Labels:screenshot | text | majorelle blue | electric blue | colorfulness | blue | line OCR: BACKUP : 6 Products Compared Backing up data is one of the most important things you can do. You never know if you will get a virus, or if your hard drive decides to stop functioning. A hard drive crash can occur without warning. If you have your system backed up you are relatively safe. You will be able to restore your data with a minimal loss. There are several ways to back up. You can do a FULL backup, which will back up everything on your hard drive(s), to floppies, tape, or DOS device. This is the preferred method for the first time you backup, Then each day you cam just backup the data that has changed. Each week you should do another FULL backup, so you will always be current, I suggest a tape or other large type media. Floppies require you to be there inserting disks: not to mention it can be very costly if you have a large hard drive. Tape drives can be had today for around $250. or even less. Mot a big expense, when you figure the amount of money all those floppies will cost: not to mention all the time you will spend sitting there inserting then. This month I do a comparison of several backup programs for Windous and DOS. For Windows: Morton Backup 2.0 for Windows, Back-It for ind Central Point Backup 7.1. For DOS: Back-It 1. Fastback Plus v3.1, and Central Point Backup 7.1. I used my 44-meg Bernoulli drive as the backup device. On both programs I chose similar options. Each was run under the same conditions. For other information on my equipment, see the INFO on my SYSTEM, that I provide with each issue. The options I chose do take the longest to perform. If the product cam perform these with some speed, then the faster portions should work Central Point Backup is the only one that comes with both DOS a indous versions in the same package. All of the products tested are relatively easy to use, for both the beginner and the advanced user, with Back-It being the easiest of all. I rate these on steps and keypresses involved in selecting or deselecting files, directories, or drives. Now let us take a look at the products. ORTON BACKUP 2.0 for WINDOWS Morton Backup 2.0 for Windows cones on 3.5" disks, or in 5.25". It requires 5.5MB of hard disk space for full installation. It also concs with 1 60 day money-back guarantee. Morton's Backup 2.0 for Windows (NBW), includes tape support. This was missing from the initial release of Morton's Desktop 2.0 for Windows. Desktop does have a backup program, but did not support a tape drive. Mou that support is available in a separate package. For people who purchased Norton Backup 1.2 for DOS or Windows after, April 1, the upgrade is free, as it is for those who own Desktop 2.0 for Windows. They had to mail in the coupon provided with MDW, and the disks would be mailed to then. Other isers pay $39. MBW also has a file viewer and scheduler. So if you are unsure about a specific .DOC file, you can see it's contents before you back it ap. The scheduler allows you to make unattended backups to tape or other DOS device. Of course using floppies would negate the unattended portion. You must configure MEW for your system. After you complete the installation process MBW takes you through this. It runs a small backup to either A: or B :, requiring 2 disks. After the backup, it compares the data to verify that it is exact. How you are ready to backup. NCK-IT FOR WINDOWS & BACK-IT 4 (DOS) Back-It for Windows cones with both 5.25" and 3.5" disks in the sane package. It requires less than 1MB of hard disk space. It also concs with a 60 day money-back guarantee. It has an 800 number for technical suport . Back-It for Windows comes with a Virus Scanner. You can check for virus on all or selected files or drives, before you backup your system. You can also view the contents of a known file format, using the viewer. Back-It for Windows will support most of the popular tape drive formats (with more coming), DOS devices, and floppies from 360K-2.88MB. It will Iso format any of the floppies up to the 2.8MB disk. Installation of this program is very quick, as it only has 1 disk. Ince you are done, you can configure the program for your system. What this incurs is selecting drives to use, files to include or exclude, Priority level, and others. Once you are done you are ready to start your backup. Back-It also comes with a scheduler that you can set for unattended backups. You can also create presets to save you from having to select the sane information again. BACK-IT 4 (DOS) has similar features to the Windows version, with wo exceptions. It does not have a Virus scanner, nor does it currently support 2.BMB drives. FASBACK PLUS 03.1 (DOS) Fastback Plus comes with both 5.25" and 3.5" diskettes. It requires 1.3MB for a full installation. It comes with a 1 year money-back guarantee. It also has 24-hour toll-free customer support. Fastback comes with 26 preset groups for quick and easy backup of your data. I found this program a little cumbersome to switch from screen to screen, and option to option. The one highlight for me was the ability to use two drives. I was able to set a Primary and Secondary drive, and walk away. When my first cartridge was filled, Fastback continued on the second drive, without a loss of time, or need for my presence. One drawback, is that it creates a directory entry for each drive you backup. I prefer the one master file. It also have the able to work on a crossplatform, meaning that PC users and MAC users can share data. CENTRAL POINT BACKUP v7.1 (DOS and WINDOWS) This product comes with both DOS and Windows versions in the same package. It also comes with both 5.25" and 3.5" diskettes. It requires 2MB for the DOS, and 1MB for the Windous version. Has support for tapes and other DOS devices. Can scan for viruses. This, like Fastback, creates a backup file for each drive. It also does not give a cumulative total of all the drives when done. It does quickly flash it after it is done with one drive, and is zooming to the mext. All the others show a total of ALL files and time when they are finished. One feature that Central Point has is the ability to convert backup sets from Fastback Plus, Morton Backup, and Central Point Backup 6, for use with 7.1. It also has an auto-scheduler in both DOS and Windows, just like all the others THE TEST risons of Bac of Backups for both DOS and Windows : WVerify and Save Space CHI oduct nane Type Size fine Horton B/UP DOS 115MB 40 mins. Iversion 2.0 Windows 112MB 1hr . 17 ack-It 4 114MB 20 mins. Windous 114MB 32 mins . TASTBACK PL 34 min ICENTRAL POINT B/UP 114MB 25 mins Iversion 7.1 Windous 114MB 50 mins " Hortom Backup 2.0 DOS was reviewed im July issue. Time inserted ere for comparison only. As you can see, Back-It by Gazelle, was the winner in both categories. I just would like to see the interface of Back-It 4 DOS redone a bit. And an interactive mode, where backups made with DOS can be restored using the Windows version, and vice versa. It looks like the smaller company, tucked away miles from WordPerfect and Movell, has truly beconc a GIANT in the backup software industry. Their products are small yet powerful, rewriting the adage that "Bigger is NOT always better." Product Information Product Information Morton Backup 2 Back-It for Windows Back-It 4 DOS st Price $149 || List Price $99.95 ca. Symantec Corp | Gazelle Systens |10201 Torre Avenue 305 Morth 500 West [Cupertino, CA 95014-2132 | Provo, Utah 81601 JUpgrades: 000 441-7234 | 800 786-3278 uct Informatio Product Information Central Point Backup || Fastback Plus v3.1 version 7.1 for for DOS |DOS and Windows (dual) |List Price $189 Ist Price 5129 Central Point Software Fifth Generation Systems. |15220 H.W. Greenbrier Pkuay-|| 10049 N. Reiger Road [Beaverton, OR 97006 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 583 690-8098 800-873-4384
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