How to choose the right backup software?

There are a few points you should keep in mind before purchasing some backup software:

Incremental Backups - you need the program to only backup files that have changed since the last backup -- that could mean copying over only 200 files instead of 200,000

Automated Backup Feature - you should be able to pick a backup time and forget about it, letting the software backup your key files regularly and automatically

Options for backup location - you should be able to backup to specific drives, DVD recorders, or remote servers via FTP

Toll-free support or live chat - lots of people have questions when they first try to backup their computers - free simple support is a big bonus when you are getting started

Restore - you need a good restore function to retrieve your lost files
Hard disk cloning - the backup software should let you make an exact copy of your hard drive, including all OS files, so you can easily upgrade your system to a larger hard drive.

Some of the most popular backup software are Acronis True Image ($49, Acronis.com), Mozy Remote Backup, NTI Shadow ($29), File Backup Watcher ($40), and Carbonite. Mozy Remote Backup (Mozy.com) lets you store 2GB of data on their servers for free, in exchange for receiving a weekly email ad. The 5GB option is $19 per year, or $40 per year for the 20GB option. While not a desktop program, in our tests their automated system worked well . NTI Shadow runs in real time and saves copies of files each time you make a change to one - no need to remember when the last time you backed up! However, a lot of people find it difficult to configure and run, so try before you buy. Carbonite Online PC Backup (Carbonite.com) is $50 for 12 months of storage and backup service. Carbonite works through the Windows file explorer, so it is easy to use and navigate, and automatically backs-up only the files you change, making it speedy. File Backup Watcher (DSWSoft.com) can backup to a network, via email, via FTP, and to CD and DVD drives. Backup Plus (Avantrix.com) can be downloaded for free -- it costs $29 to buy the full version after you test it out. It comes with a timed backup manager for scheduling automatic backups and an easy to use Restore Manager for recovering lost files.

Also visit XXCLone, by Pixelab. They make the popular XXCopy file management utility. XXCLone clones a Windows disk (similar to Norton Ghost) and works as a quick daily backup utility. They offer a free limited-function version, a 30-day full function trial version, and a paid version for $40. Check it out.

To know more about Windows backup freeware: EaseUS Todo Backup Free