backups

TimeMachineEditor is a free, simple application that lets you change the default setting for your Mac's Time Machine hourly backups.

TimeMachineEditor lets you set a new hourly interval, or even specify multiple calendar intervals for hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly backups--whether you want daily backups at 2 a.m., weekly backups at a certain time every weekend, or any other possible combination. You can also set Time Machine to automatically back up when disks are mounted or when the computer wakes from sleep.

Time Machine's default setting may be adequate for most users, but for certain situations--for example, … Read more

Simple Backup Tool promises to provide users with a quick and efficient way of keeping their files safe from crashes and hackers by storing them securely. While this sounds like a great idea, this software is flawed in so many ways the word "Simple" should be removed from the title.

The free download appears on the surface to be very easy to use. A basic menu consisting of "Backup," "About," and "Settings" options seems straightforward. In addition, there is a generous empty space for the backup log to chart actions.

Unfortunately, the … Read more

Just about everyone who works with a computer knows they should perform regular backups, but only a very small percentage actually do. While people's intentions are good, most simply think backing up their computer is too much trouble or software is too complex to figure out. Unfortunately, when the big crash finally does occur or a laptop is stolen, for example, the resulting loss of important data has us pulling our hair out wondering why we didn't take the plunge on backup software.

Today, a front-runner in backup software on Windows machines released a strong backup solution for … Read more

Earlier this week, I showed you how to take apart your iMac and replace your hard drive. But I ended that with a promise to tell you the rest of the story. Here it is:

After I installed the new hard drive (a 500GB 3.5-inch internal Seagate hard drive costing $99), to replace the computer's nonfunctioning drive, I put my iMac back together and fired it up. I popped my Leopard install disc into the DVD slot, formatted the new hard drive, and installed the operating system. Within about 30 minutes, my iMac was back to life. I was ready to determine what happened to my old drive.

First, I bought a hard drive enclosure to convert my internal disk to an external hard drive. I bought an Antec enclosure for about $70 at Best Buy. It's a simple black box that connects to your computer via USB. It wasn't the most expensive enclosure on the shelf, but it did the trick.

After placing my internal hard drive in the enclosure, I plugged it into my iMac via USB. I waited (and waited and waited) for the hard drive to pop up in Finder. Eventually, it did. Unfortunately, only my Windows partition was accessible. My OS X files were gone.… Read more

Moving to a new computer is a pain. You can sync bookmarks and export some data, but it's almost like starting over again. Thankfully, Download.com editor Jessica Dolcourt tipped me off to the Weave plug-in. Weave syncs your bookmarks, search queries, passwords, and even open tabs and then encrypts the data on Mozilla's servers. This can save a lot of time when you're setting up a new computer or if you browse the Web on more than one computer.

If you're not comfortable with beta version software, you may want to wait on this, because … Read more

Here's another great freebie from Giveaway of the Day: Paragon Drive Backup 9.0 Personal. It's a drive-imaging program similar to Acronis True Image, and today only you can pick it up for nada.

Let me repeat that: today only (Wednesday, April 8). As you might guess from its name, Giveaway of the Day is a site that offers a different commercial program each day of the week. When the clock strikes midnight tonight, Paragon Drive Backup goes back to costing $39.95.

CNET hasn't reviewed the program, but there's a good overview at PC World. … Read more

In this day and age of Trojan horses, viruses and other Web-based nasties, backing up your computer is more important than ever. With Magic Backup, you won't pay for the program you download to manage backups, but you will need to renew the subscription for the online storage service every year.

Still, it's incredibly easy to back up your important files using Magic Backup. The program's simple-to-navigate screen will appeal to users who have never backed up a file in their life, as well as those who have been backing up for years. Five simple tabs display … Read more

SOS Online Backup is aimed at people interested in their computer's security. Users can save important files to an Internet server so that if anything is lost or stolen, these files can be retrieved. While some users reported issues during the installation process, the program worked well overall.

This program gives users an opportunity to take their most precious information--music, pictures, and so on--and store them remotely. The big draw to this program is its capability to restore these files anywhere on any computer. By quickly setting up a profile with a username and password, any computer with the … Read more

Double Safety provides users with an opportunity to back up important files quickly and easily. With a simple walkthrough menu, plus more complex options, this may be the backup program that meets the needs of all users.

This program takes users directly to the Startup Wizard, which is a great place for novice users to begin and cuts right to the chase for experts who have been backing up files for years. From the get-go, Double Safety helps users find the files they wish to backup and explains what is happening with them. Simple menus allow users to decide whether … Read more