Clickfree PC Backup Systems Compared - The Solutions
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Back2zip
Back2zip is a clever and effective freeware no-click backup utility that works with any existing storage device. It is small to download and simple to set up and configure, and once it’s up and running you rarely have to think about it again.
Set up is a two-step process. After downloading and running the program, use the Add folder button to select the folders you wish to include in the backup. After that you need to tell Back2zip where you want to save the backed-up files. This can be on any drive you like – even on the same one as the source files are located, although for obvious reasons this isn’t recommended. The best option from a security viewpoint is an external hard disk or thumb drive, or a permanently mapped network drive.
Among Back2zip’s key features are:
Extensive customizability You can include as many folders in the backup as required. This is done through a simple Add Folder dialog accessed by a button. The folders don’t even have to be local to your PC, making this a powerful network backup solution with seamless handling of shared network drives.
Adjustable compression As its name suggests, Back2zip offers a choice of two levels of zip compression to create single-file backup archives. Alternatively the backup can be stored as an uncompressed zip archive, or zipping can be disabled altogether, in which case a simple duplicate of the folders and files is created.
Automatic recursion Many backup systems make the selection of backup folders unnecessarily complex, with awkward handling of subfolders. Back2zip couldn’t be simpler: absolutely everything contained within a folder you specify gets backed up - so when you choose to back up My Documents, you get My Documents.
Configurable archiving Back2zip will retain archive copies of its backups for anything from 0 days to two weeks before overwriting them.
Adjustable schedule The scheduling options in Back2zip are straightforward. You can select how often you want the program to check for and update altered files. The options here range from every 20 minutes to every six hours. You can also tell the program to only backup after 6 PM if you would prefer it to be idle during normal working hours. However, its operation is so unobtrusive that this option is hardly necessary.
