How do you backup your important data?

[jelson]

Thanks Corno! I read something recently that suggest Macrium Reflect now allows you to restore to a smaller partition (provided the restore will actually fit). That was my main objection to it when I first searched for imaging software. I was restoring from a 60 GB to a 40 GB and adding an additional drive.

I really did like Storage Craft (Shadow Protect) but it does tie the activation to your hardware. You first have to deactivate the program if you want to do a clean OS install so that you'll be able to activate it again.

NitroPDF does that crap as of version 6: astsrv.exe - "Nalpeiron Highend Service" is running all the time with a strange file on C: from hidden from Windows API. I'm uninstalling it.

But Shadow Protect? It is wasn't so expensive (last time I checked it was about $85) I'd install it. It's that good.

Personally, I've never had a problem with Acronis, but then I don't have a dual boot system either.

UPDATE: additional info on Nalpeiron

Kaspersky is known to detect "C: WINDOWS:AstInfo" which it classifies as a rootkit. But this is known to be a result of "Nalpeiron Trusted Activation" running astsrv.exe. I understand why many developers resort to this sort of thing, but I consider it distasteful and won't use their software without an overwhelming reason.

UPDATE 2:

Correction, I just remembered it's EASEUS Todo Backup that now supports restoring to smaller partition. (Ashraf recently reviewed it and I also recall they've changed the name a bit). Corno: does Macrium Reflect Free do this as well now?