123 Copy DVD

123 Copy DVD

DVD RW prices have reduced drastically which has made them quite affordable. This has led to increase in DVD burning each day. A DVD RW has also proved to be great way to create backup for data of any sort. Moreover, people are also burning DVDs to create a backup of their movie collection. A great way to burn DVDs is to use good DVD backup software. 123 Copy DVD is recent software that has aroused interest amongst people due to its convenience and easy of use.

What does 123 Copy DVD do?

123 Copy DVD is powerful DVD backup tool that offers an easy interface to the user to create backup of your DVD collection. It is so easy that even a computer novice can use it create backup of his CDs. All you need is three simple clicks to create a back up of your DVD without any prior knowledge of creating backups. This means you can take a backup of your full DVD collection is just no time all.

What Are Its Key Features?

123 Copy DVD lets you create back up of your entire DVD collection. An entire DVD or specific DVD features can be easily copied onto a blank DVD in both –R or +R fomat. It also lets you create a copy of multi-channel audio and allows you to select which features from original DVD you want to keep and which you do not want to keep. You can also copy any episodic movie such as Sex and the City, or The Soparanos. Apart from 24/7 technical support, you also get free online updates and patches.

What Is the Technology Involved?

Most of the prevalent software for DVD burning like Nero cannot take backups of commercial DVDs as come with CSS copy protection. You need to first decrypt this protection so that it is possible to take back up of your files. Since it is illegal to decrypt the CSS Copy protection code, therefore, 123 Copy DVD takes a backup without decrypting the code. It enables a free third party update that is installed via product update feature. This patch facilitates decryption of CSS file that enables backup of commercial DVDs.

Apart from that 123 Copy DVD works great as a compression and reauthorizing software. Most of the commercial DVDs are available as dual layer which means they have storage capacity of more that 4.3GB. Thus it prevents you from taking a backup of normally available 4.38GB single layer DVDs.

123 Copy DVD allows you to take backup of dual-layer DVDs on single layer ones. There are two methods for carrying out this task. One, you can re-author the movie by removing additional features, menu items or sound tracks. It helps in dramatically reducing the compression while keeping the original quality but it depends upon the length of the movie. Another method is to backup the complete DVD with the help of high level of compression. This results in loss of quality of the movie. Some people do not mind keeping the whole movie backup even if they have to lose some quality of the picture or sound. With 123 Copy DVD you can choose whichever method you like the best.

Minimum systems requirements for using 123 Copy DVD are Windows 98, SE/Me/2000/XP, Intel Pentium 800MHz, 128MB RAM, Direct X 8.1 or higher and nearly 10 GB temporary disk space and DVD-R/RW or DVD+R/RW burner. You can easily purchase it online and download a 10.6 MB folder. Even if you are on a dial-up connection, downloading 123 Copy DVD is not expensive.

Pros and Cons

123 Copy DVD gives you least expensive, good quality commercial DVD software that allows retailing well under $30. 123 Copy DVD is not only easy to use but also have exceptional trans-coding times. Even a computer novice can use the software can use it efficiently without any technical know-how. It adheres to the law and does not break the CSS copy protection code.

However, the software does not install any shortcut on the desktop. It allows only maximum size to be set at 4380 MB rather than 4.46GB to get better quality. You can choose only slow medium and fast burn speeds rather than selecting the exact burning speed as per your requirement. You cannot cut out unnecessary credit so that you can improve upon the quality of the DVD. Moreover, the help file is pretty sparse that is not much useful. If you have a long DVD then you cannot split very long movies into two blank single layer DVDs.

Nevertheless, 123 Copy DVD is a good option for novices to burn their DVDs and have a backup of their precious movie collection.

Acronis Disk Director review

Acronis Migrate Easy 7.0

Acronis Migrate Easy 7.0

Imagine a scenario where your hard disk drive is full and you deicide to upgrade to a new hard disk. You think you are facing a large re-installation project which is likely to take several days of tedious work. Luckily for you, there is Acronis Migrate Easy 7.0, software that migrates all the data on your computer , operating systems, programs, documents, address books, mail, settings and preferences in minutes automatically — just the way you had them.

Acronis Migrate Easy 7.0 enables you to quickly and easily deploy a new hard disk on your PC or laptop — copy a hard disk drive and migrate all data, operating systems, programs, and everything else automatically to a new hard drive. You can learn more about data migration before using Acronis Migrate Easy 7.0. There are usefyl information also available at W3org website .

What are its Key Features & Functions?

• Enables you to copy an old hard disk drive to a new one safely & quickly


• Has automatic and manual hard disk upgrade modes


• You can use it to install a new hard disk drive as a boot disk or as an additional storage device


• Allows you to re-deploy old hard disk


• Has an extremely easy to use Windows XP-like wizard-driven interface


• Supports large disks over 180 GB


• Partition management


• Resizes transferred partitions to match new hard disk size


• Creates, copies, moves, and deletes partitions


• Executes special sector-by-sector support for other partitions and corrupted file systems


• Security and safety features will ensure confidentiality of your data.


