Comments on: Clickfree Portable Backup and Transformer Review http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/14/clickfree-portable-backup-and-transformer-review/ Gadget reviews and news by Julie Strietelmeier and friends since 1997 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:23:57 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Lose your Sidekick data? Don’t let the same thing happen to your PC – Clickfree C2 — The Gadgeteer http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/14/clickfree-portable-backup-and-transformer-review/comment-page-1/#comment-46269 Lose your Sidekick data? Don’t let the same thing happen to your PC – Clickfree C2 — The Gadgeteer Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:29:04 +0000 http://the-gadgeteer.com/?p=15265#comment-46269 [...] this year, we reviewed the Clickfree Portable Backup drive. Now they have an even smaller solution with more features. The new Clickfree C2 is a Windows and [...] [...] this year, we reviewed the Clickfree Portable Backup drive. Now they have an even smaller solution with more features. The new Clickfree C2 is a Windows and [...]

]]> By: Backup your PC to your iPhone – Clickfree Transformer — The Gadgeteer http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/14/clickfree-portable-backup-and-transformer-review/comment-page-1/#comment-40544 Backup your PC to your iPhone – Clickfree Transformer — The Gadgeteer Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:01:33 +0000 http://the-gadgeteer.com/?p=15265#comment-40544 [...] makers of the Clickfree Portable Backup System that Bill recently reviewed, is introducing the Transformer for iPhone and [...] [...] makers of the Clickfree Portable Backup System that Bill recently reviewed, is introducing the Transformer for iPhone and [...]

]]> By: Justin http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/14/clickfree-portable-backup-and-transformer-review/comment-page-1/#comment-36391 Justin Thu, 28 May 2009 20:46:23 +0000 http://the-gadgeteer.com/?p=15265#comment-36391 Bill, thanks for the review. Your's and Julie's reviews weighed in on my decision. I purchased a clickfree recently and it works flawlessly on my Vista desktop and laptop. I had it connected and running in no time. I'm not a fan of image backup for some of the reasons expressed in the link Julie posted. The other thing for me is that the programs I installed 6 months ago with a few exceptions, have changed. I'm not concerned about having last year's tax program installed. I am concerned about ensuring I have my personal tax data, my pics and docs and all that other jazz they back up(the stuff that's not replaceable) which clickfree backed up without a problem. Installing the OS and MS Office from the original discs is a small inconvenience should I have a hardware failure. Bill, thanks for the review. Your’s and Julie’s reviews weighed in on my decision. I purchased a clickfree recently and it works flawlessly on my Vista desktop and laptop. I had it connected and running in no time.
I’m not a fan of image backup for some of the reasons expressed in the link Julie posted. The other thing for me is that the programs I installed 6 months ago with a few exceptions, have changed. I’m not concerned about having last year’s tax program installed. I am concerned about ensuring I have my personal tax data, my pics and docs and all that other jazz they back up(the stuff that’s not replaceable) which clickfree backed up without a problem. Installing the OS and MS Office from the original discs is a small inconvenience should I have a hardware failure.

]]> By: Bill http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/14/clickfree-portable-backup-and-transformer-review/comment-page-1/#comment-35771 Bill Thu, 21 May 2009 02:58:41 +0000 http://the-gadgeteer.com/?p=15265#comment-35771 Interesting. I have been using True Image Backup by Acronis and have done an Image Backup on my Dell E521 Desktop and had a disk failure. While waiting for the replacement drive, I took the backup set over to my Toshiba laptop and using the same True Image Backup was able to retrieve my individual files from the Dell backup set so I could continue to use Quicken. Also, I backup up a 40MB laptop on a 30MB USB drive (compression). I have on occasion wiped out individual files and have recovered them from my image backup set. True image allows you to "mount" the backup set and explore, copy and move files as if the volume were another drive. Perhaps other image backup applications have the limitations as called out by clickfree, but I can only speak for what I use day to day. The first thing I do when I get a new system and after all required updates and drivers are installed, is to make an image backup and file it away. That way, when I do corrupt my system I can restore a known working operating system and not spend hours finding driver and application disks that somehow always seem to get lost. My routine from then on is to do a full image backup every six months with differential backups every week. Works for me. I still have files from the 80s. I suppose I developed this approach to data backup while I was Channels Manager at Iomega. It sold a lot of Zip drives :-) Bill Interesting. I have been using True Image Backup by Acronis and have done an Image Backup on my Dell E521 Desktop and had a disk failure. While waiting for the replacement drive, I took the backup set over to my Toshiba laptop and using the same True Image Backup was able to retrieve my individual files from the Dell backup set so I could continue to use Quicken. Also, I backup up a 40MB laptop on a 30MB USB drive (compression).

I have on occasion wiped out individual files and have recovered them from my image backup set. True image allows you to “mount” the backup set and explore, copy and move files as if the volume were another drive.

Perhaps other image backup applications have the limitations as called out by clickfree, but I can only speak for what I use day to day.

The first thing I do when I get a new system and after all required updates and drivers are installed, is to make an image backup and file it away. That way, when I do corrupt my system I can restore a known working operating system and not spend hours finding driver and application disks that somehow always seem to get lost.

