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If backup isn't easy, it just doesn't get done. Three new products--NTI's Shadow 3, Stardock's KeepSafe, and CMS Products' BounceBack Professional 7--promise easy backups, but only two deliver.

Happily, the automatic, continuous native backup promised by the intuitive Shadow 3 now works as advertised. Set the $30 program to watch important folders, and it copies new and revised files to a safe location as changes occur. Unlike the finicky Shadow 2 (read review), version 3 performed perfectly during my tests.

The only enigma I encountered was a mysterious dialog box that popped up to tell me that an operation was successfully completed. After this happened a couple of times, I realized that the program was creating a baseline backup of the folders I was watching (copying the originals for safekeeping). NTI has since fixed this problem; early adopters should download the update.

Meanwhile, Stardock's take on real-time backup is KeepSafe. I liked the $30 program's utilitarian approach to the job; it performed flawlessly, and it even offers a system restore function, something that Shadow 3 lacks.

Alas, the software does not include an option for creating a baseline backup, so you have to copy your existing files to the backup location manually or to a folder that KeepSafe Is already watching.

While Shadow 3 and KeepSafe work in real time, CMS's revamped BounceBack Professional 7.0 takes the traditional, scheduled approach to backups. In my informal tests, the $70 program performed backups without error, but I still can't recommend it.

BounceBack's ability to copy your entire system to an auxiliary hard drive and make that drive bootable can be extremely handy. Unfortunately, it's one of the only things the program does particularly well.

BounceBack's redesigned interface is singularly counterintuitive. And I discovered that the interface permitted me to define a single location as both the backup source and the destination--a huge no-no. The program also defaults to giving every backup job the same name, and I could not figure out any way to delete a previously defined job.

Finally, the app lacks support for many media formats--such as optical discs and tape--that other schedule-based programs can handle.

Among these three applications, Shadow 3 wins the nod over KeepSafe for its ease of use. Current users of BounceBack Professional are well advised to stick with version 6 until CMS gets its application's interface sorted out.

NTI Shadow 3

Automatic background file backup doesn't get any easier, but you need to use Windows Explorer to restore files.
Price when reviewed: $30
Current prices (if available)

Stardock KeepSafe

No baseline backup, but in other respects this is a helpful background utility.
Price when reviewed: $30
Current prices (if available)

CMS Products BounceBack Professional 7.0

Pricey product works, but its poor interface and limited media support are real drawbacks.
Price when reviewed: $70
Current prices (if available)