By Syazwani
Picture by Google
Your hard drive gives up the ghost, your files are hijacked by ransomware or there’s a fire at home. None of these scenarios seem particularly immediate and yet you still have to be prepared for them.
Backing up data regularly is quite a nuisance, but you can make your life a little easier with special backup programs and you don’t even have to pay for them.
The backup tools integrated in Windows and MacOS are adequate, but they are not as good as the best third-party programs, according to testers from German consumer watchdog Stiftung Warentest, who recently compared 13 such solutions.
These programs automatically back up the desired files to a hard drive or a USB stick – and some will also encrypt the files in your cloud.
The testers said three free Windows solutions provide a solid backup service free of charge:
– Paragon Backup & Recovery Community Edition
– Aomei Backupper 6.0 Standard Edition
– EaseUS Toto Backup Free 12.5
Both the backup tool built into Windows 10 and Time Machine integrated into MacOS performed less well, but also delivered reliable backups. Experts advise against creating a backup on an internal hard drive, as the files are usually lost if the computer or hard drive breaks.
You're better off using an external 2.5in hard drive cheaper or an SSD hard drive faster that is disconnected from the PC after each backup. In any case, the drive should have a USB 3 port, which is much faster than USB 2.
It also pays to keep a backup outside of your own four walls, for example with relatives or friends, as this means not everything will be lost if there's fire or water damage.
According to the experts, USB memory sticks are only your second-best option. They are not as robust as hard drives, often have a shorter lifespan, transfer files much more slowly and are more easily to lose.
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