Five Cool and Cost Free System Restore Tools

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Backing up all the important contents of your personal computer is a great idea. But how about restoring the disk contents and actual system settings right away? This is one thing that saves your time and work. Here are the top five cost-free restoring tools that will help you stay away from computing catastrophes. The below mentioned system restore tools has many more dedicated features than the default restore tools in your operating system. They are exclusively designed to keep track of your computer settings.

1# Paragon Drive Backup for windows

Paragon Drive Backup is a cost-free version of the actual commercial disk imaging tool of Paragon. This tool supports a bigger range of files than other backup software. It is compatible with Microsoft Volume Shadow Services and is great for accessing real-time and efficient backup features. The tool is also capable of restoring multiple disks easily in one shot after a hard-disk collapse.

Product Highlights

• Offers reliable support for the latest OS from Microsoft.
• Exchange Granular Recovery ensures quick and easy recovery process from Microsoft Exchange 2007 database or EDB files .
•   PRM 2.0 for better maintenance and centralized administration.
• Infrastructure module features tools to boot images and includes Paragon PXE server ensuring efficiency in maintaining complex IT environments.
• Live Win2K + system imaging technology that also includes Paragon Hot Backup™ and  Microsoft VSS.
• Server to Virtual Hardware (P2V)
• Not dependent on the hardware
• Restoring components at granular level
• Dedicated recovery environments designed for WinPE 2.1, Linux, DOS, Backup Capsules and thumb drives,
•  Supports most of the latest hardwares.
•  Supports Microsoft dynamic disks, GPT, Apple Boot configurations Camp
•  Support for Imaging Tools

Verdict : With such a lot of features, the Paragon Drive Backup is the best among many restoring tools. Avoid it if you do not prefer too many option and want only simple and must-have features.

2# Macrium Reflect for Windows

Macrium Reflect is a free version of its popular Macrium Reflect disk scanning tool. The software allows you to backup your disk to a safer network location or a removable / optical media or other hard drives. The software features in-built CD/DVD burner and a scheduler to make your maintenance task easier. It supports Microsoft’s Volume Shadow Copy Service that allows multi-version real-time disk images.

Product Highlights

• Free Solution to your computer disasters.
• Protection for your photos, music, emails and personal documents.
• Ability to clone hard disks and secure them in the recoverable back-up files creating safe disk images.

Verdict : Though the product may not feature as many specifications as the Paragon’s Drive Backup its not-so-complicated operations makes it one of the best restoring windows application.

3# ImageX for Windows

This tool is designed for manufacturers and organizations that deal with figuring and deploying large number of computers. Though it’s a primary command-line tool, it’s very popular among imaging Geeks. Inspite of its key limitations and the fact that ImageX only functions with the latest Windows File System, the tool is equipped with excellent features. ImageX can perform overwriting of selective files on your disk and allows you to partially restore a disk image.

Benefits of ImageX

• Greater flexibility and control for deployed media.
• Quick extraction process for images, reducing setup time.
• Non-destructive imaging applications
• Ability to work across any platform
• Ability to consider image files as directories

Verdict : Though the ImageX lacks the features of the Paragon or the Macrium products it is still the best for mass computer usage like in the case of a business concern or an office.

4# DriveImage XML

This tool functions perfectly in creating a thorough hard disk backup and copies the same from disk to disk. It can browse backed-up disk images as in the case of regular directories. As a result, you will have only few files to grab from the previous scans and there is no need for a complete restoration. The operation is simple with its quick point-and-grab feature. It also supports Volume Shadow Copy (a Microsoft Windows Technology).

Product Highlights

• Backup for image file partitions and logical drives.
• Explore images, extract and view files
• Ability to restore images to a different or same drive
• Ability to copy contents from one drive to the other.
• Ability to schedule backups automatically in your convenient time.
• Ability to boot CD-ROM of WinPE to run DriveImage.

Verdict : Simple operation when compared with the other three restoring tools mentioned above. Few unique features makes it one step ahead.

5# Clonezilla for windows, Mac and Linux

This is a powerful pack for disk imaging and is easy to be accessed even by new users. With a good number of features, the server edition of the software allows loads of network-based disk imaging. The tool supports more than half a dozen operating systems including Windows, Mac and Linux. It works even on obscure file systems with the condition that it needs to perform a sector-by-sector scanning rather than using the advanced and efficient compression it uses to back up in a compatible file system. The free version of Clonezilla software is customizable by common users to make it suitable for different needs and situations. It has adequate documentation to support users.

Product Highlights

• Supports a variety of file systems like FAT, NTFS, HFS of Mac operating system and many more.
• Support for Grub – version 1 and version 2
• Support for LVM2 for Linux and GNU
• Ability to store image file on ssh server, local disk, NFS server and samba server.
• The drbl-winroll software is free and can be used for automatically changing the group, host name and SID for duplicated MS windows machine.

Verdict : Powerful package, greater flexibility than the other four products mentioned above, easy to use.

Be it a real-life money shortage or a computer crash, backing up for the unexpected event is always a brilliant idea. And if you have done what you should to restore whatever you have lost, then there is nothing like it. Hope the above restore tools would fulfill your requirements!!

Author Bio:- Sanjay Bojan is an internet analyst, who is keen in observing Broadband providers in UK. Also he enjoys to compare broadband service and their marketing strategies followed in different countries across the globe.