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Question

Reliable backup software for Windows 7?

Aug 28, 2015 10:41AM PDT

I am looking for a good backup program for Windows 7 Pro (64 bit). I recently upgraded from Windows XP Pro SP3. On that OS, I used HP SimpleSave software for my backups. HP SimpleSave did one full backup the first time I installed it, and after that, it would backup changed files every time my computer was idle for 5 minutes. And as this article notes, "The backup is simply the duplicate of the original files, making restoring very fast and easy." I liked HP SimpleSave's simplicity.

I doubt that HP SimpleSave is natively compatible with Windows 7 -- and even if it is, I'm not even sure where to get it (except from the original external hard drive).

Do you know of good, reliable backup software for Windows 7? I'm particularly looking for software that will backup modified files every time my computer is idle for a certain length of time. Sort of a pseudo-continuous incremental backup or pseudo-continuous synchronization, I guess.

I'm looking to backup my personal data files, not the Windows installation. I'd like to be able to specify the particular drives/partitions/directories where those personal data files reside.

Thanks so much for your time.

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Why not use what you have?
Aug 28, 2015 10:50AM PDT
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Re: Why not use what you have?
Aug 28, 2015 1:41PM PDT

It doesn't seem that HP still offers SimpleSave for download, though.  I still have it on the original external hard drive, but if I should ever lose that, it doesn't seem that I would be able to get it back.

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There are tons of good backup programs available, many free.
Aug 28, 2015 1:53PM PDT

I use the free Easeus Todo Backup Free which works well for me. It will make incremental backups although I think it does it at a predetermined time interval.
CNET has a lot of backup program reviews at
http://download.cnet.com/windows/backup-software/?tag=contentBody;sideBar .

Some of these are free (last time I checked there were over 300), some have free trials (over 1000), and some are purchase only (over 200).
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Good luck.

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So why use it back then?
Aug 28, 2015 2:10PM PDT

You didn't back it up so it should fail your same criteria as now? The entire reason you use it was in your first post. So why not back it up for safe keeping?

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Re: I still have it ..
Aug 28, 2015 2:32PM PDT

And you are unable to copy it to a new external? That needs some explanation.

Kees

PS. I found a copy on a rather shady download site for this program on page 5 of a google search. But i really think your own external is a much more reliable source.