• Pending operations: a hard disk installation scenario is first created, and only then implemented


• An old disk is securely wiped


• When partitions are copied an original HDD remains unchanged

What does Acronis Migrate Easy 7.0 do?

Acronis Migrate Easy 7.0 lets you to clone an old hard disk drive to a new hard disk. You can transfer partitions with original sizes and at specific locations. You can also make any desired changes that are permissible. You can also transfer a100GB data to an 80 GB hard disk if you have enough space. You can easily create partitions on your system in just a matter of time.

It is a powerful tool for transferring PC data which is targeted for end-users who want to install a new hard disk on their computers at home or at work including the operating system and installed software. You can also destroy the old data on your original hard disk after the cloning procedure is over.

Transfering Data

In order to transfer data from an old hard disk to a new one, you need to collect all the CDs for your operating systems and software along with their update patches, security codes, registration keys, etc. If you forget one code, software or registration key, you can put your system to risk. The whole process may also take hours. With Acronis Migrate Easy 7, you can complete the whole process in less than an hour. At the end of the hour, you get a hard disk which is fully functional just like the original one.
Working with Acronis
Acronis Migrate Easy 7 works only on Windows platform but is compatible with all versions of Windows.
It also supports file systems such as NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, Ext2, Ext3, Linux Swap, ReiserFSand works perfectly well with hard disks of all sizes. You can work in the automatic mode or manual mode. Automatic mode lets you transfer all data from old hard disk to a new one with proportional increase in size. If you need to resize the partitions during the cloning activity, all you need to do is to select the manual mode of transfer to the partitions to the new disk. This way you can change the size and location of the partitions from list of partitions on the destination disk.

On the other hand it is not possible to create new partitions during the data transfer that were not originally present. You can only alter the original sizes of the existing partitions in the manual mode. You can leave some space for new OS while creating a new hard disk.

During data transfer OS is responsible for implementation of data transfer. So if there is power cut and process is interrupted then you would need to carry out the entire process once again. However, data on original disk would remain unaffected.

Acronis True Image 10 Review

Acronis True Image

The Acronis Product

A disk imaging application from Acronis True Image is for computers for both business and personal use. This application captures images live from Microsoft Windows and Linux. This bootable media also has offline backup and takes images of your operating system by disk partition, which allows you to restore an operating system back to a define state. The application recognizes common files as well as undefined files and can restore the back to a defined state as well. Some other manufacturers have products similar, but not as detailed as the Acronis True Image. You can try a free download of the application before buying the complete package and license to operate.


True Image Version 10.0 is now available and can be downloaded from various recommended sites which offer discount coupons as well. Since the software can be freely tried before you purchase it, it is good to give it a try and then use the discount coupon code.

How it Works?

How Acronis True Image works is it copies your hard disk exactly and permits for a restore instantly. This restores your data, applications and operating system in case of a crash that leaves your computer down. With the application you do not have to reinstall anything, it is all restored. This works well for protecting your videos, music, photos, emails, tasks and calendar reminders. This application also restores your media player, iTunes, MS office and other important applications you have on your computer. The application protects you from a complete loss of files and important information.




The biggest benefit with this software is that it does not just creates back up of your files but in fact creates an exact replica of your drive so that not only your files but all your installed software are also saved in their true form.
Installation of Acronis True Image software is also quite simple and easy. At the end of the installation, you would be prompted to create a backup CD before the system reboots. The reboot is necessary as it installs a ‘virtual' network adaptor that enables the user to mount an image to browse the Explorer. It facilitates recovery of a complete file or even a folder.

What's New?

The new version of Acronis True Image 10 works with Microsoft Vista when you try the upgrade as well as providing protection for your applications. This new version also allows you to save your backup data anywhere you want to, even on a FTP server. This is truly a magnificent image application rated highly by CNET and PC Magazine. It rates higher then any of its competitors for performance and design. It has an affordable price while offering a tremendous savings if you would lose everything and have to start over.

Big Benefits of Acronis True Image

Both businesses and personal computers benefit from the Acronis True Image. By having the application installed on a computer or a mainframe, you have the ability to back up data and applications daily in the event of the virus attack that causes you loss of information and applications. It would cost a fortune if you lose valuable information, not to mention the time you would spend trying to restore your software and application back from scratch. The application is very easy to use and considered user friendly. This means even the novice computer person could use the software to protect their computer operating system and everything associated with the computer.
Other features of the Acronis True Image are an automated scheduler so you never forget to back up the operating system; information is saved to your hard drive in a place that is not affected by crashing. It has a workable and easy recovery manager and allows you tom had a new hard drive without any further configurations by you and it has a wizard that takes you through the steps with easy to understand directions. Disk imaging and cloning has never been easier with this application software and everyone can use it. 

