Programs for system backup and recovery. Backup

From viruses and software bugs, hardware failure or human error, there are many potential dangers infecting your files.

Or even worse could happen - for example, losing personal photographs, a music library, important business documents - something that could be truly valuable. That is why it is necessary to create a backup copy of your computer automatically.

Doing this yourself is very difficult, but with the right software it will be much easier than you think. Without any monetary expenses, because there are some free backup and disk cloning programs.

If you want to, copy the contents of your documents somewhere , clone one disk to another, or create a backup of your entire system, I found many programs that can help.

Action Backup

Action Backup is perhaps the best scheduled file backup for home and work computers. The program is very convenient, as it combines ease of use, as well as wide functionality for performing backups. With Action Backup you get: support for full, differential, incremental backups, automated* saving of backups to FTP servers, CD/DVD, remote network resources, zip64 format support, support for the “shadow copy” function, work in windows service mode *, automated deletion of previous (outdated) archives*, sending a report by e-mail and much more (a detailed description of the functionality is available on the developer’s official website).

Action Backup is perfect for both beginners and experienced users, making it an excellent tool for backing up files on home computers, workstations and servers.

* - available only in the paid version. There is a comparison of versions on the official website.

Aomei Backupper

If you like backup programs, Aomei has a simple interface. Select the drive or partition to back up, the destination drive, and click Backupper there will be an image creation.

The program has pretty good tools if you need it. There are options to encrypt or compress backups. You can create incremental or differential backups for increased speed. You can recover individual files and folders, or the entire image, and there are even disk and partition cloning tools.

What you can't do unfortunately Scheduled backups- they must be launched manually. But otherwise Aomei Backupper is an excellent tool, with a huge number of functions, but also easy to use.

EASEUS Todo Backup Free

Like most free (personal use) commercial software programs, EASEUS Todo Backup Free has a few limitations - but the package still has more than enough features for most people.

The program can work on both a file and backup file basis, for example, manually or on a schedule. Are you able to work with full or incremental backups.

The ability to limit the write speed reduces the impact of backups on system performance. This is possible in individual files or folders, or the entire image using a disk recovery program. And there are tools to clone and format drives too.

On the negative side, you won't get encryption, there's no differential backup, and you'll only get disk-based Linux (not Windows PE). But EASEUS Todo Backup Free still looks like a great program to us.

Redo Backup and Recovery

Redo Backup and Recovery is a visualization backup tool with a difference. Instead of installing the program, you need to download a large (249MB) ISO file and burn it to a CD or USB drive. Then just boot from it to launch a simple tool that can backup your hard drive and restore them later.

There's also a recovery tool, and even a web browser if you need to seek help for a PC problem.

The program is not entirely convenient. You can't schedule backups, they all have to be run manually and there are very few options.

But it's also easy to use and free for everyone, so if you want to run an occasional backup that you can use on any computer without installing software, this is the product for you.

Cobian Backup

Cobian Backup is an excellent backup software with a lot of features. You get full, differential and incremental backups, for example; ZIP or 7zip compression; AES 256-bit encryption; include and exclude filters; scheduler, backup or FTP servers, and the list goes on. Every aspect of the program is extremely customizable (there are over 100 parameters you can customize).

PC or backup, beginners will most likely find it very difficult. If you are more experienced you will love the number of tools Cobian Backup gives you control over every aspect of the backup process.

Macrium Reflect Free

One of the most popular free (for home use) disk imaging programs, Macrium Reflect Free The basic set of functions through the interface is easy to use.

The program does not have incremental or differential backups. And you won't get encryption or password protection. It makes creating backups very easy though (select source drive and set compression ratio, done).

There is a planner; You can mount the images in Windows Explorer or restore them completely from both Linux and Windows PE recovery disks. And in general Macrium Reflect Free An excellent choice for those who want a simple but reliable image backup tool.

DriveImage XML

Free for personal use, DriveImage XM is an easy alternative to more advanced competitors. Backup is as easy as selecting a source drive, destination and (optional) setting the compression level.

Recovery is just as simple, and the only significant extra is the ability to copy directly from one drive to another.

