Over the past few weeks, I asked you a couple of questions – one about backing up, and another relating to live or semi-live events.
I wanted to get back to you and let you know the results.
In one case they were pretty much as expected, and the other – well, not so much. 🙂
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On backup programs
In What Backup Program Do You Use?, I noted that Macrium’s recent price increase concerned me as perhaps pricing themselves out of the home market. While I still consider it a excellent choice, I needed to consider reviewing – and even writing a book about – a less expensive alternative.
With so many alternatives out there, it’s impossible for me to stay on top of them all, so I turned to one of my greatest resources for ideas: you!
And you did not disappoint. If you browse through the comments on that article, you’ll see lots of recommendations, including several I’d not heard of before. Honestly, it’s become a great reference page for backup programs and general ideas on backing up.
Thanks!
In terms of popularity, though, the most-mentioned programs that actually meet my criteria were pretty much what I expected.
The net result:
- I’ve already begun revising my book Saved! Backing Up with Macrium Reflect to … uh … reflect their new version. That will be a free update to all who already own that book. Reflect remains my primary recommendation, assuming you have the budget.1
- I’ll be choosing either Easeus Todo or AOMEI Backupper as the next backup program to review, hopefully recommend, and thereafter give the full video-and-book treatment, as I did with Reflect.
Thanks again for your help with that.
On Facebook Fan Friday
In Facebook Fan Friday Fallout, I lamented that Facebook wasn’t giving you timely notification – indeed, often no notification at all – about my Facebook Fan Friday posts, and as a result they simply weren’t working.
I included a list of possible alternatives, and asked what you thought could be interesting along the lines of a somewhat real-time Q&A session.
One of the options I included, almost as an afterthought and partly in jest, was “Quit monkeying around and stick to writing posts, articles, and books alone”. . .
. . . which turned out to be the very clear winner.
Alrighty then. I get the message. 🙂
To be clear, I’m still going to play with things as I have time. It’s part of what keeps this job interesting. But more than anything else, this helps me set my expectations for that play time, which I really appreciate.
So … maybe a little monkeying around, OK?
One thing it did cause me to do, however, was to build a list of all the different ways that you can get Ask Leo!. It turned out to be an even longer list than I thought, and I’m still not sure I’ve covered everything.
Thanks again for your assistance – both in setting my direction and in adjusting my priorities.
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Clade
In the above quote, where it was backed up, excellent software for backup, Macrium reflect and Easeus Todo Backup, used them, always in the form of freeware and this condition without technical support far as I know.
Liz
So glad you are looking into the two other backup programs, Leo! If you still want reader feedback/experience with these programs let us know, and where to post it.
Mark Jacobs
Comments are always appreciated. You can comment on that here.
https://askleo.com/what-backup-program-do-you-use/
Lance Bowman
In that vein, Leo, I hope you can find some time to look at Bvckup2. It’s a realtime backup utility that is always on, but unobtrusively in the background. Backing up every change to every file in realtime. It’s inexpensive, too.
Don Taber
I thought I commented on this before, but maybe not. Per your recommendation, I use Macrium Reflect for backups. . . but I have the FREE version. I don’t honestly know why anyone would want to pay $$ for the “pro” version. I’m not even sure what a “pro” version would do that the free version doesn’t. I know some may deny scheduling in the free version, but Macrium doesn’t. I have it set to do a full system backup (C:) followed by a full working files backup (E:) every Friday. What am I missing with the free version?
Reid
See this Macrium comparison page: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx The free version will often do what most people want — create a system/partition image and facilitate a restore of an image. If you don’t want/need more than that, then you are correct, the free version will always be enough. But as you can see, the paid version offers many more options, including support, for those who want such functionality.
Louis
My vote for a Backup program is Easeus Todo
Lana
A computer geek who set up my computer recommended Mozy. Is it not an effective tool?
Reid
Mozy is fine for backing up FILES, but it won’t facilitate a system backup and, subsequently, facilitate a restore in case of a system crash. You want BOTH options, ideally.
Leo
It’s a cloud, files-only backup. I have heard both good and bad things.
Magdalena50
It would be interesting to differentiate between ‘small’ business owners and individuals who’s only important files to back up are home movies and photos, or art work created and kept on PC or laptop. I am sure if you have a business you would pay for a back up program, but me personally – I just would loose all my movies and photos and a lifetime of correspondence. So I am happy with the Windows once a week back up on an external drive.
Ron Kaplan
Here’s a question from this satisfied home user of the pro version of Macrium Reflect (currently using version 5.3.7299).
Since I’m pleased with what I’m using, can anyone give me a reason to purchase the upgrade?
Thanks,
Ron
Joe Thiel
Good Responses I use easeus and back up to a an other HD,I also use a Clickfree unit. But I wont know if any of it is going to work until disaster strikes. LOL