The References...

Windows Talk recommends Acronis True Image software as "...an excellent program and is a reliable back up and recovery tool." It endorses it as "an excellent, well-designed and intuitive program at a reasonable price. Highly recommended!". 

Major Geeks also gives it a rating of 4.91 which is an excellent recommendation for the users. GPS Information site on GPS also recommends the products and gives detailed overview of the site.

 

Computer Associates’ ARCserve

Computer Associates’ ARCserve

It can be quite cumbersome and tiring to take backups for data accumulated over the period of time. Your music files, documents, important information is mostly customized its according to your needs. It can be quite frustrating to lose them same in case of a system crash. Thus is it vital to take periodic backups of your important data files.
Computer Associates’ ARCserve is a well suited enterprise level software suite for all back up purposes. It is apt software for small and medium sized businesses. It is also quite helpful for individual who want to take back up of their music files or personal documented data. It is one the reliable software that offers hundreds of automated features for recovery of data and easy restoration. It is certified software by Microsoft and Novell. Another version of Computer Associates’ ARCserve i.e CA ARserve Backup can also be used for Linux and Netware environments. It gives robust backup solutions for enterprises.

Important Features of ARCserve

Computer Associates’ ARCserve is power packed with features that make mundane jobs like taking backups easy. It is so convenient and flexible that you can easily accomplish back up tasks that demand time, money and serious efforts.
You can easily take backups of your critical data with its Critical Asset Protection feature. This feature also offers vital protection from viruses and other malicious content that can make way into your backup media like tapes, CDs, etc. and can harm your content. Thus it offers robust solution for protection of Lotus Server, Exchange, CRM solutions, documents, important data, inventory backups, etc.
The different methods offer high performance backup that easily restore functionality of the system without disrupting any other program or data. The backup methods used are multi-streaming, multiplex, disk staging and backup on disk. You can easily take backups with an easy-to-use interface that is mostly fully automated for regular backup tasks.
The versatility of the software makes it quite handy and easy to use. It can accomplish tedious tasks for small and large enterprises easily. It saves them from disaster recovery easily and takes critical backups of vital data efficiently.

Why Do You Need It?

Computer Arcserve offers varied business solutions to suit all kinds of backup needs for the businesses and personal solutions equivocally. The ARCserve Backup for Windows provides restore facilities for Windows systems as wells Linux, Mac OS x and UNIX clients. You can rely on CA ARCserve Backup for Microsoft Small Business Server for taking automated backups. It restores systems with antivirus as well. It is an easy to use solution that has gathered accolades for offering one-stop integrated solution for small businesses round the clock. The Netware and Linux users have also been long benefitted from CA ARCserve Backup for Netware and Linux to safely backup and restore their data. It offers independent solution for people on the move with its product Computer Associates’ ARCserve Backup for Laptops and Desktops. It is great option for Windows based PCs.
Full time data protection clubbed with ease of use and reliability are the main features for Computer Associates ARCserve. These features make the software immensely popular amongst the network administrations and IT managers. The intuitive wizard lets you install and take your initial back up within twenty minutes. The multiplexing feature enhances its performance and functionality thus offering impressing backup performance. The brick-level protection for Exchange and SQL servers also makes it popular amongst system administrators with demanding environments.
Computer Associates’ ARCserve is quite affordable that offers world class backup and data recovery services at cool prices. Software is not only easy to install but is also fast and efficient in performing tasks at hand. It also offers easier management due to its centralized and cross platform that supports a wide range of platforms and devices. The functionalities can also be customized to suit your ease of use. The software offers “hot” protection agents round the clock for your databases. If you want a software for one button data recovery, then opt for Computer Associates ARCserve that gives Disaster Recovery Option for quick restoration.
Computer Associates ARCserve is handy software offering simple and uncluttered interface for taking backups on multiple operating systems. It has the capability to read Novell or Windows 2000 tapes and take back up on common storage areas as well. It gives integrated solution with extended support to its end user.

Guidelines for Evaluation of Software

If you ever tried to purchase backup software you must have realized that there are numerous of them and each one of them has its own specialty. In such a scenario, how do you evaluate the backup software?
 