There are some complications elsewhere. Click the "Task Scheduler" button and you will receive instructions on how to manually configure Windows Task Scheduler to start the backup. But if you only need a basic rendering tool then give DriveImage XML handle.

FBackup

FBackup is a good file backup tool, free for personal and commercial use. The interface is simple and clear, and there are a number of features.

Plugins allow you to back up individual programs with one click; there is support for including and excluding filters; and you can run "Mirror" backups, which simply copy everything without compressing it (which makes file recovery very easy).

Compression isn't as good, though (it's weak Zip2), and the scheduler is also more basic than you'll see in other programs. But if your needs are simple then FBackup should suit you.

Backup Maker

Free for personal use at first BackupMaker It seems like any other file backup tool, with optional or full backups available, scheduling, compression, encryption, include and exclude filters, and so on.

But interesting additional services include support for online backup on FTP servers, and when performing backup automatically when a USB device is connected.

The program data is stored in Zip files, too, which makes them very easy to access. AND BackUp Maker comes in a small 6.5Mb installation package, much more manageable than some of the bulky competitors.

If you are a home user looking for way to backup files, then backup Maker could be perfect.

Clonezilla

Just like repeating backup and restore, Clonezilla not the installer: it's dos boot environment, which can be run from a CD or USB flash drive.

And it's a seriously powerful program, too: you'll be able to create a disk image; restore an image (on one disk, or on several at the same time); clone a disk (copy one disk to another), with more control.

While Repeat Backup and Restore focuses on ease of use, however, Clonezilla more about providing additional options like "unattended" Clonezilla via PXE boot." It's not difficult, probably the best free disk cloning program - but the program is aimed at experienced backup users, for beginners it is better to find a more suitable option.

Paragon Backup & Recovery 2014 Free

Another free program for personal use, Paragon Backup & Recovery 2014 Free
is a good tool, with some limitations.

Strong support for the foundation: you can create an image backup(full or differential), compress and encrypt their use exclusion filters to help determine what is included, do scheduled backups, and then restore individual files and folders or all of them.

Additionally includes a separate section to help keep your backups safe. And a good set of basic tools section are included.

Problems? You won't get incremental backups; You can't clone disks or partitions, and the interface sometimes doesn't feel very good. Nevertheless Paragon Backup & Recovery 20134 Free A quality tool and worth your attention.

Duplicate

If you need online backups then Duplicate is one of the most versatile tools, with support for saving files SkyDrive, Google Docs, FTP servers, Amazon S3, Rackspace Cloudfiles and WebDAV.

The program can also save to local and network drives, although it does include a lot of useful options (AES-256 encryption, password protection, scheduler, full and incremental backups, regular expression support to include/exclude filters, even upload and download speed limits to reduce the impact on your system).

Whether you save files online or locally, this program is for you.


  • The program is free for personal and commercial use.

    FBackup is a backup program that is free for use at home and in the office.

  • This means you save money instead of paying for another data backup program.

    Automatic reservation.

  • You create a backup profile, set it to run automatically, and you'll never remember about it again. FBackup will automatically create copies of data at the appointed time, which gives you not only confidence in the safety of your files, but also additional free time.

    zip packaging of backup copies.

  • When backing up the full type, the source files are archived using the standard zip algorithm. FBackup uses ZIP64 compression, which allows you to create archives larger than 2GB. Moreover, you can protect archives with a password, which will be requested when extracting data from them.

    Perform actions before/after backup.

  • For each backup profile, you can specify an action to be performed before or after.

    If you do not want to store files in a single archive, FBackup can create exact copies of the original objects. Because FBackup correctly handles empty folders, you can use this type of backup to create a “mirror” copy of the original files in a specified location.

  • Ease of use.

    The two main functions of a backup program are data backup and recovery.

  • FBackup makes it easy for you by offering user-friendly wizards. When you start working with the wizard for creating a new backup profile, you specify where, how and how often to create copies - and that’s it, the profile is ready to launch. If you want to restore files, open the recovery wizard, which will only ask where you want to restore the backup files.

    Automatic updates.

