Windows backup software

Today computers play a bigger role in our lives than ever. We store all kinds of data on our PCs from images to Microsoft Word files. The lost of these files, from our hard drives, can be devastating.

We know that we need to backup our systems, but when do we find the time? Fortunately there are some good windows backup software solutions that can automate much of the work and backup our systems quickly and easily.

There are basically two types of backups. The one is a backup to a different part on the same hard drive. The other is to backup the files to a separate device like a DVD or backup drive. Backing up data to your hard drive can be done automatically by Windows backup software. This protects the files from accidental deletion or damage, to that part of the disk. Backing the files up to a separate device protects the data from catastrophic failure of the hard drive. Also then the files can be stored in a different location. It is probably best to use both types, but to use the backup to your hard drive more frequently.

We looked at several solutions and reviewed the top 3 best backups software programs.

Our top 3 picks all had the following in common:

• Specific support for backing up: Outlook and Outlook Express email folders, your address book and the registry.
• Output to the hard drive, removable media(DVD,Zip,CD) or FTP server.
• Backup protection with encrypted passwords, data compression and reports/error logs.
• Email support and good help documentation

Genie Backup Manager

(Vista, XP, 2000, NT)

Score Ease of Use 8.9 Feature Set Help/Support Backup/Restore




Genie Backup Manager supports backups for Eudora and MSN emails.

It comes with disk burning software included.

New to version 8 is a disaster recover facility that allows the operating system to be restored without the need to re-install Windows.

Genie’s backup sets are compressed in standard ZIP format rather using a proprietary format.

All in all we found Genie to be a rock solid backup program.

Acronis True Image

(Vista, XP, 2000)

Score Ease of Use 7.8 Feature Set Help/Support Backup/Restore



Acronis stands out as a full system backup/restore tool. Which it does with a high degree of simplicity and ease of use.

Acronis makes a recovery disk on a removable media, with your registry and some other important files on it. You can boot from the disk in the case of a system crash.

NTI Backup Now 5

(Vista, XP, 2000, NT)

Score Ease of Use 7.2 Feature Set Help/Support Backup/Restore




Backup Now is a good trustworthy and easy to use program. It got pulled down to number 3 because it does not handle backing up open files as well as the other 2 did.

It comes with disk burning software included.