Comodo Group is well known for producing reliable security software. Comodo Backup is their entry into the data backup and recovery industry. It has literally every feature that you’d expect in top notch backup software. And the best part is it’s free. Unfortunately, the system recovery doesn’t work from USB drives.
Pros
- Free
- One-click system backup
- Lots of options
Cons
- Buggy system recovery
- Needs add-on software to accomplish simple tasks
The Bottom Line
Comodo Backup has a lot of potential, but until the bugs are worked out I can’t recommend it.
Installation
The installation of Comodo Backup is fairly easy. You just have to select your language, accept the license agreement, and choose where to install. The installer will also activate a free lifetime license. The computer will need to be restarted to complete the installation.
Backing Up
Finally, a true one-click backup solution.
Upon clicking “System Backup”, Comodo will analyze your attached drives, and automatically back up your entire system! Not even True Image is that easy.
If you just want to back up files and folders, Comodo Backup can do that too. It also supports backing up registry entries, email accounts, and even IM conversations.
Unfortunately, Comodo Backup needs add-on programs to accomplish simple tasks. Want personal tech support? You’ll need Comodo’s Geek Buddy software. Want to create rescue media? You’ll need Windows Automated Installation Kit.
Microsoft states “To install the Windows AIK, you must first download the ISO, Write the ISO file to a DVD using a third party tool, and then install the Windows AIK from the DVD.” That’s a lot of work!
Restoring
The good news is that once you create rescue media, you won’t have to do it again. You’ll only need this in case your entire system crashes and you can’t boot.
I was unfortunately unable to do a system restore due to the error “volume(C:) is busy or access denied and could not be locked.” I tried using both a recovery DVD and the desktop software, but it just didn’t work. I even tried to schedule a restore at the next boot, but it can only restore from an internal drive (I was using a USB drive).
If you just want to restore a file or two, you’ll need to mount the existing backup as a drive (under Manage > Mount existing backup). You can then copy files and folders from the mounted drive.
Features
Comodo Cloud
Comodo Cloud is an online file storage service. You can backup your files to this secure storage and even mount it as a drive. The best part? It comes with 5GB free and is completely integrated into Comodo Backup.
Full System Backup
Comodo will backup your entire hard drive, boot record and all.
Incremental Backups
Incremental will back up only the changes since the last backup, saving you precious hard drive space.
Windows Explorer Integration
If you want to, you can right click on files you want to back up right from Windows Explorer.
Profiles
Backup just your browser data? Just your email? Or maybe you only care about your music? Comodo Backup has pre-made, one click profiles for many common backup tasks.
Support
The manual is quite extensive. Comodo Backup has a lot of features, and it goes over each one in great detail. Paid support is provided through Geek Buddy, a $50/year service that Comodo created. They will try to fix any computer problem (not just for their products) using remote desktop and your internet connection. There are no limits on how often you can use your Geek Buddy.
Specifications | |
Product Name | Comodo Backup |
Version | 4.1.4.0 |
License | Freeware |
Price | Free |
Operating Systems | Window |
Backup Types | |
Files and Folders | |
Full Disk Image | |
Incremental | |
Differential | |
Backup Destinations | |
Hard Drive | |
Removable Media | |
Network Shares | |
Blu-ray | |
CD/DVD | |
FTP | |
SFTP | |
Online Storage | |
Features | |
Compression | |
Encryption | |
Email Notifications | |
Error Handling | |
File Versioning | |
Priority Setting | |
Scheduling | |
Speed Limiting | |
Synchronization |