My Favorite Backup Utility (It's Free!)

Fri May 5, 2006 12:02PM EDT

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I'm on a bit of a backup kick this week, so I want to wrap it up with a testimonial for Cobian Backup, an excellent backup utility that is completely free: No registration, no advertisements, no crippled features, no nagging, no begging for donations (though they are, of course, accepted).

Cobian succeeds where most other backup programs fail because of one key feature: Simplicity. I can't count the number of times I've seen people diligently install backup software on their machines... and then never use it all because it's too complex. I can't blame them. Most backup software seems to be targeted at enterprise IT people instead of average users who simply want to set the program to back up their files and forget about it.

Cobian is named after its developer, Luis Cobian, who proves that a single programmer can succeed where a big company fails miserably. Cobian also promises a new version of the software for release this summer. Called Black Moon, it looks even better than the current one.

But hey, I'm open for other suggestions: Got a backup utility you swear by? Tell everyone about it in the comments!

Comments on My Favorite Backup Utility (It's Free!)

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  • 26 Posted by mhobren on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:17PM EDT Report Abuse

    I use Norton Ghost to back-up a "mirror" or what's called a "snapshot" of my ENTIRE system (not just the data files) to a rudundant, secondary hard disk drive. I believe this is the best way to go. Now I know what you're thinking: using a second drive (be it internal or external; mine is a "slaved internal drive") exclusively for back-up purposes seems like a waste of space. WELL, it is, until the first time you have that BIG system crash and have to restore the "entire system!" And therein lies the beauty of Norton's Ghost: you can restore "everything," not just your data files, but your O/S, settings, add-ins, downloads...the whole works! Personally, I'm not big on these newbie, untried products with virtually no long-term track record. Norton's Ghost has been around for a lot time and is a proven product. It's now on version 10, and is fairly inexpensive (about $30 as a stand-alone product). You can also get it as part of Norton's comprehensive SystemWorks suite. But ghosting-off-platform is the only way to go...IMHO! Thanks for giving me my two cents! M.H.

  • 27 Posted by poidogfan on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    Kurter21....I believe seamusfurr was being sarcastic. I laughed out loud when I read it. Also note the date of the article is May 5, 2006 which may explain why people are having trouble reaching the site through the link. Why do people act so hostile to each other in these things. No wonder Yahoo! took away a lot of these.

  • 28 Posted by blueskyes66 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:09PM EDT Report Abuse

    I'm with "penegreen" and "bharma" WHERE IS THE DOWNLOAD???????????

  • 29 Posted by nspiusa on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:41PM EDT Report Abuse

    Do you think these Mac users have an inferiority complex as well as being petty minded?

  • 30 Posted by securebear on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:12PM EDT Report Abuse

    If you wanna know were to download do a search on Google!!!

  • 31 Posted by osugradrtv on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    I use Mozy with excellent results. The first backup can take a while, but subsequent differential backups run much faster. My computer is on 24/7 with an automatic update scheduled for 5am daily. As long as the software is updated when Mozy releases a new version (they will notify you) there are no problems keeping everything current. Good program and their new pricing schedule puts their system within the reach of almost any computer user. Certainly MUCH cheaper than a total loss of data!

  • 32 Posted by tomkiewlicz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    I use Replicator (FREE) written by a lady named Karen. The program runs every night at 3AM through a scheduled task setup in windows control panel. It backs up my documents, outlook express, favorites and other files each night to my second hard drive. Very easy to use. Automatically backup files, directories, even entire drives! Copies selected files from one drive/folder to another. Source and Destination folders can reside anywhere on your network. Options include repeated copies at intervals as short as a few minutes, or as long as several months, copy only files that have changed, and the replication of file deletions. Allows you to specify which files should not be copied, and also which days a file should be skipped! Karen has many other free utilities at http://www.karenware.com/powertools/powertools.asp

  • 34 Posted by johnnie99403 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    Pick any backup program you want, but they still have that one single flaw - it is HUMAN dependent. I know, it cost me a bundle of money. The daily backups, the offsite storage of the backups, the replacement tapes or replacement hard drives later on, the test restores, the keeping track of all the backups, the trust that the backups won't get lost offsite, the trust backups will not be overwritten, etc, etc. It didn't work for us in the 80's with tapes, it doesn't work for us in 2000 with external hard drives. Hence, the reason all the big guys (HP, Seagate, Iron Moutian, etc ) are buying online backup companies. No humans involved. I have personally used an online backup company for about 5 years now (www.trueevaulting.com). I have had many crashes, and never lost a file. So cool.

  • 35 Posted by poidogfan on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    Try this... http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm The site took forever to load.

  • 36 Posted by grhode on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:13PM EDT Report Abuse

    I found the article very useful. To those snooty ones that think just because Mac was left out I say...for the 5% of you that it mattered to....when you get c@#$% to 50% then complain...Majority rules and all that! lol

  • 37 Posted by koolvette01 on Tue Jan 2, 2007 6:01PM EST Report Abuse

    it would be nice to find out how to get it free? am I missingsomething? paul

  • 38 Posted by ozejulz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    The website to get the download from is http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm But it looks like they are getting hit pretty hard, possibly due to this article as the site is running really slow.

  • 39 Posted by momtotsan on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:25PM EDT Report Abuse

    I use Dantz Retrospect. It's easy to use, can be automated to do backups each night after you are tucked safely in bed, and it works very well. I have had two occassions in which to use it (once when I upgraded to a new computer and once when the hard drive on that computer gave up the ghost) and both times it performed flawlessly restoring all my programs and their serial codes, my preferences, contacts, saved mail, etc. I got it with my external hard drive and have no complaints.

  • 40 Posted by meliscour on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    could you please post a site address? When I click on Cobian Backup it says that it is forbidden.

  • 41 Posted by philosopher_boxer on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    "...found it somewhat offensive"??? LOFL. Quit crying like a little girl.

  • 42 Posted by evkaykin on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    I checked out mozy.com, very cool!

  • 43 Posted by t2green_4 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    Chris, It would really help if you put the address your fovorite backup utility..........dah

  • 44 Posted by ryshade on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    I use Second Copy www.secondcopy.com Not only does it back up my PC to an external drive it also backs up my web site as well. Simple and a steal at $29.95.

  • 45 Posted by smith_48098 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm This site will allow you to download the most recent, version 8 , of the software. It was actually very easy to find, just have to do a quick search to those that complained.

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