When you evaluate which backup software to use, you need to keep in mind the following guidelines:

1. Ease of Use: There are a large number of software solutions which are not very user friendly. Hence, you need to look at the general interface of the program, and their utility. Consider the design and feel and how easy it is for you to use it.  You also need to look at the documentation included and the amount and degree of relevant help available to the user, for each menu and function.
2. Features: You should also concentrate on the additional utilities and tools that were included with the software, adding functionality. For example there are some backup software titles with an in-built scheduler. So, you can create a schedule for backup and the rest of the work is done by the software itself. Other important features to look for are:


1. Incremental backup: Ability to identify and backup only those files which have changed since the last backup.
2. Backup Wizards: Step by step questions and answers which make it easy to backup data. 
3. Ability to create bootable disk: Sometimes, the entire computer must be restored and a bootable disk becomes a necessity. 
4. Backup to LAN: For office PC’s, it great if you can back up data over LAN so that the backup disk can be shared by other computers.
5. Online backup: Similar to LAN Backup, if there is a facility to backup to internet, it’s very useful.
6. CD Backup: Check if directly burning of CD is supported or not. 
7. Encrypted backup: Ability to provide a password to the backup file so that it is safe from unauthorized users. 
8. Scheduled backup: Allows you to setup a schedule when to backup data.
3. File Read Speed: This is an important aspect of the software that you want to buy. File-read speed refers to the speed at which the backup and restore software is able to scan the hard disk to back up a file or directory. Some utilities are very fast, others are dramatically slow.
4. Reliability: There must be a good combination of reliability and speed. Reliability means that the backup files should never be corrupted and restoration of data should be possible. Speed means that data backup should not take much time. 
5. System Resource Use: Although the newer machines available today have high processing speeds and RAM has become so cheap that systems with 512 MB or 1 GB of RAM are common; the less the resources consumed by the backup software, the better it is.

Links to Selected Software Reviews and Tutorials

1. http://www.backup-software-reviews.com/: This site has the reviews for the various Windows backup software. With Editor’s choice awards for the best backup software, users can decide which software to use.
2. http://www.backupcritic.com/: The main focus of this site is to provide tutorials as to how a user can perform various backup related tasks and the new trends that are emerging.
3. http://www.argentuma.com/backup/guide.html: An article on the Argentuma company’s website, this article explains about the best practices relating to backup. Although at the end, it pitches its product, the general information provided is good.
4. http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/backup.mspx: A backup guide from Microsoft, it explains what data the user should back up.
5. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx: This article looks at how the user can use the free backup utility provided with Microsoft Windows XP to backup his data. It includes various screenshots related to the choices that are available.
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backup: An article on the respected encyclopedia Wikipedia, this article covers everything from the definition of backup, the various methods, and the different backup media available.
7. http://www.hp.com/sbso/productivity/howto/tape_backup/lan_backup_solutions.html: This article from Hewlett – Packard examines the various LAN based backup methods and how tape backup can be used in a LAN environment.
8. http://www.download.com/Backup/3150-2242_4-0.html: This webpage contains details about various backup software and software reviews for them.
9. http://www.download.com/3150-2242-0-1-1.html: Download.com is a reputed site to download various free, shareware and paid software. This page will let the user download various trial versions of the popular backup software. After a user is satisfied, then he can buy the software he likes.
10. http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,1738,4798,00.asp: This webpage deals with finding the right backup solution for the user’s requirements. The unique feature of this site is that it allows the user to find the right backup utility by either sorting it by price or type or manufacturer.
11. http://www.consumersearch.com/www/internet/online-file-storage/index.html: This webpage deals with the various issues relating to online backup of data. It contains reviews for all the major online data storage sites.
12. http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,101767,00.asp: This website contains the reviews of the various backup software as compiled by the online new magazine PC World. Expert reviews by the editors of PC World allow a user to take informed decisions.
13. http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/backup.html: This webpage deals with the backup utility provided free with Apple Macintosh computers. Apple users can download the latest version of the backup utility from this page.
14. http://free-backup.info/: A small website, this webpage has all the information needed by the average user regarding backup information.
15. http://www.taobackup.com/: The Tao of Backup is a humorous take on the need to take regular backups. In a refreshing humorous manner, it explains all the concepts relating to backup.

Nero 7 Burning Rom

Roxio Backup MyPC 6.0 Deluxe

Roxio Backup MyPC 6.0 Deluxe

Roxio has launched its latest version 6.0 of Backup MyPC. The software has been popular amongst the system administrators for taking convenient back up and using the software for system recovery. The main reason for popularity of this software has been due to its ability to support wide range of hardware. It is quite efficient in handling tapes, CDs, DVDS, etc. It is also equivocally efficient with removable media such as Zip drives or JAZ drives. It also supports IDE, USB and SCSI drives. However, USB floppies should be avoided for any system recovery as the software does not have any DOS USB drives.
 
