Briefcase Plus is not really a backup program but it can be used as one. Briefcase Plus is similar to the Briefcase utility that comes with Windows, but much more powerful -- with automatic incremental copy features and compression. The briefcase contents are so well compressed, so that briefcases can hold up to 5 times as much data.

To use Briefcase Plus as backup software, set it up to do incremental syncronization to another folder on your computer or across a network. This effectively mirrors your folder (but with a compressed mirror). Note, although it works across a network, it is not optimized to minimize network traffic (slows down).

Incremental Backups Multiple Archived Backups Works over a Network Compression Large-folder Compression Unattended Operation Standard ZIP Storage Format Restore Management Idle-mode Processing The best way to use Briefcase Plus is to make an "incremental" backup of one of your folders into another folder on the same computer.
Rekenwonder Software Download Briefcase Plus

Comparator provides folder mirroring and data synchronization (again similar to Windows briefcase) optimized for use on a single computer (not across a slow network). Comparator has strong data backup and data restoration features but it requires quite a bit of user interaction (which might be a good thing if you have complex backup tasks.)

Comparator uses a two-panel comparison display to allow you to quickly and easily see where changes to files have been made. This allows for quick custom backups in case you do not want to backup all files every time. You won't need to open two Explorer windows to make painstaking comparisons but you'll still have the Windows system menu available to you by right-clicking a file.

This data-backup program is multilingual and even allows the user to create her own language set by editing an external file.

Incremental Backups Multiple Archived Backups Works over a Network Compression Large-folder Compression Unattended Operation Standard ZIP Storage Format Restore Management Idle-mode Processing A Free Alternative to the Microsoft® Briefcase
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TaskZip is a great little backup tool which runs as a system agent. It will automatically archive specified files and folders into a single ZIP file (although ZIP-64 is not supported so don't try to backup huge folders).

TaskZIP works reasonably well over a network and also on removable media like ZIP and JAZZ drives and CDR (if you have CD file writing software). TaskZIP does not manage disk-spanning so make sure your backup will fit onto the target media.

Backing up with TaskZIP is fairly easy if a bit kludgy (hey, it's free!). Just set up one or more "Backup Jobs" and let it run quietly in the background (although not as quietly as I would have liked.) The program's scheduler can run backups at any time, and you can set recurring schedules for running daily, weekly, or monthly backups. For each backup job, you can even maintain up to 99 older backup copies of each zip archive file.

TaskZIP also allows you to password protect the ZIP file archives. And although TaskZIP has no restoration features, it stores archives as standard ZIP files. If you don't have a good ZIP tool, go ahead and get yourself a free ZIP program. TaskZIP also allows you to forego compression completely -- dramatically speeding things up when you are backing up over a network connection.

Incremental Backups Multiple Archived Backups Works over a Network Compression Large-folder Compression Unattended Operation Standard ZIP Storage Format Restore Management Idle-mode Processing Runs as a convenient icon in the System Tray area of the Windows taskbar. Useful little backup software.
Pierce Business Systems Download TaskZip

AutoBackup is the ultimate no-frills backup software. Just create a list of paths to be checked, and a backup mirrored copy is created every day of all files found in those paths which have been modified since the last backup.

At the end (or start) of each day it looks in the list of directories you specify and makes a backup copy of any files modified in that week to a separate directory. Simple but effective!

Incremental Backups Multiple Archived Backups Works over a Network Compression Large-folder Compression Unattended Operation Standard ZIP Storage Format Restore Management Idle-mode Processing Bare-bones simplicity without even compression but it works and if it allows you to restore just one deleted file it will be worth every dime you paid for it (plus a couple)!
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