Customer Reviews

AlohaBob PC Backup

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

1) PC Backup doesn't recognize my External Harddrive connected through a USB 2.0 port, under Windows XP Professional, even after a re-boot. I have to Browse and point to it each time the software starts up.

2) It cannot run an incremental back-up on demand. Instead, an incremental back-up must be scheduled.

3) It is slower than Backup which comes free with Windows XP.

If you are dissatisfied with Windows XP's Backup, and don't find the features mentioned in the reviews above compelling, I recommend to continue searching for something better.

All I wanted was a way to identify some files, remember which ones so every time I wanted to backup, I would press "go" and the backup would start. AlohaBob was too "smart" for my use. First, it has this intelligent file finder that finds what is likely to be backed up. I indicate that I want to select my own files (which it lets me think I can do). Then thinking it would bring me to browser window -- no, no, no...it still needs to waste time doing its indexing as if I had selected the "smart find". I then manually select my files (great!!). In trying to save the "template" of what files I wanted to backup, it requires that I make it a reoccurring backup with selected backup frequency (YUK!!). I want to back up when I get to it (about once a month, not when it wants to -- I am backing up to a DVD which I need to put in the drive). OK, so now I am over that and the backup begins - GREAT!!! Upon returning into the application a month later, I can not select my saved "template" to "run now", it will run when it is scheduled to run :( So...I need to repeat the whole process just to get the same files as last time backed up. I exchanged emails with the company and they understood but were not going to "add" the features I described. Oh well - it looked like such a promising product. Now I need to find another that satisfies my requirements.

I really dislike this software. I'm the type that likes to customize everything and this program just is not made that way. First, when you initially select files and folders, your disk choices are "C:" or "ALL". I have several disks and I want to pick and choose, but this program makes that really difficult. Then you have to pick a destination where the files will be backed up. Choose carefully, because you won't be allowed to change it later! And if you want to do incremental backups, be sure to schedule it before you do the initial save, because you can't do it later. Basically the entire job, future backups and all, must be defined completly at the beginning and can never be changed without completely starting over.

I trusted that this software would do what it claimed to do and was so let down by its lack of performance that I am dumbfounded and left speechless. During backup process I selected about 15GB of info to backup, spanning 4 DVDs. Everything looked fine, except for TWO (2) simple errors that I received, indicating that those related files may not have been copied/backed up properly. I figured no big deal, 2 files/errors out 15GB, I could handle that. Based upon the false pretenses that my critical info was backed up properly (simple pictures, videos, mp3 files and Financial Files to include previous years tax files), I then proceeded to slick my drive. Remember, only 2 simple, benign and almost inconspicuous errors during the backup process. Everything looked great.

During the restore process, I then received numerous errors, each of them requiring me to click 'Yes' when asked if I wanted to proceed. I got tired of clicking Yes around the 100 or so mark and decided to click no. When you click 'no', EVERYTHING is undone; there is no 'ignore all' function so I had to sit through every prompt and got tired of it and decided that proceeding with 1000 files and answering yes would involve too much pain for me. I then selected a smaller group of files to have restored, only the 'My Documents' folder but ran into the same situation. Eventually I ran a test on a small folder to have restored and still ran into the errors but pressed through. Hardly any of the files were received error free and those that had issues were never restored. My guess is approximately 2/3 or 3/4 of my files were not restored and of course none that really mattered made it.

I had the latest update applied to the program, so that should not be the cause. I would have done better to slick my entire hard drive without going through the backup process as I would have been at nearly the same place but without experiencing all the headaches, frustrations and an investment of hours, no DAYS of my time.

The program has been recently purchased by Microsoft for inclusion in the Vista OS, I imagine. It will do well as a Microsoft product, as it fails to deliver upon its promises.

This is a good package for backing up your PC. Fairly intuitive, although it took me a couple tries to figure out what the software was doing so I could select the right stuff to backup. It uses good compression to minimize the amount of disk for your backup. The downside of that is you can't just select a file to restore, you must go through the restore process. You can select a single file, but it takes a bit of time. Runs automatically and unobtrusively so it won't interfere with your current work.

That's a great product. I strongly recommend without hesitation. I had saved all of my data when my laptop was stolen. Easy to use and easy to restore data. Only I had a problem with e-mail restoration. Still I am glad I have bought this product.

Wow, I've used a few backup products, but this one is just awesome. it's very simple to use, and has a lot of cool features that I've never seen in a backup program before. The "smart rank" stuff that ranks your files is great, it found some important documents on my machine that i had totally forgot I even had. It almost seems like they thought of everything to make backing up simple, I definitely recommend this product to anyone that needs to do a backup, i've never had such a simple time backing up my computer!!!

If you want to throw away your money, just send it to me. I'll waste it on junk food - and you'll get just as much for your money.

I'm running XP - but this program refuses to load - and won't load from the start prompt, despite the supplied directions.

So, I've got nothing, right? Next step oughta be their website for a little support, right? Forget it. It's a shell with absolutely nobody sitting in any office anywhere - except maybe a cashier counting your money.

This text clip from the AlohaBob site really says it all: "This site has been disabled for the time being." Oh - plus their "speak to a live person" chat deal for those looking for help doesn't work - in either IE or Firefox (so there is no support).

Do not throw away your money on this dead end, rip off product.

This is unbelievable---it can tell the importance of the stuff on my PC. And I also can set a Weekly Backup task on my PC. This is fantastic.
It is so straigh forward and easy to use. I will definately recommend this product to everyone I know.

Well done, Alohabob!!!!

buy this, it is the best program you can invest your money in. it runs superefficient, and is well worth the value.