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Using a good backup and synchronization program has been a priority for me since a glitch reformatted my data drive as well as my C drive.

I thought I had all bases covered in this eventuality but the backups I had created on another computer, using windows scheduled backup, did not like my long folder structures and contained no files. Restoring image files I had burned to DVD, created using Acronis True Image software, was successful for the most part but, for reasons unknown, it could not restore around 50 of my photos. Despite over 20 years experience of extensive use of PC’s, I was still caught out.

Having decided that encrypted backups were not reliable enough for my liking, I went in search of a solution that would do straight file backups over a network and to removable media with no encryption or zipping. I also needed a program that would synchronize files between my networked PC’s. My research for software recommendations led me to try two programs that do both backups and syncs. Both are free for moderate usage levels but, having set up multiple different tasks, I was advised that to keep using the program at this level I had to pay for the pro versions. The programs are:

Always Sync Pro Version price reduced to US$19.95 until Oct 31st 2008

GoodSync Pro Version $US29.95 ($23.95 with promo code) Additional versions are only $9.95 which is good value if other family members have their own PC’s or you want to use it at work as well as home).

Both programs do their jobs efficiently but I decided on GoodSync by Siber Systems Inc for two reasons. I already use their Roboform Pro password program and have been pleased with their support. I also found Goodsync easier to set up and use than AlwaysSync.

The only files you cannot synchronize/backup successfully using this type of program, which over write older versions of files, are those where changes that are made on two computers need to be saved. In my case this applies to Thunderbird mail and address files and Firefox files. I access other files across the network so the newest version of a file is always the right one to backup. I will explain how I get around this in another post.

Now I feel much more confident that I have regular and reliable backups of all my data and I was able to take my laptop away with me last week without having to transfer any files across to it before I left.

If you use a backup and or sync program you find to be reliable please let us know.

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