  • FBackup automatically checks for updates once a week, allowing you to stay up to date with new versions. The option to check for updates can be disabled, but this is not recommended to ensure that your version of FBackup is up to date.

    Multiple reservation assignments.

  • By default, the location of future backup copies is the operating system partition.

  • To ensure the security of your backups, you will need to place them in other destinations supported by FBackup (such as external USB/Firewire drives, or a mounted network drive). In this case, if a hardware failure occurs, your data will be safe and sound on an external independent storage device.

    Plugins.

  • Archiving open files.

    If a file is being used by another program while a backup is in progress, FBackup will still be able to back up the file using the Volume Shadow Copies service provided by Windows. Thus, if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP, Server 2019/2016/2012/2008/2003 (32/64-bit), FBackup will archive these open files. For example, you can make a backup copy of your Outlook mail database and settings without closing it.

Modern software manufacturers offer many solutions for backup and further recovery of data on a PC. Moreover, the functionality of such applications can be quite wide - the choice of media and copying methods is sometimes amazing. To choose the most suitable application for your own needs, it is worth studying in more detail programs for system backup and recovery.

Selecting a backup program.

AOMEI Backupper is a reliable, fully functional backup program from AOMEI Technology Co., Ltd. The application is perfect for protecting your computer from the consequences of a possible failure or attack by malicious modules. AOMEI Data Backupper allows you to take a complete backup of your operating system, settings, and installed software, and then restore your data at any time.

The program has a modern, user-friendly interface. The main window is divided into tabs, sorted by different types of activities (creating copies, restoring copies, cloning, additional tools). More advanced users will undoubtedly be pleased with the configuration options, which allow you to customize the application to some extent to your own needs. Among them you can find settings responsible for the compression level, the method of splitting large backups, or the operation of the VSS mechanism.

Key Features of Aomei Backupper:

  • supports all types of devices that are recognized by Windows OS, including IDE, SATA, SCSI, SSD, USB, RAID;
  • support for popular file systems (FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, Ext2/3, EXFAT);
  • backup in several modes;
  • backup of hard drives, partitions and system volumes - data will be compressed in ADI image format;
  • the ability to restore only selected files and folders from a full backup;
  • tools for cloning partitions and the entire hard drive;
  • additional password to ensure backup security;
  • a list of copies made with the ability to instantly restore data to its previous state;
  • checking the integrity of the structure of the backup copies made;
  • Conveniently create bootable CD/DVD/USB.

The program is provided under a free license. The manufacturer's website has very good documentation, consisting of a complete help file and several tutorials. Manufacturer: AOMEI Technology Co., Ltd.

SyncBackFree, also known as SyncBack Freeware by 2BrightSparks Pte. Ltd, is a free version of SyncBack - a program for data backup, data recovery, file and directory synchronization, and system mirroring. The program supports all popular storage media, as well as FTP servers. The free version has more limited features than the paid editions, but still offers a wide range of options in terms of backup and data synchronization. Main features of SyncBackFree:

  • the ability to implement and run (also simultaneously) several operating profiles, each profile can perform different actions - backup, synchronization and mirroring - and each of them can be performed based on different parameters;
  • easy recovery and backup;
  • the ability to one-way or two-way synchronize directories and files;
  • scheduled file backups;
  • Easily create, edit, start or stop operations and delete work profiles, manage the queue, sort profiles, change their names, view detailed profile properties, open source/target locations in Windows Explorer, the ability to simulate profile operation (including data recovery) up to actual performance of his work;
  • the settings of the selected profile can be edited in simple as well as expert mode;
  • profile configuration, data filtering, advanced principles for managing file overwrite/replacement, various rules for comparing files in the source and destination directory, data compression in ZIP archives, performance management and task priorities, encryption of FTP server connection archives, detailed log files and sending them by email, monitoring the task schedule;
  • ability to perform operations in the background (system tray icon);
  • work using hot keys.

SyncBackFree's GUI is quite pleasing to the eye and offers easy access to the program's most important features. Less experienced users will quickly learn the basics of using this software. A set of instructions can be found in the help file and on the manufacturer's website (in English). There are also paid, more functional versions of the tool - SyncBackSE and SyncBackPro. The differences between SyncBack versions are listed on the manufacturer's website. With its help, you can obtain a license for the release of the program you are interested in.