 

Getting started

Roxio Backup MyPC support 4 processes for system administration: System Backup System Restore Automatic Data Protection Disaster Recovery Preparation Backup wizard: This wizard enables you to take a backup of your PC or selected files or folders. If you choose to take a backup of selected files, you would be prompted to take your pick before proceeding further. You shall need to choose from a full back up or only incremental backup. This means that you can choose if you want to backup your PC all over again or only the files and folders that have changed since the last backup. You can start with an initial backup on any of the Sundays and then schedule incremental backups every weekend when the network is not so busy. You can choose your backup device as per your choice on your network. A complete System Restore is enabled by Roxio Backup MyPC 6 that lets you choose the files to be retrieved from the log. It is quicker to retrieve from your PC than any other external media. On the other hand the Automatic Data Protection Wizard lets you take a full backup on the designated day of the week. It also lets you schedule timely incremental backup of your data. Some of the users complain that this option still needs more flexibility however, you can still specify your username and password to ensure safety of your data. The Disaster Recovery wizard lets you get prepared for any combat with any unforeseen mishap. It analyses the PC beforehand and offers suggestions to get a full recovery from scratch. It can be done from a laptop as well. All you need is CD for Windows XP, some floppy disks or any blank DVDs. You can also take manual backups and restore your original files by bypassing the Automatic disaster recovery wizard. You just need a system with Windows OS with Service Pack 2 or higher, 128 MB RAM, 80GB of hard disk, IE 6.0 or higher, back up devices such as CDs, DVDs, tapes, etc. You processor should be 500Mhz of faster along with a bus-mastering EIDE controller and DMA enabled hard drive.    

Benefits of Roxio Backup MyPC

Roxio Backup MyPC lets you take critical backups. You can start with full backup and schedule incremental backups as per your convenience. You can take manual as well as automated backups. These back ups can be taken in compressed form with password protection enabled. You can also enable CD/DVD failed backup recovery so that you need not take a new backup all over again if the backup is interrupted. The Drag-and-Drop feature lets you manage files and folders more easily. This makes your precious files, folders, pictures and music more manageable. All this can be baked up in few simple clicks. It also comes with the Stop Spyware and Pop-up blaster. Thus it automatically kills cookies, erase history and keep an eye on your personal system.    

Critics View

The main disadvantage of Roxio Backuppp MyPC 6 is that during Disaster Recovery it does not work with FAT32 drivers that are over 32GB. You cannot recover your files from sloppy earlier versions. The software is a complete mix bag of features that offer you more feature and flexibility of taking a convenient backup. It also offers wide range of functionality but it is better to use manual mode rather than automated mode of the software. It support complete range of backup hardware and is also light on the system resources. You have to keep in mind that the backup catalogues can grow quite large. The online help feature is quite helpful that offers useful information and tips simultaneously. It is a robust solution for a home user and is good for those who want to recover their original files along with complete system.

Roxio Toast

Roxio Toast

The new Roxio Toast is a robust product for disc-storage, managing and duplicating your hard disk. It is extremely helpful as it is capable of disc-spinning, capturing analog audio, printing directly to the disc and encoding video that fits the disc. Roxio Toast offers more convenient and capable mode of copying disc or data that are so easy to handle in Mac OS X. Its audio and video features compliment iLife in Mac. If you use multimedia regularly as a producer or consumer or an ardent back-up creator of your hard disk, then Roxio Toast justifies its price tag of $99.95 for one or more functions.

Multi Tasking Software

You will be amazed to see the range of functions Roxio Toast can perform. It can perform multiple data functions and its disc burning capabilities are very useful. It takes back up of multiple discs and restores the data on a MAC PC. This feature is not available for Windows OS. The best feature about Roxio Toast is that it restores the file accurately bit-by-bit. A back up taken for 1.2GB video file on two separate CDs was restored on a different computer. The file played perfectly on the system exhibiting supreme performance of Roxio Toast.

It is also capable of installing system preferences and let you perform backup that can be manual or scheduled. This can be done for any selected folders or create bootable clone of the system disk. You can also duplicate the folder content. Roxio Toast backs up any hard drive on your system to any remote server or DVD.

It has two options for copying DVD which work only with discs or disc images not protected by copyrights. You can simply run disc to disc copy function that would preserve the menu and other contents. You can choose to copy only the main movie to save disk space.

It can also consolidate data from several DVDS into one DVD by compressing the content automatically so that it fits the target DVD. Roxio Toast imports each movie on all source DVDs independently and depicts each DVD as an individual button with sequential menu. Roxio Toast gives you an option to preview the movie separately and lets you opt if you want it to be included in the compilation. You can also choose from the menu templates. There are 10 menu templates which are presentable but are not editable. One major drawback with Roxio Toast is that it does not have a DVD preview capability. Thus it prevents you from checking the menu operation, checking titles or buttons before burning the DVD. If your menu titles or buttons are not short, then Roxio Toast will automatically truncate them.

Roxio Toast can also be used to overcome the problem of transferring a 90 minute iDVD on a single layer DVD. All you need to do is to build your project normally as in case of iMovie or iDVD. Project Info window should carry the information as a double layer disc but the check the option for "Fit to DVD Video Compression". Roxio Toast shall encode the complete video to fit into a single DVD. If you have any dual layer image compressed on any DVD, you can do the same thing to transfer it to single layer DVD. Sister product of Roxio Toast, Roxio Popcorn, priced at $49.95 easily lets you do this function.

Roxio Toast gives you flexibility to create good quality two hours single -layer DVD from image created by iDVD. You can also burn it on a dual-layer DVD without losing its original quality.

