I have recently come across a great and free backup solution. GFI Backup Home Edition is a full-featured backup application that is very intuitive and easy to use.

Some of the features include:

• Numerous backup storage options
• File/Folder synchronization
• Standard ZIP archives for backups
• Incremental and Differential backups
• Predefined searching filters
• Easy to use Task Scheduler
• Email Notifications
• Detailed backup logs

With all this at your fingertips what else is needed? The price is definitely right for these economic times.

Below, I will step through setting up a simple scheduled backup from one location to another on the same drive.

From the main menu, I select Backup.

Here is where you give the Backup Job a name, description, etc. You can also include your email address and GFI Backup will notify you upon the backup’s completion or if there are errors in the process.

Pick the files/folders you want to backup.

Pick the target location for the backed up files. Notice there are several options here. Very nice!

Here is where you decide if you want compression and/or encryption.  Also, you can select whether you want Incremental or Differential backups.

This is where we set the schedule.  Here I said Weekly on Sunday.

Set the username and password.

Several options are contained on this dialog…I just took the defaults.

At 9:45 AM, Sunday – the job runs and a Summary Notification dialog is displayed.

 

 

Below, you can see where my files were backed up.

• From –> C:\1Photowork\DisneyWorld
• To –> C:\Program Files\GFI\GFI Backup 2009 – Home Edition\Backup\Photo-Backup

In closing, GFI Backup Home Edition is a great alternative to the Windows Backup tool as well as some of the apps that you have to pay for. It is easy to install and easy to use. I suggest trying it out for yourself.

GFI Backup Home Edition – Download

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More Information

• GFI Backup is an Easy to Use, Free Backup Solution via Lifehacker
• GFI Backup Home Edition is a Free Data Backup Utility for Windows via The How-To Geek
• Back up conveniently with free GFI application via CNET News
• Free Backup Solution – Home use file backup alternative via SoftPedia
• GFI Backup 2009 Home Edition – a worthy alternative to the Backup and Restore Center via Vista4Beginners