FBackup is a free program that can be used to create backup copies of important files, folders, or system settings. The program is very easy to use, even non-professional users can easily handle it. With FBackup, you can schedule regular backups by backing up the entire drive, parts of it, or selected folders and files. Archived data can be compressed using the ZIP compression standard, or copies of the original files can be created. The copy can be saved to an external device or to a network location. The program's interface is very clear, divided into two windows, in addition to a wizard that guides you through the backup setup process. FBackup functionality can be extended using plugins that can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website.

Paragon Backup & Recovery is software that makes it easy to back up selected partitions or the entire hard drive, files and folders. The application supports all popular file systems: NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, EXT2, EXT3, EXT4, ReiserFS and Apple HFS. The built-in copy wizard will help you perform all operations, which makes working with the program very simple. When creating a backup copy of the selected disk, there are several archiving options - save the copy on a local or network drive, a physical partition, to a specific FTP location, or burn it to a CD/DVD/BD disk. Similarly, the wizard helps in restoring a backup. Paragon Backup & Recovery also has basic partition management options such as formatting, deleting, hiding or renaming the partition.

IMPORTANT. Program registration is required. During installation, a window opens in which you must enter the serial number and program key. We can get them on the registration page.

MBRtool is a tool that allows you to create backup copies of the main MBR (Master Boot Record). Thanks to this, you can easily protect against the unpleasant effects of MBR corruption, such as data loss on your hard drive.

The Master Boot Record contains the boot loader and any data needed to start the hard drive. This structure is located in the first sector of the hard drive. Data corruption in this sector causes the hard drive to become immobile. Of course, Windows does allow you to MBR. However, this requires the ability to use the System Recovery Console, which cannot be invoked by less advanced computer users. Moreover, unfortunately, this is not always effective. Therefore, it is much easier to create a backup copy of the main boot sector. The program is very easy to use. Once launched, the user can choose how to save the backup. You can choose floppy disk, CD/DVD or hard disk. For security reasons, it is best to save a copy to a floppy disk or disk. Further use of the program should also not be difficult. More advanced computer users can control the program via the command line.

The program can also be used through the standard menu, which is recommended for users with lower skills. Moreover, MBRtool also allows you to edit the contents of the main boot sector. This allows you to add custom captions or change section attributes. A full description and instructions for using the program, unfortunately, can only be found in English on the manufacturer’s website.

Comodo BackUp is one of the best backup programs. Using a product from the well-known network security and protection company Comodo is a good way to create a reasonable copy of files and protect against sudden media failure. The program allows you to fully automate this process, offering greater ease of use due to the large number of options.

Comodo BackUp has very simple operation and a simple, intuitive interface. Individual settings are grouped into categories, and built-in predefined profiles allow you to quickly backup email, browser data, computer game recordings, user folders, music, images, videos and documents. Comodo BackUp also has a wide range of features useful for more advanced computer users. It is worth paying attention to the creation of backup copies, the ability to compare files, descriptions and version control. Administrators will find it useful to create scripts that make it easier to synchronize operations such as backup, restore, and copy mounting.

The tool allows you to set up password protection or integration with Windows Explorer. Data can be easily uploaded to an FTP server, anywhere from a network environment, or to an external COMODO server (just set up a free account). It is also possible to burn data to optical media (such as CD or DVD), which will be saved in a ZIP archive or as a CD image in ISO format. Data can also be encrypted with one of your chosen algorithms, installed as a virtual disk and synced across multiple locations. The program is distributed under a free license. Comodo BackUp also has an automatic update mechanism and an extensive tooltips system that makes it easy to navigate through individual windows.

Restore Point Creator allows you to view, create, describe and delete Windows restore points, as well as undo changes made to the system. You can schedule points to be created and deleted regularly on selected days and times. The program allows you to decide when and how to delete old restore points, and whether it needs to be done at all. Windows automatically removes the dots, but in some cases this causes the list to be completely cleared and the user has no control over it. The tool has a special option - delete old recovery settings, which deletes the registry section responsible for automatically deleting old points. In addition, the application allows you to manage the disk space allocated for saving points, as well as a preview of the total, free and used space on storage media.

