Which backup software ?

[shahan]

Apart from any of these backup software (which aren't free) http://data-backup-software-review.toptenreviews.com/ what would you say about Nero backup professional envrionment? is it reliable ?

[fink]

I've used Acronis for a couple of years now and it's the most reliable backup system I've ever used.

I have Nero and it's an excellent burning/media suite but I would not use it as a primary backup solution. I don't believe that's its strong point and my backups are singularly the most important thing I regularly do on my computer(s).

Probably worth mentioning is that "ratings" site is certainly in the tank for the Genie backup program... and it doesn't even do disk image backups. That's, IMO, the most important thing for a backup program to be able to do.

[Train]

Well if things go belly up, then you end up doing a clean install, install Nero then bring it back.

Since you are seemingly just starting this business, go with Acronis, it will save you time and money in the long run.

And that from a guy who still uses Ghost

[buf]

I am another Acronis user and have been for several years. Old reliable; it is.

[Broni]

Another vote for Acronis, here.

[Rex A. Butcher]

Acronis, never failed me

Rex

[x71s8zTN]

If you are new to Acronis:
1.Make a Bootable Rescue Disk before you do anything else. This will take you to an Acronis partition after a system crash.

2. Make a full partitions only initially, then study further options the software offers before you use them and get to rely on them. This is very powerful software.

3. Make sure that free space on disk C is equivalent in size to the uncompressed used portion of the disk you imaged.. If you leave too little free space you will not be able to restore a C Image back to the C drive.

I agree with previous posters . Acronis is a very good backup software, and never yet let me down. People tend to get in trouble when using the variety of different options Acronis offers before they studied them fully, or understood their implications for recovery. Over the years I settled pretty much on the three suggestions above. After trying some options offered I found that I either did not like them, didn't need them or found them inconsistent with my work style.

[Rex A. Butcher]

My limited advice is that when making the Bootable disk, initially burn it to a re-recordable CD as a trial. When happy, repeat the process to a write-once CD.

Of the two boot options Full and Safe, one may not work. This happened to me and I had to waste (yet) another CD before I could get Acronis to boot.

There are plenty of threads relating to image programs. They really are life (or OS) savers; now I'm not worried about messing up the OS because I know that I can be up and running again within ten minutes.

Rex

[broadley]

I'm really pleased to see so many votes for Acronis. I started using it a year ago and have never regretted it. It's set up to run every day automatically and does a good job. I do a new image weekly and incrementals daily to an external drive. To avoid a problem if I have a burglary or fire (Heaven forbid!)and lose my PC and external HDD I copy the backups to a portable drive which I leave in the car. Either way my data is safe (well, as safe as I can make it!).