It is critical to have backup your laptop and desktops regularly. These are the 5 best free windows backup software.
1. GFI Backup
GFI is used professionally due to its built-in VSS service. Backing up is faster and simpler because it has the capacity to volume shadow copy. You can also auto notify yourself after the backup.
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- Pros: Scheduled Backup. Backup to FTP, network drive, external drive. Unlimited backup size. Compressed / encrypted backup. True incremental backups.
- Cons: does not do true remote backup via IP and does not run backup as service
- OS: All flavors of Windows including Windows 7
2. Cobian Backup
Cobian is among the favorite Windows 7 backup softwares because of its tool selection and efficiency.
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- Pros: Scheduled Backup. Backup to FTP, network drive, external drive. Unlimited backup size. Compressed / encrypted backup.
- Cons: cannot do the following: Synchronize 2 PCs, verify backup
- OS: All flavors of Windows including Windows XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, Windows 7 (Supports both 32 and 64 bits Windows)
3. FBackup
FBackup is absolutely free and can be used for personal and commercial files. It backs up automatically to your USB or Firewire device in either local or network location. You may opt to compress the file in zip format or copy it as is.
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- Pros: Automatically backs up files, free, can store zip files or exact copies, easy to use, multi language
- Cons: Basic Backup system
- OS: All flavors of Windows including Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2008/2003/2000 Server (32 and 64-bit)
4. EASEUS Todo Backup
The freeware version of Easeus backup software has pretty much all the things you would need to take a backup of your windows system.
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- Pros: This can backup Image, disk partition, files, folders. Easy diaster recovery option to recover your lost files quickly.
- Cons: Some of the advanced features are available only in the professional version
- OS: All flavors of Windows including Windows 7 (both 32 and 64 bit)
5. Comodo Backup
Comodo is perfect for beginners and advanced users of Windows. It is a basic but reliable backup system
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- Pros: Scheduled Backup, Backup to FTP, network drive, external drive, unlimited backup size, compressed / encrypted backup, email notifications
- Cons: Cannot do the following: true remote backup, run backup as service, volume shadow copy, synchronize 2 PCs, verify backup
- OS: All flavors of Windows including Windows XP x86 SP2, Windows XP x64 SP2, Windows Server 2003 x86, Windows Server 2003 x64, Windows Vista x86, Windows Vista x64, Windows Server 2008 x86, Windows Server 2008 x64, Windows 7 x86 or Windows 7 x64
Comments on this entry are closed.
There are 2 that you left out which should be considered excellent freeware backup software:
1) 2brightsparks and syncback (free edition)
2) Microsoft’s own synctoy (also free) and powerful which includes scripting options to be run as a task or via command line
I am a most happy Syncback user but it cannot do shadow copy, leaving me to have to set my alarm to remember to close Outlook, otherwise I do not get my PST file sync’ed. One simply has to have a programme that can do shadow copy backup.
Windows 8 File History is yet another useless bit of bugware that is not user friendly and it is too buggy. If it works, all is well, but it is obstinate at accepting external devices.
I like Areca because it keeps multiple versions of files and supports more complex backup schemes then the more simplistic methods of just backing up all the files. This backs up only the files that have changes since the last time that file was backed up but it allows you to do a one step restore of all the file at any point in time for which backups are being maintained. No need to restore the last full then all subsequent incremental backups.
Have you tried Allway Sync? It is lightning fast, and I’ve never had a problem with it.
Does this do incremental backup?
Main problem with allway Sync is with large numbers of files, it eats up all the system memory, and then crashes(but i’m talking about systems with around 2-400000 files.
With the latest release of Comono 4.0.7.14 there is a bug with differental and incremental backups. I have contact there support and they say it should be fixed with in the next release but they yet don’t have a date for this release.
sir pease send some idea how to backup ND COMMON BACKUP IN FUTURE . BECAUSE SMALL TIME BIG WORK .
THANKS ANAND
I would like to post a correction on Cobian Backup.
The program has an inbuilt sync option, and can do a file-checking operation.
Tried to use Areca – downloaded it, then it ran and told me I needed a Java environment. After following a link it provided and installing Java – Areca would no longer even start up..
Cavaet Emptor
If you’re running it on amd64 get the 64 bit version and it runs fine. It installs the x86 version but something in the config makes it work.
Here is the link to download 64-bit Areca.
Im looking for one that does incremental backup. Any one know of which is free and reliable?
I agree that GFI Backup is the best. Thanks for the great suggestion. GFI Backup does all you want. Incremental, custom backup, scheduled… And oh yes…free too!
Here’s another “Con” for the GFI one (Number 1 in your list) – you can’t just download it, you have to subscribe to a 30-day trial of their other software.
No, thanks; I’ll try something else.
I think you have something wrong here. I have the software…no 30-day trial for anything…
Anu is right. I have one that works and the download link is given below. I believe GFI discontinued this product, and I can’t locate it on their website anymore. Please note that according to GFI, you can use this freeware application only for personal use.
GFI Backup Download Link: For those who are interested in GFI, you can download it from here.
What is meant by “does not do true remote backup via IP”?
Ì got a server at my client location (Australia ) and i want it should get backedup at in india is it possible
the backup on my Dell Inspiron has stopped working, the computer is bogged down and I want to do a backup on a new Toshiba ext h.d. that has no driver. My old Inspiron (2007?) is Windows Vista.
Any suggestions for a simple one time backup on a computer that down’t have much storage space? Thanks
SyncbackFree from 2BrightSparks works like a charm for what you want to be doing, on my Dell Inspiron.
I think aomei backupper is the simple but functional one i ever used, you can do backup, restore and clone. really easy task within few clicks.
I just downloaded GFI and the download was super fats at around 1.3MBPS, which is quite good on a 3.5G USB dongle where I live. The download was 54MB but then the trouble started: installation cannot proceed as it requires LOGIN credentials. It now is a CLOUD service, it seems, which I cannot use.
I am still looking for a reliable thinware free solution that can do shadow copy by scheduled backups.
Just installed FBackup and am running first backup now. It does scheduled shadow backups, seemingly, so this is what I needed. It can also encrypt the backed up data, which is an added bonus.
FBackup asks for money to do incremental backups, and never advertises it clearly before you install it and set it up. At this rate it might as well not do backups at all!
Nothing compares to Ascomp Backup Maker and Synchredible.
Some of the programs which support encryption have a flaw: they do not encrypt or change file names. If I want to store something on a cloud (mounted as a local drive using Netdrive or Expandrive) I want to encrypt file and folder names to be protected against the cloud provider shutting down my account for some ambiguous file, as we have seen happen on Microsoft’s OneDrive.