Casper 7.0 reviews?

[Medico]

Any good 3rd party Imaging app can make a Clone for you. I personally use Acronis TIH 2013, but many of the apps discussed in the Maintenance Forum will do the trick.

[Just Plain Fred]

Anybody got an update since July? Anything to add?

"Surfer"

Hello... Just download this free program and forget "Casper" Macrium Free
Regards Fred

[robertpri]

"Surfer"

Hello... Just download this free program and forget "Casper" Macrium Free
Regards Fred

If you click to the link to Macrium Free and look at the various versions, you see the free version does not do as much as Casper. The standard version does, and they are about the same price. The feature, "file and folder backup and tech support" is critical to me. So, it's a toss up I suppose.

I would NEVER use a backup program that did not have file and folder backup and tech support.

Also, I suppose it's bootable but it never says that. Casper is fully self sustained bootable, and that's why I chose it over others.

I would confirm this free version is bootable. To me, that is a must feature. I can enter setup, change boot sequence, and boot to the second or even my third ESATA drive.

[Medico]

Again, most good 3rd party Imaging apps are bootable. Both Acronis TIH (all versions) and Macrium Reflect recommend creating the Rescue Boot Disk. This is the only way to ensure getting a PC to boot to restore when it will not boot.

[robertpri]

Again, most good 3rd party Imaging apps are bootable. Both Acronis TIH (all versions) and Macrium Reflect recommend creating the Rescue Boot Disk. This is the only way to ensure getting a PC to boot to restore when it will not boot.

But that is precisely what I don't want. I do not want to be required to make a boot disk in order to make the backup work.
I want the backup to boot without help.

If you make such a backup that needs a boot disk, how do you know the backup worked? How often do you test it? I test my Casper backup about once a month or so, just to be sure.

If my computer will not boot, I don't need a recovery disk. I simply boot to the second or third drive.

If you are working on a critical file on C drive and accidentally over-write it, can you click open the E or F drive and simply make a copy/paste of that file back to the C drive? Or do you have to perform extra steps? I don't know, just asking.

[Medico]

Acronis does NOT have to have a boot disk, it is recommended for those times your PC WILL NOT BOOT. It can work just as easily from within Windows.

I test my Images by restoring them every time I create an Image, which is at least once per month, many times more often than that. The only way to be positive your back up will restore when necessary is to restore it.

Booting to a second or third drive is fine if you have a desktop PC with multiple disks, although I believe that is a waste of valuable disk space. For those with laptops, this is not practical. I can store numerous Images of my PC created at different times on the same Ext drive. In fact I have multiple Images from 3 different PC's on the same Ext HD. You cannot do that with a clone. With Imaging you could be using those other drives for something more valuable than just holding copies of your OS. Just my 2 cents.

If I overwrite something, I attach my Ext HD, use Acronis to open the Image and grab the file. No sweat.

[robertpri]

Good to know. We all have our preferences. When I first began installing backup systems for various small businesses here in town, I tried several trial versions and selected Casper. That was a few years ago, and am sure other companies provide similar features. I disagree about not being practical for laptops. My Asus came with one drive and space for a second. I installed an identical drive in the second bay and back to it.

I also have an ESATA drive that I keep off site. It get a full backup once a month. The second drive in the laptop is scheduled to backup once a week.

Heh, and for my 2 cents, I don't like imaged backups. IMHO, of course.

[Skysurfer86]

But that is precisely what I don't want. I do not want to be required to make a boot disk in order to make the backup work.
I want the backup to boot without help.

^^This.

I am extremely time poor and we have three notebooks in the house. I need the actual backup process to be simple/easy PLUS the restore process to be simple and faster than reinstalling operating system, applications and data.

Thats why a clone style backup is best for me - if a computer is stolen or a HDD crashes or a virus kills the machine I just remove the old drive from the machine and plug in the backup, and all is as it was.

A full clone each time takes all night, not a huge problem but differential cloning would be more convenient and easier on the drives.

So, even with all the above info i am still unsure there is a product in it that meets these needs.

[robertpri]

A full clone each time takes all night, not a huge problem but differential cloning would be more convenient and easier on the drives.

