Free backup software for a WD Drive?

[joseph10444]

I got a My Passport Essential SE a few months ago and I've never got around in setting up the backup.

I just searched around and read that their smartware stuff is actually crapware.
If so, I would like to use some other backup software but I have no idea which free one is good and can provide live backup.

I will update the firmware of the drive and hide the smartware contents soon but for now, i am considering options of drive backup software.

any suggestions ?

 

[kodi]

WD comes with Acronis which is one of the best backup software you can get

 

[IownAmoneyPit]

I got a My Passport Essential SE a few months ago and I've never got around in setting up the backup.

I just searched around and read that their smartware stuff is actually crapware.
If so, I would like to use some other backup software but I have no idea which free one is good and can provide live backup.

I will update the firmware of the drive and hide the smartware contents soon but for now, i am considering options of drive backup software.

any suggestions ?

Acronis True Image WD Edition Software

 

[mjf]

WD and Seagate use Acronis for their free imaging & cloning software ( to help sell their disks).
WD smartware is for file backup purposes and I think it's awful (I didn't think it was made by Acronis?). I buy WD's USB drives which are just bare bones drives.

 

[IownAmoneyPit]

WD and Seagate use Acronis for their free imaging & cloning software ( to help sell their disks).
WD smartware is for file backup purposes and I think it's awefull (I didn't think it was made by Acronis?). I buy WD's USB drives which are just bare bones drives.

WD smartware Is not made by Acronis & is awful, But Acronis does make good software that costs about & 50 dollars for the full version but has a partnership with WD. The ATI WD Edition does not have all the bells and whistles of the full version but allows you to fully Backup/Clone/Restore/Mount and format your hard drive. I have re-imaged my systems at least six times with ATI WD Edition and have had no problems.

A good comparison wold be: with Vista Home Preimium you are only allowed to back up basic folders like Documents, Music, Pictures -etc (IE: WD Smartware) and in Windows 7 you have a full image backup/clone of your drive (IE: Acronis True Image WD Edition)

Other free imaging software made by Paragon & Macrium can be found in the FREE Great Programs for Window 7 section.

 

[karlsnooks]

The best and most compatible and free backup/restore softwae for Win 7 is
Windows 7 Backup and Restore.

See following tutorial:
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

 

[Mark Phelps]

While Acronis is good, it is not free. For a free solution, check out Macrium Reflect.

I switched over to that from Acronis over six months ago and have never looked back.

 

[Aljay]

The best and most compatible and free backup/restore softwae for Win 7 is
Windows 7 Backup and Restore.

See following tutorial:
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

Do you know why in #9 of the tutorial why it says when "Create and System Repair Disc" comes up you answer NO.?

 

[mjf]

The best and most compatible and free backup/restore softwae for Win 7 is
Windows 7 Backup and Restore.

See following tutorial:
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

Do you know why in #9 of the tutorial why it says when "Create and System Repair Disc" comes up you answer NO.?

I guess the assumption is you already have one or more and you don't need to create one each time. You can click yes if you want another. The repair disk allows you to boot from a DVD into the Windows repair environment independent of the specific image. Having a couple is a good idea.

 

[Aljay]

The best and most compatible and free backup/restore softwae for Win 7 is
Windows 7 Backup and Restore.

See following tutorial:
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

Do you know why in #9 of the tutorial why it says when "Create and System Repair Disc" comes up you answer NO.?

I guess the assumption is you already have one or more and you don't need to create one each time. You can click yes if you want another. The repair disk allows you to boot from a DVD into the Windows repair environment independent of the specific image. Having a couple is a good idea.

OIC. I will be using the Win7 backup for the first time on a new machine so I guess I would answer YES. Thanks for clearing that up for me.