For All the Music Lovers

Roxio Toast would be loved by Mac users especially who use iTunes as their music library, media player and burning their CDs. If you are looking for long term entertainment or create music CDs for a party, Roxio Toast is there to help you out. You can easily create more than fifty hours of songs at 192 kbps Dolby Digital encoding. These can be easily played on DVD players and iTunes fails to give this kind of performance. Except for the DRM music that you have bought off iTunes, you can easily drag songs from your music library, import your playlist and add a random button to play the songs randomly. Check out compatibility with your consumer player, although the disc plays exceptionally well on all PCs.

You can convert the analog music to digital with CD Spin Doctor and burn it with the help of Roxio Toast on to a CD. Breaks between the songs create different tracks that can be renamed. Roxio Toast also supports major video formats including DivX. DivX is a popular format for movies and trailers on the internet and Roxio Toast has multiple disc related capabilities to offer to music lovers. You can not only play the DivX files but can also convert video files to DivX format. Thereafter, you can easily convert these files into standard definition DVD files with a single step. Roxio Toast has the capability to maintain the aspect ratios correctly and produced high-quality video files. It can also produce high-definition DivX DVDs that can be played on any computer with a DVD-ROM. Lastly; it easily includes Motion Pictures HD and burn them into HD DivX movies, VCDs or Super VCDs.

Syncsort Backup Express

Syncsort Backup Express

If you thought that only someone else’s hard disk can crash and not your, then think again. It can happen to you anytime. Just like you can meet with an accident anytime, so can you computer or all your computers across the network! Scary, isn’t it? The advantage with computers is that unlike you, they can be restored to their normalcy if you have a habit of taking appropriate back ups. If you meet an accident, you may take days or months to recover but if you have proper back up for your network, any mishap can be instantly resolved within a few hours. You can also save yourself from losing precious data and important information. Backup Express aptly solves your problem of taking a back up. Moreover, if you have network that operates on cross-platform, it just makes the job easier.

Simplifying complexities

You will agree that taking a back up of the data can be a tedious task for any computer user. The complexity multiplies quickly you have to take a back up of large network which is quite dissimilar in nature. Syncsort’s Backup Express comes in quite handy when you’re supporting multiple Operating Systems (Os) on a solitary network and deal with technology of various kinds like Storage Area Networks (SANs) or tape jukeboxes Backup Express is Syncsort's enterprise-wide backup and restore system. Backup Express can back up information to any device in an enterprise, whether a server is running Unix, NetWare, or Windows.

It is a versatile software what works across cross platforms like Unix, Windows, Netware etc. It is also capable of handling latest technologies such as SANs, Network attached Storage, tape jukeboxes, Network Data Management Protocol and many more. It is updated software which allows taking back up in volumes, disk quotas and files that are stored remotely. It also takes a back up of data that is stored in system state such as registry, SysVol that are essential for functioning of Windows 2000. The GUI is not so polished and uses unnatural fonts, pop up windows that do not have close button.

Moreover the application is difficult to set up than any of the other applications. For examples, you should be proficient with the device names while taking a back up. Now, that’s quite tedious as compared to other Windows platform software that are wise enough to configure it themselves. It also asks for more manual work like entering the capacity of back up tapes itself. Even a simple set up takes more than an hour.

But the benefits lies in its raw power and capacity to manage every single aspect from master server to set of servers spread across the network. In a larger network, it can also take a back up of sensitive data locally so that you do not have to work across the network separately. Each communication is carried out via TCP/IP to offer infinite flexibility to handle different architecture and gives complete control. It is designed to offer speed by carrying out parallel operations and not compromising on CPU utilization. It is a good choice for large organizations that have thousands of gigabytes of data and have dedicated servers to store such data.

So Get Going

Taking a back up is no easy task. If your network has grown and you are running out of solutions and patches for taking appropriate back up then Backup Express is a good option. Prices for the product vary as per the requirement and complexity of the network. You can easily fill out the form on the Synsort website and request a sample copy on a CD.

What’s New?

The all new Syncsort Inc.'s Backup Express is ready to offer uninterrupted operation to e-businesses and critical application through new and pulsating database support. Backup Express Release 2.1.1 provides direct and online interfaces for Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 and 7.0, as well as Oracle for Windows. This completes support for online database backup readily. These interfaces add to Backup Express's list of databases supported for hot backup.

It is great enterprise wide software for taking a back up and creating a restore point. It can create a back up information from any device in an enterprise. The total process is independent of the operating system running across the network. The information can be stored on Unix, Netware or Windows server but Backup Express is quite capable of taking a back up and putting it in safe place for treasure keep.

