FAQ and Review

Elena and Nikolai are well aware of the importance of creating a backup of their documents: They once lost important files as a result of a computer breakdown following a virus attack. Cobian Backup seems to be a good solution to the problem of streamlining the backup process, although they find that it requires a bit of time to set up and get used to.

Once she has learned how, Elena is happy to use the basic backup function in Cobian Backup, and to know that she can create an archive of backup files on a USB memory stick or DVD, which she can keep somewhere safe, away from her computer and her office. She also finds the backup file compression feature very useful for saving computer space. Nikolai is particularly pleased that he can use a single program both to encrypt a document archive and to create a backup of it. He is also interested in investigating the Backup to ftp server option in the near future so that he can store a backup of important files remotely on another server elsewhere in the world.

However, they both have a few questions about Cobian Backup they would like to have answered:

Q: If I have my archive of files on a DVD, can I decompress and decrypt my files on a computer other than my own? What about using them in an Internet cafe?

A: You can restore your archive, whether it is encrypted or compressed, on any computer running the Cobian Backup program.

Q: I have a real problem with lack of computer space. I'm not sure how much space I can save by compressing my files. Can you give me some simple examples?

A: Most space on your computer is usually taken up by photos, video and audio files. You can see how much room they take up on your computer by right-clicking on the folder that stores them and choosing properties. If you do not have much space left on your computer, consider creating an archive of these files and then removing the originals from your computer.

Q: I'm always being asked to update programs I get from the Internet. If a new version of Cobian Backup comes along and I download it, I'm worried that I'll lose access to my compressed and encrypted files. Should I download updates?

A: You should always download the latest updates as they often provide security and operational upgrades. Cobian Backup will continue to work well on your computer, and any new version will always be compatible with any backup you made using an older one.

Q: Won't the fact that I have this program on my computer make it obvious that I have encrypted material?

A: You do not need to keep an encrypted backup on your computer. Cobian Backup is not a well-known program for data encryption, as that is not its main feature.

Q: Is it better to use this program or TrueCrypt for encrypting files?

A: Its preferable that you use TrueCrypt to encrypt files on your computer. The encryption mechanism is stronger and you have the possibility of adding and deleting files from the encrypted volume. You can also backup a TrueCrypt volume using Cobian Backup.

Q: Are there any extra things I need to know if I implement the 'Backup to ftp server' option?

A: You need to know whether your provider offers the FTP service and the necessary login details. It is preferable that you use the secure version of FTP known as SFTP, if this is offered by your provider.

5.1 Review questions

•   What is the difference between an incremental and a differential backup?

•   What is the best way to secure your backup?

•   How can you fit a 1GB backup onto a CD disk?

•   How can you restore just one file from a backup?

•   Is it possible to create an automated task for your computer to update the weekly backup every Friday afternoon. How do you do it?