Mac OS X | System / Utilities | Backup / Sync / Recover | Data Backup

Data Backup - 3.0.0

backup, restore, synchronize data

Download v 3.1

(File Size: 13.6M)

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All Time:	(3.4)
Version 3.0.0:	(2.2)
Selected Version:	3.0.0
Release Date:	2007-03-27
License:	Commercial
Downloads (version 3.0.0):	2,303
Downloads (all versions):	33,197
Price:	$59.00

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Product Description:

Data Backup 3 is a powerful utility that allows you to backup, restore and synchronize your valuable data with minimal effort. Whether you are a new computer user or a seasoned professional, Data Backup 3 offers you just the right amount of power, flexibility and ease-of-use to help you protect your files fast. Easy No complicated setup - built-in backup sets to quickly backup your iTunes or iPhoto files, other important data or your entire system. Custom create your own backup sets. Just drag and drop. "Fast Start" feature preselects the files to be backed up, saving you time (requires OS X 10.4+). Powerful Go "back in time" and see your files and directories, as they were when your backups happened. Schedule your backups to automatically run at a specific time, on a recurring basis or when a drive is connected. Have your Mac automatically wake from sleep to execute scheduled backups. Backups run whether you are logged in or not. Create a bootable clone of your hard drive. Choose to compress and/or password protect your backups. Flexible Backup to any mounted drive including FireWire, USB, ATA, or net worked drives. Backup to CD/DVD disks automatically span on multiple disks. Creates an exact copy of a folder or a drive, including bootable OS X backups. Synchronize folders - perfect if you use more than one computer.

What's new in this version:

Fast Start - Fast Start makes use of the file system events system available in Mac OS X 10.4 and above. After the first backup between a source and destination is performed, Data Backup will track the changes to the source. When a subsequent backup is performed Data Backup will backup those files that have changed without needing to scan the entire source for changes. This yields substantial speedups in backup processing for larger volumes. Please see the manual for more details.
CD and DVD burning
Supports burning to CD/DVDs with spanning across multiple volumes
Large files can be split across multiple CD's or DVD's
Multiple copies of backups can be created
Backups to CD or DVD can be unattended as long as there are sufficient blank media mounted in drives attached to the computer. Data Backup will automatically "spill over" from one blank CD or DVD to the next if the "Use media in drive" option is selected. See the manual for more details.
Sets and schedules can be edited now
Scheduled backup sets will be marked with a calendar icon in the Quick Backup List
The Quick Backup List can now be edited and the order in the Quick Backup List can be changed. Use the File->Manage Quick Backup List option to display the Quick Backup List Management screen.
The save and delete set buttons have been removed from the main screen. Use the File->Save and File->Delete options or use the keyboard shortcuts ?S (for Save) and ? (the delete key to remove).
The "Custom" set item in the "Quick Backup List" is no longer used to create new backup sets. Use the File->New Backup Set option or the keyboard shortcut ?N to create a new backup set.
Backup Sets can now be duplicated and renamed using the File->Duplicate (keyboard shortcut ?D) and File->Rename (keyboard shortcut ?R) options.
When a backup set or restore is executing the name of the executing set will be shown below the backup set description section of the main window. If the backup set executing has been saved, is in the quick backup list and is not the set currently being displayed, the "Show" button to the right of the set name will be enabled and pressing that button will display the currently executing set.
When the backup options are displayed the main window can be resized. When the backup options are hidden it will return to its smaller size.
Rule changes
Include rules can now be specified in addition to exclude rules. When files are selected for backup they must match one or more of the include rules and must not match any of the exclude rules. If no include rules are specified then all files are included unless they match an exclude rule.
Schedule changes
Each backup set can only have one schedule. Add or remove events from the schedule as needed. If you are upgrading and had multiple schedules for a single backup set these will be merged into a single schedule. Backup options has been changed to a tabbed panel. Rules are now on their own tab.
Can wake from sleep or shutdown to execute backups.
Scripts and other executables can now be run both before and after a backup executes. See the manual for information on environment variables and other details.
Interval schedules now allow more control over exactly when the backups will be executed. For example, if an interval of every 1 hour is selected, you can select whether the backup will be execute at 15 minutes after the hour, 30 minutes, etc. See the manual for more details.
Full/Incremental Backups - Full and Incremental backups are still supported but need to be enabled for advanced users. Full and Incremental backups are fully supported and we expect to continue expanding and improving them. However, many customers were confused by them so they are now marked for use by advanced users only.
Full and Incremental backups now use an inventory file to keep track of which files have been backed up. The HFS+ backup date is no longer used.
Deleted files are now tracked in full and incremental backups to provide full fidelity restores.
Meta data - ACL's and extended attributes are now copied where possible.
Restore - Restore now supports restoring directly into a volume root or folder without creating a new folder.