I agree with everything you say, but not sure why a backup should take "all night". My C to E takes about five to ten minutes, depending on how much new stuff has been added to C. I write a lot, so it's often a lot. The E to F [ESATA drive] does take longer, often 20 minutes.

[Skysurfer86]

not sure why a backup should take "all night".

Without the differential feature it does: 500GB through USB2, internal 5400rpm drive to external 5400rpm drive. Hence desiring the differential feature which seems to be the hardest thing to find in a clone backup, and why I was looking at Casper.

I have found a couple more 'maybes', but their websites and apparent company size don't inspire confidence that they have found the holy grail....

http://www.goldentroutsoftware.com/scc.html
http://www.xxclone.com/index.htm
http://www.pcdisktools.com/pcdiskclone.htm

Anybody tested any of these?

[robertpri]

Skysurfer86, yes, that's an unfair comparison on my part. I have an ESATA ext drive which would be faster than USB2. I've not tried this on a USB drive for a while, and cannot recall how long it took for sure, but seem to think it was about two to three hours for full cloning.

[Medico]

Yes, we all have our own preferences. Many laptops do NOT have the capability of installing a second HD. I suppose you could keep a second drive on the side and available to install into the laptop, but I do not consider this as practical. Plus each time you remove and reinstall a laptop HD there is a chance to cause damage to contacts, and this is from someone that worked in the Aerospace industry as an electronics specialist.

Ummm, how do you remove the HD if a PC is stolen. If your back up drives are installed, they will all be stolen at the same time.

Our philosophies are different. Yes it takes me about 10 minutes to restore my PC to what it was, but let's say my PC self destructs, I can take my Image (stored on an Ext HD) and restore to a new PC. Yes I might have to then do some driver work and such. Restoring from an internal HD is always faster than an Ext HD, but if your PC self destructs, or perhaps you have a fire, an Image stored in a safe place on an Ext HD can get you back to work.

I guess the bottom line is that whichever process you use, Imaging or cloning, and whichever app you use, the whole process is only going to work if you actually use it. These apps can be lifesavers and definitely can be time savers, so just do it. Find a system that works for you and do it!

[RetiredAtLast]

@Skysurfer86
Reading your post I wanted to provide you with some additional information. As you state, "Thats why a clone style backup is best for me - if a computer is stolen or a HDD crashes or a virus kills the machine I just remove the old drive from the machine and plug in the backup, and all is as it was." I wanted to add, if your HDD crashes, is infected with a virus, a second HDD full clone will have you up and running in no time. If your computer is stolen, then you have a different problem. The cloned HDD will have your files, but it will not boot a different computer when you replace the stolen one. I can clone my computer and install the clone in my wife's computer and it will not boot. The files are on the cloned HDD and can be read and copied to her computer. This means that you will have to copy all files to the new computer, a little work. I also have found that when you run a clone operation with EaseUSToDo Backup 5.0, it will take me an hour and a half the first time. Subsequent clones to upgate the HDD copy take less time, an hour at most. Good luck.

[Just Plain Fred]

If you click to the link to Macrium Free and look at the various versions, you see the free version does not do as much as Casper.

I would NEVER use a backup program that did not have file and folder backup and tech support.

robertpri,
Hello...
1. The OP ( skysurfer) asked for a program that would "Clone".. Macrium free does that ...The file\folder tech support is there if you purchase the program...

2. "Caspers" definition of cloning is slightly different than most programs ... Both have advantages

3. "Imaging" gives the advantage of being able to go back in time , before you gotten into trouble ... ( for whatever reason ) day's weeks , months or if your like me years. You can store many because of the compression used .

4. "Casper Type" Cloning will transfer "problems" along with the proceedure to the target. Imaging allows you to select a Image before the problem...Imaging is a much safer way to protect your PC...and is not a "Big Deal" to recover ...Takes me about 10 minutes ...depending which program i use Macrium or Acronis.. Hey whatever makes you happy!
Regards Fred

[Skysurfer86]

@Skysurfer86
If your computer is stolen, then you have a different problem. The cloned HDD will have your files, but it will not boot a different computer when you replace the stolen one.

Thanks for the extra info and the note about a stolen PC which is a good point. I looked into Macrium (Pro Version) and it actually has a feature that allows you to reinstall on new hardware. I am probably going to give Macrium Pro a try since it appears to tick all my boxes and is well supported.