Solved Best Program For Most Secure Backup

[exitPr0gram]

Hi all,

I was wanting to know which software you guys recommend for my situation.

I have VMWARE setup with one workstation. I also have games installed (Starcraft 2 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3) along with my antivirus, etc.

I need to know which software (Paid or not) will be able to backup and restore all of my data. I know this is a lot of installed files in a lot of different places and i want as little chance of corruption as possible.

I also have all of my programs installed to my 120GB Solid State Drive as well, if that makes any difference. I have plenty of space (a total of 7TB) on external and internal. My externals are all USB 3.0.

#1 thing i'm looking for, is the most RELIABLE backup software.
#2 Ease of use.
#3 I want to create a rescue disc, so that all i have to do is boot from it and recover the data from my backup source.

Thanks in advance for any and all help or suggestions.

 

[zigzag3143]

Acronis True Image 2012.

Flexible, bullet proof, and not too complicated. Havent been able to break it yet.

 

[exitPr0gram]

Do you happen to know how this owns up to Norton Ghost as far as dependability and ease of use ?

 

[zigzag3143]

Do you happen to know how this owns up to Norton Ghost as far as dependability and ease of use ?

I am a former user of Symantec products and had quite a problem with them, so from my personal perspective I cant recommend them.

They both do similar things but from a stability and crashing perspective only, I wouldn't have Symantec on my system.

 

[kado897]

A lot of people on this forum swear by Macrium Reflect including myself. The free edition will only do images but the paid version does file and folder backups as well. The link to the free version is in my signature.
Have a look at this tutorial by whs. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?filter[2]=Backup%20Restore

For file and folder backups I prefer FreeFileSync. FreeFileSync | Free Security & Utilities software downloads at SourceForge.net

I did a short video on it which can be found here. Backup With FreeFileSync - YouTube

 

[CB]

Do you happen to know how this owns up to Norton Ghost as far as dependability and ease of use ?

I am a former user of Symantec products and had quite a problem with them, so from my personal perspective I cant recommend them.

They both do similar things but from a stability and crashing perspective only, I wouldn't have Symantec on my system.

I'm with Zigzag. Left behind Norton Ghost. Having trouble with Windows 7 boot sectors occasionally.
It was just good with XP.

 

[exitPr0gram]

Thanks for the awesome replies, guys.

I am going to try out Acronis 2012. I've done my research and it looks to be a pretty reputable piece of software.

Let me ask you guys this, though....

Does backing up to an external drive increase the chances of corrupted data? Does Acronis have a way to verify if the image is corrupted after creating it ? I don't think i read anything on it that states it supports USB 3.0. Might be wrong though, it'll just take forever and a day to backup 110GB of information.

I know i've used Acronis in the past and used the feature where it "Hides" the partition that contains my backup for security, as well as puts a password on it so that you have to have Acronis installed on your machine to even see it, let alone insert the password you created with Acronis. I like this feature that way if i get a virus, theres less of a chance of it infecting my backup.

I will also review the other programs mentioned before committing and purchasing Acronis 2012. As usual, SevenForums has provided me with exact answers i was looking for.

Thanks to all.

 

[kado897]

I don't know about Acronis but Macrium supports USB3. Not sure about the free version though. It may do but I'm pretty sure you need the PE rescue disk (1.7GB download of WAIK for the free version).

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Does backing up to an external drive increase the chances of corrupted data? Does Acronis have a way to verify if the image is corrupted after creating it ?

I've never heard that an external increases the chances of corrupted data.

I wouldn't put a lot of faith in the image verification process of a backup program. A verified image does not mean that you will have a successful restore when you most desperately need it.

 

[kado897]

Does backing up to an external drive increase the chances of corrupted data? Does Acronis have a way to verify if the image is corrupted after creating it ?

I've never heard that an external increases the chances of corrupted data.

I wouldn't put a lot of faith in the image verification process of a backup program. A verified image does not mean that you will have a successful restore when you most desperately need it.

True. What Macrium does for image verification is to store MD5 checksums for each sector and compares the saved image to them. It a protection against corruption of the image but it doesn't mean it will restore OK.

 

[exitPr0gram]

Correct me if im wrong, but i should save multiple backups....
Say for instance, one on my 3TB external, and another to my internal data drive.

One of the 2, i'm sure, will work with no problems..?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Correct me if im wrong, but i should save multiple backups....
Say for instance, one on my 3TB external, and another to my internal data drive.

