Express Backup.

It's the only Outlook Express backup tool that comes with a two-button interface. Yep, Backup and Restore are the only buttons you'll see. Pretty uncomplicated, isn't it? Yet Compact Outlook Express Backup is still a flexible tool with some muscle. This utility does not back up e-mail messages exclusively. It is capable of making a reserve copy of an e-mail account that contains account settings, general settings, signatures, rules, and a list of block senders as well. It's up to you what information you want to save. Second, each backup is date-stamped and you can add your comment too. This is especially helpful when you have several Outlook Express accounts to take care of, whether in home or office. Finally, the reserve copies can be password-protected. After all, e-mail is very personal and confidential.

Download Compact Outlook Express Backup 2.7 in Softonic

Genie Backup Manager, a very easy to use yet powerful and flexible software that can backup files, documents, emails, settings, programs and more to virtually any local or remote device including internal and external hard disks, FTP locations, across network, CD/DVD discs, removable media, memory sticks, and tapes.

GenieScript is an easy to learn XML based scripting language provided with GBM Home to enable users to automate backup of programs and program settings. This is done by creating scripts that can backup registry keys, files and folders, and ini file entries and combine them as one item that the user can at any time select from the My Programs tab in the backup wizard.

These days few companies can afford to close their running software to create a "backup window" for backup software to be able to archive data reliably and successfully, and most standard backup solutions are not equipped to handle files that are being used by other applications, resulting in the failure of these solutions in performing the very task they were bought to perform . Genie Backup Manager Home offers FAM (File Access Manager), an optional ad-on software, that ensures that all data is backed up.

Download Genie Backup Manager 7.0.185.355 in Softonic

You never know when disaster could hit your computer. You might get a virus and be forced to reformat your hard drive, or there might be a power surge, or your hard drive might simply break. If you don't have a recent backup of your important data, you will have to spend many hours recovering from the disaster. QRav promises to alleviate any of this aggrevation.

Unlike most normal backup programs, QRav doesn't simply back up everything on your computer - that is very time consuming and difficult. The application only backs up the most critical data, such as your emails and personal documents.

Key features of QRav:

• Back up Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Incredimail and Pegasus mail
• Back up My Documents
• Back up other personal folders
• Back up Internet Explorer Favorites
• Password protect files
• Split files so that they fit on CD-R's, floppy disks, or other removable media
• Save common backup settings

Download QRav 2.0 in Softonic

Backup2005 Pro supports unlimited zip file size (Pkware Defalte64). You can backup any folder to any destination (network lan, any removable media including CD and DVD). It can span archive files over multiple media.

You can schedule any job, upload archives to an FTP or HTTP server. It offers a graphical backup map, catalog, log files and can email you when a job is done. Backup2005 Pro is able to manage backup in classic mode (1 file per job) or in unique archive mode (1 file updated by each job).

Backup2005 Pro offers multiple ways to restore one or more specific files, a group of files (e.g.*.doc), a folder or the entire archive file just with few clicks. Restore can be processed to the orignal location or to any destination. A general report displays the status of each job.

Backup2005 Pro provides 3 compression methods : Pkzip deflate64, standard Pkzip 2.04 and Bzip. All are compatible with Winzip 8.1. You can also define a standard profile to easily reuse it when you define a new backup set. It is also delivered with predefined backup sets (My Emails, My Documents, Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Shell and the Windows Registry).

Download Backup2005 Pro 4.4.9.163 in Softonic

Second Copy is the perfect backup product designed for Windows you have been looking for. It makes a backup of your data files to another directory, disk or computer across the network. It then monitors the source files and keeps the backup updated with new or changed files. It runs in the background with no user interaction. So, once it is set up you always have a backup of your data somewhere else.

Download Second Copy 7.1.0.3 in Softonic

DiskImage is the ultimate tool to backup and restore partitions, entire harddisks, usb keys, floppy drives and (read-only) optical media. DiskImage features built-in zip compression, it's own compression method for data > 2Gb, MD5 and SHA1 checksumming, a hex editor, and various tools like drive speed and seek testing. Dumping and restoring partitions, usb sticks, floppies, optical media, diskimage is the swiss army knife.

Download Dubaron DiskImage 0.9 in Softonic

DFIncBackup is personal backup program for incremental backup files to zip archives. One archive can contain several root folders from different disk volumes and any subfolder can be tuned separately.

Features:

• Incremental backup of user files. It saves & compresses only changed files
• Internal packer using full compatible ZIP files format for archives
• Split big backup archives into several volumes for save to removable disks
• Internal scheduler
• Easy archives management: save, restore, remove archives
• Log file viewer

Download DFIncBackup Home 1.30 in Softonic

Create image files of any disks and back (USB Flash Drives, Floppy Drives, Hard Drives, etc). Save the image file compressed, uncompressed or as a highly customizable self-extracting EXE using a wizard-like interface. Mount image files to drive letters using Virtual Drive Manager. Create bootable USB Flash Drives to replace your bootable floppy disks. Wipe disks 100% clean using secure methods. Create ISO image files from CD/DVDs. Create exact duplicates of any disks. Logically recreate bad sectors when writing floppy disks, allowing for an exact duplicate of your source disk to be created. Supports all known file systems. Full support for drag-n-drop.

Download All Image 1.2.3 in Softonic