Quantcast

NEW Reviews Beta Feedback

  • Print

Roxio Backontrack 3 Suite

74

Good

  • Pros
  • Restores system when Windows won't boot
  • Easy to use
  • Cons
  • Lacks System Restore's OS hooks
  • Won't create incremental disk images
thumb 1 thumb 2

Roxio Backontrack 3 Suite Review

by Jon L. Jacobi

Roxio's latest backup software is decent, but not on a par with its competition.

Roxio's BackOnTrack 3 Suite is an easy-to-use albeit limited backup program that employs a three-pronged approach to data protection: It replaces Windows' System Restore with its own Instant Restore, it images entire drives for disaster recovery, and it backs up individual files and folders.

The Instant Restore module saves information much as System Restore does, but restoring occurs through a separate Windows PE (Pre-install Edition) OS that BackOnTrack installs--handy in case you can't boot into normal Windows. Unfortunately, it also means that whenever you start up your PC you have an OS-selection menu to wait on (it times out in 8 seconds) or click through. Instant Restore isn't compatible with System Restore and turns it off. This wouldn't be a bad thing, except that Instant Restore, while schedulable, lacks one of System Restore's best features: It doesn't hook into the OS, so when you install a new program, it doesn't set a restore point automatically.

The program's disaster recovery drive-imaging feature, which includes boot-CD creation, is effective if used sparingly. Since it backs up only entire drives (you may restore files individually) instead of individual partitions, and since it doesn't offer incremental backups, users with lots of data may quickly find their backup media overflowing. The individual file and folder backup portion of the program is straightforward, allowing either plain file copying or compressing everything into a single file. You can password-protect the compressed file if you desire, though you can't schedule imaging.

I have one other, minor complaint with the BackOnTrack 3 Suite: the annoying advertising for Roxio's products on the home screen, which I could not turn off. Beyond that, the suite can be effective for users with moderate amounts of data, but it's no match for same-priced competitors Acronis True Image Home and Norton Save & Restore.

--Jon L. Jacobi

People who looked at the Roxio Backontrack 3 Suite also looked at:

Latest Utilities Playing in PCW Video

Latest Utilities News, Reviews, How-To's

  • Mac News Briefs: CheckUp Adds Compatibility With Latest Macs App4Mac announced an update for CheckUp, improving the interface and adding other enhancements to the system maintenance tool.
  • BackupLoupe 1.4 Mac OS X's Time Machine backup feature can be a life-saver--in your computing life, at least--by automatically backing up multiple versions of important data on...
  • VoodooPad Pro 4.1 According to August Mueller, proprietor of Flying Meat and purveyor of VoodooPad Pro, the concept behind VoodooPad Pro is simple. It's a garden for your...
  • Mac News Briefs: CalDigit Ships 1TB RAID System CalDigit VR mini, a compact, bus-powered two-drive RAID system from CalDigit, began shipping Tuesday. The 1TB storage device costs $699.
  • How to Add URLs to Address Book Records Address Book includes a useful feature that you may not be aware of, as it's not really fully enabled by default. The feature is the ability to store a URL with...