Top 5 Benefits of Acronis True Image

Top 5 Benefits of Acronis True Image

Acronis True Image 11 is one of the best disk imaging applications for computers for business as well as personal needs. It is capable of capturing images from Windows as well as Linux equivocally. There are several other imaging tool available on the internet that also serve the same purpose, but going by the records Windows Talk recommends Acronis True Image 11 software as “…an excellent program and is a reliable back up and recovery tool.” It endorses it as “an excellent, well-designed and intuitive program at a reasonable price. Highly recommended!” Major Geeks also gives it a rating of 4.91 which is an excellent recommendation for the users. GPS Information site on GPS also recommends the products and gives detailed overview of the site.
 
 

What Makes It Different?

Acronis True Image is a bootable media that is capable of taking offline backups and images of your operation system. It is also efficient in recognizing common files and unidentified files. This means you can restore your system back to its original state including the partitions easily. This feature is not so detailed in other imaging tools available in the market. Download a trial version before you make a buying decision. You can test the full utility of the software and compare it with other imaging tools.

Acronis is compatible with Microsoft Vista

The new version is fully compatible with Microsoft Vista which makes its all the more useful. The most commendable feature of the new Acronis True Image 11 software, listed by PC Magazine and CNET is that it allows you to take back up even on an FTP server. Moreover, it gives better performance than its competitors in design and usability as well. Acronis True Image 11 is capable of imaging your hard disk completely and restoring it to its original state. It is capable of restoring your files, applications, data and also your entire operating system to its original state. In case you face a hard disk crash, you do not need to install the applications all over again, instead Acronis True Image restores your computers to its original form. It is a great application to protect your data, music, photos, important information, reminders, schedules, etc. This means you need not worry about your Microsoft office or your iTunes library if you use Acronis True Image 10 software for all your backup services.

It does not just takes a backup of your files but it creates an exact replica of the state of your computer and restores it to its original form including your software and other applications.

Acronis True Image 11 comes in handy for both businesses as well as personal users. In case of more than one computer, you just need to install it on the mainframe, which would enable you to take backup of your applications and data daily on each terminal. If there is any virus attack or data loss due to any malware, you can instantly restore the terminal to its original form with the help of Acronis True Image 11. This feature is not so detailed in other imaging tools available.

It also comes with an automated scheduler so you never forget to take backups of your operating systems. It also offers easy recovery manager that enables you to create another hard disk easily without installing or making any configurations. The easy step by step wizard guides you to completely restore the hard disk to its original form. It allows easy cloning and imaging of the hard disk with simple and easy step by step wizard.
 
 

The Overview

Acronis True Image is versatile software to suit all your backup needs. It is a one stop solution that offers instant restoration solutions in case of any computer crash. It protects your computer applications, data, music, videos, photos and other valuable information by creating their exact replica. You can even categorize your backup files into photos, videos, etc. and copy the contents in the specified folders. It also backs up Outlook files including your contacts and to-do list.
You can also save special settings of your important software such as Photoshop or Microsoft Access. Moreover, if you increase your hard disk capacity, it has the ability to create restore the new hard disk to the similar proportion of partitions as earlier hard disk.
Thus, Acronis True Image 11 has the capability to create an exact replica of your hard disk at a later date as it was before.

XCopyPod & Xcopy9

Review of XCopyPod & Xcopy9

One can easily download a movie on the iPod and play it whenever he wants. Similarly, you can easily download your favorite music on your iPod and enjoy good music anytime. But what happens to all those movies in your DVD collection or your favorite tracks stored under your iTunes library? For all those music lovers who have a huge music library at iTunes, there is some good news. Now you can transfer all your favorite music files to your iPod with the help of XCopyPoD.

The XCopyPod Software

Ever since the video iPod has been launched, Bling Software has updated their package of Xcopy9. They have included the XCopyPod in their package that lets you transfer your favorite DVD movies on to your iPod. Now you need not spend extra money to get movies on your video iPod. It easily converts all the DVDs into ready format for Apple iPod.
The XcopyPod software works wonders for Windows PC users. It makes iTunes work better for user needs by providing a quick and easy solution for your pre-owned movies. You can convert them in compatible format and transfer them on to your Apple iPod with an easy single click.
According to the Director of Bling Software, Lyn Bell, XcopyPod offers an easy solution to people who want to convert their movies onto their iPods. They can always download the new releases but the old ones also should be useful. Although the copyright issues and other legal nitty-gritty’s are yet not clear, nevertheless, Bling Software has surely added yet another successful software amongst their line of fast selling products like XCopy9, Podmaxx, Ring Factory, etc. The XcopyPod can be purchased individually as well as amongst the complete package of Xcopy9 suite.