My routine from then on is to do a full image backup every six months with differential backups every week. Works for me. I still have files from the 80s. I suppose I developed this approach to data backup while I was Channels Manager at Iomega. It sold a lot of Zip drives :-)

Bill

]]> By: Julie http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/14/clickfree-portable-backup-and-transformer-review/comment-page-1/#comment-35743 Julie Wed, 20 May 2009 18:35:24 +0000 http://the-gadgeteer.com/?p=15265#comment-35743 The folks at ClickFree wanted me to share the differences between full image back ups and file backups: http://www.clickfree.com/reasonforclickfree.php The folks at ClickFree wanted me to share the differences between full image back ups and file backups:

http://www.clickfree.com/reasonforclickfree.php

]]> By: Steve http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/14/clickfree-portable-backup-and-transformer-review/comment-page-1/#comment-35497 Steve Sat, 16 May 2009 14:56:04 +0000 http://the-gadgeteer.com/?p=15265#comment-35497 Bill, Thanks for your comments. When I called Tech Support, they answered quickly, understood my questions without my needed to re-phase and repeat myself, and answered well. In my book this was a very positive experience, so I placed an order for one. As you said, if backup is too difficult, one never gets around to it. If it is easy, it is more likely one will do it regularly. Bill,
Thanks for your comments. When I called Tech Support, they answered quickly, understood my questions without my needed to re-phase and repeat myself, and answered well. In my book this was a very positive experience, so I placed an order for one.

As you said, if backup is too difficult, one never gets around to it. If it is easy, it is more likely one will do it regularly.

]]> By: Bill http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/14/clickfree-portable-backup-and-transformer-review/comment-page-1/#comment-35350 Bill Thu, 14 May 2009 21:53:29 +0000 http://the-gadgeteer.com/?p=15265#comment-35350 >Leon, It's not rocket science, but clickfree does address a market need, those people who are less than computer savy. I applaud them for making it easier to do backups. >Tyler I agree. >Steve, I purposely did NOT call their support group. I approached the review from the perspective of a user targeted by their marketing -- technology challenged. Someone like that isn't going to call with an obscure error message and attempt to fix the problem. They're going to send the item back. Especially since clickfree's infomercial states that the device is as easy to use as a toaster. As mentioned in the review, the device worked flawlessly on XP. What I didn't mention is that I had a technology challenged person actually use the device and they are very satisfied and will be doing backups regularly. It looks like you were able to contact Clickfree, which speaks well for them. And yes, I suppose my Vista system could be corrupt, but in the 2 years I've had it, this is the first error of this type I've encountered. Also, as noted, I does work somewhat. I just have to plug it in twice. Anyway, if it doesn't work with your Vista system, you can always send it back for a refund. Thanks all for your comments. >Leon,

It’s not rocket science, but clickfree does address a market need, those people who are less than computer savy. I applaud them for making it easier to do backups.

>Tyler

I agree.

>Steve,

I purposely did NOT call their support group. I approached the review from the perspective of a user targeted by their marketing — technology challenged. Someone like that isn’t going to call with an obscure error message and attempt to fix the problem. They’re going to send the item back. Especially since clickfree’s infomercial states that the device is as easy to use as a toaster.

As mentioned in the review, the device worked flawlessly on XP. What I didn’t mention is that I had a technology challenged person actually use the device and they are very satisfied and will be doing backups regularly.

It looks like you were able to contact Clickfree, which speaks well for them. And yes, I suppose my Vista system could be corrupt, but in the 2 years I’ve had it, this is the first error of this type I’ve encountered. Also, as noted, I does work somewhat. I just have to plug it in twice. Anyway, if it doesn’t work with your Vista system, you can always send it back for a refund.

Thanks all for your comments.

]]> By: Steve http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/14/clickfree-portable-backup-and-transformer-review/comment-page-1/#comment-35336 Steve Thu, 14 May 2009 13:57:38 +0000 http://the-gadgeteer.com/?p=15265#comment-35336 I called Clickfree to ask about Vista. They said normally there are no issues with Vista, but with millions of computers out there, anything is possible. They suggested perhaps that Vista system is corrupt. I noticed you did not call Clickfree tech support. It would be useful to see how ClickFree tech support handles your issue. I called Clickfree to ask about Vista. They said normally there are no issues with Vista, but with millions of computers out there, anything is possible. They suggested perhaps that Vista system is corrupt. I noticed you did not call Clickfree tech support. It would be useful to see how ClickFree tech support handles your issue.

]]> By: Tyler Puckett http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/14/clickfree-portable-backup-and-transformer-review/comment-page-1/#comment-35330 Tyler Puckett Thu, 14 May 2009 11:49:19 +0000 http://the-gadgeteer.com/?p=15265#comment-35330 It's unconscionable to me that a new device such as this will not work properly on a two year old operating system. It’s unconscionable to me that a new device such as this will not work properly on a two year old operating system.

]]> By: Leon Hunt http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/14/clickfree-portable-backup-and-transformer-review/comment-page-1/#comment-35328 Leon Hunt Thu, 14 May 2009 11:13:22 +0000 http://the-gadgeteer.com/?p=15265#comment-35328 Am I missing a trick here but I have a plain usb drive with a edited autorun.inf file and when I plug it in it autoruns Ntbackup and runs a backup. When I need to restore I plug it catalogue the backup and restore. Am I missing a trick here but I have a plain usb drive with a edited autorun.inf file and when I plug it in it autoruns Ntbackup and runs a backup.

When I need to restore I plug it catalogue the backup and restore.

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