If you have ever lost an important file then it's unlikely that you are asking this question. When I say "lost a file" this could be due to :-
Media failure - e.g. a hard disk error
Operating System error - e.g. windows crash
Accidental deletion
Accidental overwrite
Any of the above situations can cause days, months or even years of lots information. In order to protect yourself against the above you can use Clone to ensure you have a backup of all your important data. You can even configure Clone to
keep old versions of your files, so should you accidentally overwrite your file you can go back to the last "good" copy.
You can use Clone to backup as many files and folders as you like. This will ensure that all your data is backed up. Clone
can be configured to run at frequent intervals, e.g. every 15 minutes so all your data is secure, all the time! If you are not sure where your files
are held in order to configure Clone then locating my important files? should help.
Why Clone and not another backup utility?
If any of the following statements apply to you then you should seriously consider Clone :-
I want to protect my files against media / hard disk failure and accidental deletion.
I want an easy to use utility to backup my important files.
I want to backup files to one of the following :-
Another directory on my hard disk.
A second hard disk.
A CD-RW drive.
A DVD-RW / DVD+RW drive.
A network file server.
A UNC patch eg. : \\NTserver1\backupdisk\user1
Multiple locations e.g. the same file can be copied to all of the above at once.
From one computer to another.
From my laptop to my desktop and vica-versa.
I want an utility to synchronise files in two directories, e.g. :- laptop <--> desktop.
I want to keep historical copies of files that I can go back to later if required.
I want a utility to schedule backups or carry out backups at frequent intervals.
I would like my files backed up when my screen saver runs.
I want to know how my backups have progressed.
I want to run my backup utility from the system tray.
I want to use a utility where I can get 1st class support from the software author.
No other backup utility offers all the features of Clone in one package for such a reasonable cost. If you still aren't convinced then download Clone and
try it out free of charge for 30 days.
What Operating System will Clone run on?
Clone should run on all versions of Windows that support the .NET 3.5 framework. Including Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.
How do I get a copy of Clone?
Go to the download page . You can get a fully functional copy of Clone that will allow you 30 days to evaluate the product.
How much does Clone Cost
You can use Clone free for 30 days. If you decide the program is useful and you would like to continue to use it then you must register.
For costs refer to Clone Costs .
What’s the current version of Clone?
Version 3.0.0. This was released in March 2010. The original version of Clone dates back 10 years.
How can I keep informed of new changes to Clone?
Drop me an email and I’ll add you to my distribution list.
What's the best hardware configuration for Clone
Clone can be utilised in several different hardware configurations in order to ensure that your files are kept safe at all times. The ideal configuration for Clone depends on the hardware at
your disposal. In order to prevent file loss due to media failure, which is the most likely cause of data loss, you need to use Clone to copy files to a different
physical device / media. Some of the most commonly used hardware setups of Clone are described below.
File Server : If you are in an office environment then it's likely that you have access to a file-server. If a directory on the server is owned by you then
you can setup Clone to copy files to the server. This configuration is the safest because it ensures that even a major incident, such as your computer being stolen (or catching fire?) your files are still safe since they are in a different location to your PC (even if the server is in the same office). If you cannot map a drive to the file server you can use a UNC path such as :-
\\NTserver1\backupdisk\user1. Click here for a detailed example of how to map a windows directory to a network file server.
Hard Disk : If your computer has 2 hard disk drives or you have access to a portable / external hard disk drive then you can configure Clone to copy files to the 2nd hard disk. In order
to protect yourself from hard disk failure you can copy files from one disk to another and vica versa, e.g. source :- c:\my documents destination d:\backup
CR-RW / DVD-RW : If your computer has a writable CD or DVD drive you can configure Clone to copy files to it. This will protect your files from hard
disk failure e.g. source :- c:\my documents destination :- e:\backup
USB device : If you have a USB storage device and it is big enough to hold your backup files you can configure Clone to copy files to it. This will protect your files from hard
disk failure e.g. source :- c:\my documents destination :- h:\backup
How do I find the Location of my important files?
The table below gives examples of where you might find files that you want Clone to backup. You will not necessarily find the files in exactly the same location
on your PC but the examples should point you in the right direction. If you want to backup a specific type of file and you are having difficulty locating it on your hard disk
drop me an email and I'll try to help.
Product / files
How to find location
Example (Windows XP)
Microsoft Outlook Express
From the Outlook Express menu select Tools | Options | Maintenance and click the StoreFolder button. You see a dialog with the name of the directory that has your mail files. If you look in that directory you find files named after your mail folders and news groups. They all have a .DBX suffix. Outlook Express keeps all messages in these database files.
D:\Documents and Settings\Tim Newton\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{F4A50882-5517-4D49-A21A-C59C3BE134F9}\Microsoft\Outlook Express
Microsoft Outlook
From the Outlook menu select View | Folder List (this option may already be chosen). Right click on the top level directory in your folder list, choose Properties | Advanced. The Name of the file is show in the Path box.
D:\Documents and Settings\Tim Newton\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\outlook.pst
Documents, e.g. Word / Excel
By default these would normally be stored in "My Documents".
C:\Documents and Settings\Tim Newton\My Documents
How can I recover / restore lost files?
Clone makes it easy to recover files that have been lost from your source directory. Simply change the synchronisation mode from "source --> destination" to "destination --> source". As well as using Clone to recover your files you may choose to use windows explorer to copy files from your destination directory.
How Do I copy a file to multiple locations?
You may want to backup a file or set of files to more than one destination. This is easy to achieve by creating a set on this screen for each
destination directory you have.
Can Clone backup my entire system?
Clone is a file backup utility rather than hard disk imaging software. If you specify that you want your c:\ drive copied in it entirety to the d:\ drive then Clone will
copy every file it can onto the d:\ drive. However files that are permanently held open by windows such as the registry file will not be copied. If you want a utility to
make a mirror image of you hard disk you should consider a product such as Norton Ghost .
How can I get support for Clone?
I provide email based support. I make every effort to respond to support requests the same working day. Please check this FAQ before sending a request for support.
I want to thank you for Clone which has saved all my files for me. I had used Clone to backup all my files to a second hard drive just before the C drive failed so I have been able to get them all back.
I ordered Clone this morning ! I love it and won’t be able to live without it !!!!! I finally got around to using it with my CD writer last night and I didn’t have any problems (as I expected !). It works perfectly and saves so much time !