One of the 2, i'm sure, will work with no problems..?

Wrong. You can't be sure of that. You would be foolish to assume that.

Nothing wrong with putting alternating images on alternating drives, but the more common idea is to use 2 different imaging programs in an alternating manner.

This month use Acronis. Next month use Macrium. Etc.

Then cross your fingers and hope you never have to use either and be disabused of your faith in imaging.

 

[kado897]

Multiple images on different disks are an excellent idea. If you main backup drive fails then you will have an alternate. I image with Macrium to one drive and with Windows Backup less frequently to a second.

 

[exitPr0gram]

Awesome. Sounds like you guys have helped me figure everything out.

Also, i'm guessing these backups, backup EVERYTHING. Including drivers, etc.

If i wanted to apply this backup image to another machine... I think Acronis offers a feature where you can load the boot disk, and select the drivers you want for that machine as long as you have them saved on to your external or whatever, correct?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Also, i'm guessing these backups, backup EVERYTHING. Including drivers, etc.

If i wanted to apply this backup image to another machine... I think Acronis offers a feature where you can load the boot disk, and select the drivers you want for that machine as long as you have them saved on to your external or whatever, correct?

Imaging backs up whatever is on the imaged partition or partitions. No more. No less. If you make an image of C, drivers would be included. If you make an image of D, drivers would not be included.

I think at least some versions of Acronis do have a feature that allows you to restore to new hardware. I'm not sure how well it works. I think the Paragon imaging product may have something similar?

 

[suspect008]

paragon have that feature. I just read. Me also trusted Acronis once. as it for the forums, it was good once. but nowadays it will be really tough or maybe foolish decision to go for acronis. also the Ghost. Just do some research. Macrium, Paragon and ToDo can be trusted. and Todo also includes recovering to a different drive.

EaseUS backup software comparison: choose the best backup solution for your data and system.

 

[CanIHaz]

Shadow Protect, one of the best backup software.

 

[whs]

If you want to be really sure that you always have some good backup, use 2 imaging programs. I use free Macrium (easy, fast and very reliable) and free Paragon (more complex, slower but more function).

Do frequent images (like 3 times per week) and to different disks (at least 2). Always have one disk that is only attached for the imaging. That way no virus can get at it during the rest of the time.

 

[exitPr0gram]

i'm sorry if i'm such a noob but please answer this....

I have a Solid State Drive.

I have an external 3TB drive.

If i use Acronis True Image Home 2012's "CLONE DISK" feature, to clone my entire Solid State Drive (source) to my 3TB USB external(Destination) will i run in to problems when i try to apply the image to my SSD from my external? I'm obviously using the 3TB External as a backup to hold the image...

I want to be able to image of a fresh install of my windows 7 with the latest updates, etc and apply it as quickly and easily as possible if anything bad happens.

For instance, create the image, later a disaster occurs, then i pop in a rescue disk or whatever, locate my image on my external USB drive, and restore the image created from my SSD back to my SSD

Will the fact i am imaging an entire SSD and saving that image from the SSD on to a USB external complicate things? I ask this because i know an SSD and an external are two completely types of HDDs.

Sorry, i tried to make my question as least confusing as possible.

P.S.

Not sure about the forum rules, but if i need to start a new thread for this please let me know...

 

[exitPr0gram]

If you want to be really sure that you always have some good backup, use 2 imaging programs. I use free Macrium (easy, fast and very reliable) and free Paragon (more complex, slower but more function).

Do frequent images (like 3 times per week) and to different disks (at least 2). Always have one disk that is only attached for the imaging. That way no virus can get at it during the rest of the time.

This is how i've been doing it! (I only back up once a week, though). After a fresh install of windows and windows updates, i backup my system, add it to the external, and unplug it from my computer. Good to know i'm doin something right =)

I'm guessing the word "Backups" are one in the same as "Image backups" ?

My previous post from this one may seem redundant, its just that i haven't ever actually USED the program because i've never needed to. I mean i HAVE, but a complete recovery was only necessary once and i've never "Cloned" a drive. I've only "Created a backup" which i am slightly confused at what the differences are (Yes, someone can answer that question for me, too if they'd like

I guess i will be making a weekend out of testing the features of my old Acronis, Macrium, and Paragon. I will probably make a backup using EACH,and apply it to a virtual machine..... Unless you guys see a problem with that... I have my computer just how i like it right now and i'd rather not change it just to "See" if a backup program works like i want it to.

Thanks again guys, ya'll are awesome.