Restore Point Creator is a simple program, and even less advanced users should not have any problems using it. The tool can be successfully used as an alternative to Windows System Restore, since it offers more structured access to identical functions and protects against automatic deletion of important system restore points.

IMPORTANT. For normal operation of the program, the .NET Framework version 4.0 or higher is required.

FavBackup is a small application for backing up web browser related data from FavBrowser Team. The completed backup contains frequently visited bookmarks for favorite websites, history of visited or downloaded files, installed add-ons, saved passwords and sessions, cookies, search queries and, most importantly, browser settings. Creating a copy is very simple: select a browser in the program window, select what you want to save, select a directory to save the file. The backup data is restored in the same way, for example, after reinstalling the browser. It should be emphasized that it is also possible to restore selected items, for example only bookmarks and history.

This tool supports the most popular browsers in both old and new versions. These are Internet Explorer 6-8, Firefox 2-4, Chrome 1-6 (unofficially, possibly newer versions), Opera 9-10, Safari 3-4, Flock 2-2.5. An additional feature of the program that is useful for Opera 10 users is the so-called profile conversion. It includes changes to a copy of the profile so that it can be moved, for example, from Windows XP to Windows 7, in which browser settings are saved in different places. FavBackup has a nice interface modeled after the so-called Ribbon, mostly known from the Microsoft Office 2007/2010 suite. There are three color options to choose from. What's more, there's no need to install the app - just unzip the downloaded ZIP file and then run the EXE file. The program is ready to work immediately.

It is up to the users to decide which of these programs is the best. More detailed information about the products and detailed instructions for using the software can be found on the websites of the software manufacturers.

In this article I want to talk about the problem of saving data.

We all sometime face the fact that we need to save important information, be it photographs, text documents, 1C:Enterprise databases of all configurations, or any other information important to us. Many users do not want to waste their time or do not know how to correctly write a small “batch file” to copy their data. This is why there are small programs for backing up various data. You can read more about backup.

I encountered the need for automatic backup when I needed to copy databases from 1C:Enterprise on a daily basis. When searching for a program that was convenient and met my requirements, I found what I needed - the Cobian Backup 11 program. This program turned out to have a very clear and uncomplicated interface, and most importantly, it is free, which is very good in our time.

1. Installation of the program

And so let's move on to installing the program. Download the program distribution from the official website and run the downloaded file. On the first page of the installer, select the language you need and click "Further" .

On the next page we will be asked to read the license agreement and accept the terms of this agreement. Click "Further" .

This window appears before us with a choice: where and what to install.

  • "Shadow Copy Initiator" serves to copy files even when they are open or in use by applications. I recommend installing it, but if, say, you need a backup for one time, then, in principle, you don’t have to install the shadow copy initiator. The Shadow Copy Initiator requires Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 to be installed. How to install the .NET Framework component in, read.
  • "Installation script" needed in order to remember all the parameters of the current installation, and during the next installation, do the same thing, without your participation.

By default, we are offered to install this program as a service; I recommend leaving everything as it is if you use it on a server or on a computer where there are several users. Firstly, as a service, the program will work even if no one is logged in, and secondly, the program will be able to use network resources to store data on an ftp server, on another local computer on your network, or on network storage.

If you need it, for example, for one-time use or you don’t have to access it too often, then you can choose any of the items of your choice.

When installing the program as a service, you must specify an administrator account and password.

That's it, the installation is complete.

2.Setting up the program

Let's move on to the main task of setting up a backup job. We launch the program, select from the menu "Exercise" , then "New task".

The New Job Creation Wizard will launch. Here we set "Name" tasks, check the necessary boxes and select "Copy type» .

Go to the tab "Files", then press "Add", to indicate what we should copy and where.