The XCopy9 Suite

Xcopy9 allows user to take perfect backups of their DVD collection. The complete Xcopy Suite includes XcopyDVD, XcopyPSP and XcopyPod. It not only offers a complete backup solution but also lets you convert your PSP games from DVDs and your computer to a portable memory stick.
The XcopyDVD lets you backup DVDs easily with minimum effort. You can just backup all your DVDs with one single click without even compromising the quality. You can even choose the quality of your DVD from low, medium and high quality. It also offers dual layer burning that allows 1:1 backups. This means that you do not need to split your DVDs while taking backups. Thus all your trailers, promos, special features for each movie can be stored on a single DVD easily. You can choose which features to add to the new DVD while taking backups. The XcopyDVD component of XCopy9 suite supports all blank DVD media and multi-channel audio formats.
The special features of this suite is that all components come with 24/7 technical support service and easy downloads, updates patches, etc. that are available for free. Each component can be easily individually purchased at $19.99 from any of the local vendors or can be purchased online. The complete suite comes in for $49.99 with all the features and regular updates, downloads and patches.
In order to install and successfully run the suite all you needs is Windows Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP, Intel Pentium 800 MHz, 128 MB RAM, Direct X 8.1 or higher up to 10GB temporary disk space and DVD-R/RW or DVD +R/RW burner, 512 MB or greater memory stick required for PSP. Moreover, if you need full functionality then internet connection is a must.

The Recent News

Recently, 123CopyDVD has bought Xcopy9 to give you the best deliverable product. Thus an existing Xcopy9 customer gets added benefits. You get free conversion from Xcopy brand to 123 DVD Copy that has more features than its predecessor. You also get latest updates for free about DVD, iPod and PSP technologies, etc along with more development of new features. It also means you get better technical support and option to participate in customer referral program to earn more dollars.
The Xcopy9 is now available at 123CopyDVD Gold. XcopyPSP is converts to 123Movies 2 PSP while XcopyDVD is available as 123CopyDVD 07. Lastly, the XCopyPod is available as 123Movies 2 iPod. The 123CopyDVD website gives an easy link to convert your existing Xcopy9 product to 123CopyDVD version. All you need to do is to enter your product key and you would get the latest and updated version automatically.

XCopyPSP & Xcopy9

Review of XCopyPSP & Xcopy9

For those who are used to long commuting and often carry movies while travelling, it can quite cumbersome to carry so many DVDs with them. Most of the people carry portable memory stick or USB device that can be easily plugged into the iPod or the Play Station. As the prices for DVD RW have reduced drastically, most of the people often prefer to take back up of their important data as well as their precious music and movie collections.

The XCopy9 Brings Something for Everyone

XCopy9 comes in as a bundle of important back up software collection. It carries XCopyPSP, XCopyDVD and XCopyPOD. All these programs are apt for all your backup needs. Whether you are a system administrator or a simple music lover, Xcopy9 bundle offers all the products for your backup requirements. It has been introduced by Bling software that can not only easily make copies of your DVDs but can also transfer to Sony PSP with just a simple click.
Xcopy9 offers numerous features. It easily lets you backup all your DVDs and even transfer DVDs to your PSP. The XcopyDVD enables you to easily copy your DVDs without sacrificing the quality. You can easily take 1:1 backups with the help of dual layer burning. Thus, you do not need to split movies into two DVDs. This also means that all the trailers and special features can also be copied onto one DVD with the help of this software. Xcopy9 allows you to choose the features while taking your backups. It readily supports all blank DVD media as well as multi-channel audio formats. You can even take backups of your episodic DVDs. The software comes with 24/7 technical support and you can easily download free online updates and patches.

XCopyPSP to Carry All Your Favorite Games Everywhere

Sony Playstation is one of the most favorite gaming software all around the world. The Sony Playstation has been an addiction to many and they tend to carry all their DVDs whenever they have to travel or even while they are commuting for long hours. XCopyPSP has made it easier for all these people to carry their favorite games on a memory stick. It allows you to transfer DVD movies to PSP. It automatically optimizes the video from any DVD movie to the fly.
XcopyPSP allows multi channel audio along and supports all the DVD formats as well. Thus, it turns out to be one of the quickest ways to watch your favorite movies anytime anywhere. In order to transfer your DVD movies to the memory stick, all you need to do is to play your DVD movie on your computer’s CD drive and select the quality of the movie. You can choose low, medium or high quality for the movie quality and XcopyPSP would automatically then transfer your movie on the memory stick.

The Complete Package to Suit All Needs

Apart from converting DVD movies on UMD, Xcopy9 also converts audio CDs and audio files. It can easily convert any audio file to the format that can be played easily on Windows Media Player. You can also convert DVD movies, episodic DVDs onto the memory stick. Moreover, you can select the output quality of video as well as audio and output resolution. This software also allows batch conversion of audio and video files. You can also bath convert multiple titles on a DVD or multiple tracks on a CD.
The PSP manager in XCopyPSP can copy bookmarks from your PC to PSP. You can easily manage your movies, music files, pictures, etc. on the hard disk and then copy them to your PSP. Lastly, you can backup and restore your saved PSP games anytime with the help of XCopy9.
The complete Xcopy9 package with XcopyDVD, XCopyPSP and XCopyPOD is available at $49.00. However, you can also purchase individual software at $29.99.