Operating System Requirements:

This product is designed to run on the following operating systems:

Mac OS X 10.5 Intel
Mac OS X 10.5 PPC
Mac OS X 10.4 Intel
Mac OS X 10.4 PPC
Mac OS X 10.3.9
Mac OS X 10.3

Additional Requirements:

Mac OS X 10.3 or higher

Feedback Summary:

Version 3.0.0:
Overall Rating:	(2.2)	Features:	(2.8)	Support:	(2.0)
Ease of Use:	(3.4)	Quality / Stability:	(1.8)	Price:	(2.2)

Key to Types of Feedback:

Reviews Reviews Troubleshooting Usage Tips Developer Notes Commentary Featured Reviews

Does not work at all under Snow Leopard - Version: 3.1, 11/20/2009 09:05PM PST

Kerry Dawson

I've used Data Backup without trouble for at least two years without incident until Snow Leopard came out. The introduced 3.1 for Snow Leopard compatibility. It still isn't compatible. In fact, I finally realized the backups were doing strange things like running at odd times, more than it should on the schedule and thus I had no confidence in the backups it was creating.

Support has been responsive but they have been telling me this is going to be fixed soon and Snow Leopard came out 3 months ago. The 3.1 still has not been updated with a fix. The last I heard from support is that its going to be fixed soon but I had this odd feeling the developer has gone a missing.

This is not cheap software. I decided to get Get Backup 2 which complements Time Machine nicely and works fine with Time Machine. In fact, everything I have worked with Time Machine shortly after it came out. SuperDuper, another excellent backup and cloning software was Snow Leopard compatible almost from the get go.

I used to be a Retrospect user before Data Backup and switched to Data Backup as I liked its rotational capability. I tried Retrospect v8 which is Snow Leopard compatible but it really is overkill for my needs. If Data Backup worked like it used to, it would be great. However, it doesn't and I am left with little confidence in their ability to deal with this issue of making their software SL compatible. This is backup software and its used for safety. This is appalling that this program is being marketed on here as Snow Leopard compatible. If you buy it, check your logs if you have it doing scheduled backups or even just manually backup. You'll find the time stamps in he logs make no sense. So how can you trust anything that is backed up if it has to be restored.

I'd stay away from this program even if they paid you to take it let alone you paying them.

Beware! This program spams your computer with thousands of files! - Version: 3.1, 11/19/2009 11:30AM PST

kposer

After giving Data Backup a try I found out that this program has put one invisible folder ".indelible-info" with one file "indelible-backup-des-info.xml" into each and every folder on my hard drives. Altogether I have now 13,508 ".indelible-info" folders with 13,508 "indelible-backup-des-info.xml" files in them on my hard drives. Yes, 13,508 (thirteenthousandfivehundredandeight) each. Moreover, the xml files have very restricted permissions (-rw-r--r--) which makes it more or less impossible to get rid of them in eternity.

When I contacted Prosoft's support department about this (with a screenshot that shows everything) they first acted as if Data Backup would only put one single ".indelible-info" folder onto a hard drive and that it would be possible to delete with the "rm" command. After I wrote back that this is not about one folder but 13,508 and that I would like to get rid of them they stopped communicating with me.

I would be very careful with this application!

Most Recent Replies: View All 1 Replies

Re: Contact with Support

Hangs at "Connecting to Executor" - Version: 3.1, 11/1/2009 05:15AM PST

c.g.wagner

Well, from the looks of things, this problem may have returned. I have an up to date Leopard installation, including all patches (1 Nov 09) and the software will not completely load. I'm happy ProSoft seems to be monitoring this (from the 2007 post anyway). Will look elsewhere for an immediate and temporary solution, but since I bought this product, I'm hoping there's a solution on the way.