Have you ever considered backing up your precious data lying in your hard drive? You may have but probably find it difficult to choose suitable software for the task. If that’s the case, this article will propose several backup solutions for no cost. Sounds too good to be true? Read on.

Autobackup

This program undertakes the back up of your important files without much fuss. Just specify a list of directories or folders to be backed up and the program gets down to work for you. A backup copy of any files modified in the specified paths will be automatically backed up. Every day the program examines modified files for a whole week and saves it to a separate directory. It doesn’t compress the files and it has the ability to restore a single file if you’ve accidentally deleted it.

SyncBack Freeware

This is an award winning program that not only backs up your files but synchronize them to:

• the same directory
• a different directory and drive (DVD-RW/pen drive)
• FTP server
• Zip archive

The developer assures you that the program is free of popups, advertisements and spyware. A comprehensive help file is thrown in and the program is available in multiple languages.

If you find the freeware works well you could upgrade to the paid version, SyncBackSE, which features

• the ability to copy locked files or those in use
• speedy backups and smart synchronization
• more flexible customization options

TaskZip

This program allows you to back up the files you specify and zip it into a single file which is compatible with PKZIP. You can back up from one computer to another and also to a Zip drive if you have one.
A step-by-step wizard does a good job in helping you through the backup process.

A notable feature is the ability to schedule the back up of any number of files or folders. You can schedule backups daily, weekly or monthly. You can even go to the extent of backing up to 99 copies of a Zip file. In case the files in the original location get corrupted or are accidentally deleted, you can use your default archiving utility like Winzip to restore the affected files. Additionally, you have the option to password-protect your backups.

Comparator

Apart from backing up your important files, the multi-lingual Comparator searches for duplicate files and deletes them. It also has the ability to identify missing files. It provides a pair of lists for you to identify what’s new and what’s missing. Then it goes into the sync mode to match the two lists. The beauty of the program is that it dispenses with the need to launch two explorer windows to make the comparisons. Also, you get to call up the Windows menu by right-clicking on a file.