We indicate the file, directory or folder on the ftp server that you need to copy. We also indicate where to copy by selecting from the list. Everyone should understand that making a backup and saving it to the same hard drive, if it physically collapses, negates all your efforts, restoring information will be problematic, saving it to different partitions of the disk will save you only in cases when your computer crashes. section where the basic information is located or when deleted. Therefore, try to save it on an independent medium, such as network storage, an external hard drive, a flash drive, or on a computer located on the same network, and of course, on an FTP server.

Go to the bookmark "Schedule". As you can see, the settings are here for any occasion, you can configure them as you wish: at least once a year, at least every day at a certain time.

Go to the tab "Cyclicity". Z Here you can configure the priority of your job and, to save space, you can configure the number of full copies to be stored.

Go to the tab "Compression" and indicate what kind of compression and division into parts of your files we need.

3. Conclusion

Overall, I really liked this program, I think many people will like it. A very clear and simple interface will not cause problems with setting up those tasks that you may need in everyday life.

Did this article help you?

Hello, friends!

Despite all your efforts to maintain the working condition of your PC, sooner or later you will have to face such a phenomenon as a failure of the Windows operating system.

And the worst result of this may be the loss of information contained in the computer.

As you know, on a PC, in addition to photographs and all sorts of things downloaded from the Internet, all kinds of documentation are often stored. In addition, you, like most other users, probably have special programs configured according to your preferences that you do not want to reinstall. You don’t want to lose all this, do you?

In order not to regret lost data and not waste time restoring it using special applications, I advise you to make a backup copy. This is the only way you can protect the files you need from a sad fate.

In today's article we will look at the most effective backup programs.

Acronis True Image Home

Among backup utilities, this application is the most popular. Although it is primarily designed to work with logical drives, this program can also copy certain files and directories.

The application has a large number of various settings for making reservations of any kind. So, for example, in the options of this program you can select the type of backup, configure the creation of copies according to a schedule, etc.

There are three concepts of backups in Acronis:

  1. incremental,
  2. differential,
  3. complete.

A full backup contains a complete image of a logical disk.

When creating a differential copy, only those files that have undergone any changes since the full backup were archived are archived.

Incremental means adding changed files to a full backup, starting from the moment of the last backup.

Acronis also allows you to choose the level of data compression and set a password for the backup.

Acronis True Image Home can be downloaded for free from any computer software resource.

Norton Ghost

This convenient and functional product allows you to create backup images of logical drives and carry out the system recovery process.

The Norton Ghost application is very similar to the software described above. It is possible to create incremental, differential and full archives, but in Norton Ghost you can create archives with a high level of compression, which saves disk space and minimizes the duration of the recovery process.

In addition, the program provides filters that allow you to copy certain types of files, including driver files.

The program is excellent, but paid. The free version is only available for 30 days.

A very powerful and easy to use tool that is free to use. It has a built-in wizard that allows you to make reservations step by step. This approach makes it possible for even complete “dummies” to use the utility.

Of the huge number of functions of this application, I would especially highlight the archive protection system by setting a password and encryption, increased filtering options, the ability to check the status of what was copied, and an excellent task scheduler. With this program you can:

  • write backup data to an optical or hard drive;
  • send them to an FTP server or Comodo online server.

File Backup Watcher Free

A free utility with a step-by-step wizard that helps novice users complete all the steps correctly. It has a convenient scheduler with a clear interface.

File Backup can not only backup, but also work with ZIP and write data to any optical media.

The Copier

Another excellent free application aimed at performing automatic copying according to a given schedule. Prepares copies in the form of ZIP archives and writes them to a hard drive. Allows you to create multi-volume archives.

FBackup

With this utility, you can backup all the data you need in a matter of minutes. The presence of the auto-backup function makes it possible to set up copying according to a schedule, so you don’t have to back up data manually.

It is more convenient and reliable to store copies on an external hard drive. Of course, you can also use a flash drive for this, but this method is only appropriate when backing up a small amount of information, since a high-capacity flash drive is quite expensive.

To store backed up files on your hard drive, you should set aside some separate space for them to minimize the risk of them being accidentally deleted.

Reservation is a rather complex matter that requires the user to have special knowledge and skills.

Sincerely! Abdullin Ruslan