Backup Software

The right kind of backup software can help you recover from losing date or complete system failure.

This site is devoted to Windows based PCs, specifically Windows XP computers. Visit a MAC site or a Linux site for other assistance.

There are several important questions to ask when purchasing backup software. What files will be backed up? Will it back up data only or system files only? Can it backup incrementally, or will I have to make a complete backup each time I back up? Will it make automatic backups? Where will my backups be stored?

Suggested Software

Norton Save and Restore
An enhanced version of Norton Ghost. It allows you to choose specific files and folders to save, and allows you to protect all files of a particular kind such as image files. It integrates with Norton Internet Security 2006 to perform a backup automatically when NIS2006 is warned of a virus or worm outbreak.

Norton Ghost 10.0 PC Magazine Review of Norton Ghost 9.0
Norton Ghost has been compared to taking a picture of just exactly how your computer was at any given moment, so that that picture can be used to exactly recreate it. It has the ability to recover even when your system won't boot. Will backup incrementally and backup to a wide range of media.

Argentum Backup 2.50 PC Magazine Review
This software backs up your data files but not your system files. Your pictures, email and documents are saved. Backups are stored in zip files and can be created manually or automatically.

NTI Shadow 3.0 PC Magazine Review of NTI Shadow 2.0
Continuous backup to most any type of media. You can custom select what will be backed up and make concurrent backups with different parameters.

Norton GoBack 4.0 PC Magazine Review
This is rollback software. "Restores your disk drive to a previous healthy state after a system crash, failed software installation, user error, virus attack, or other problem." You can also recover individual files.