Latest Product Reviews

Product reviews > Software > Other Software

Norton Save & Restore 2.0
Price: £39.99 inc VAT

Features
Performance
Ease of use
Value for money
Overall

Reviewed By: Andy Shaw

This review updated: 07/06/2007
Featured in magazine:
Issue 163
Manufacturer Contacts:
Supplier: Symantec
Tel: 0870 243 1080
Web Address: www.symantec.co.uk


Best Price:
We're getting better at keeping our computers clear of viruses and spyware, yet we still have a block when it comes to backing up. To be fair, it's hardly the most exciting of activities, but the trouble with not backing up is that it won't be the boring things that are lost when your computer breaks – it's the irreplaceable digital photos and downloaded music that will be gone. The second version of Symantec's Norton Save & Restore software is here to help take some of the pain out of backing up.

Features
If you've got a CD or DVD writer, or some form of extra hard disk, you'll be able to run a back-up with Save & Restore. Hard disks are recommended, since regular, sequential backups can be set to happen automatically, without the added hassle of loading discs. What this is sorely missing is an internet option that lets you store key files online, so that even if something horrible happens to your back-up discs as well as your computer (like fire or theft), you've still got files stored elsewhere.

Performance
The software creates back-ups on the media of your choice, but you'll need to use the software again to retrieve them, as they're created as Save & Restore archives, so you can't simply see the files on the disk. The program is quick and efficient, and you can choose whether to back up your entire system or, to save time, just certain files. However, having experienced the delights of Norton 360's slick interface, the old-fashioned look of Save & Restore is hard on the eye.

Ease of use
It's simple to set up scheduling, as long as you're happy to run weekly or daily back-ups as there are no fortnightly or monthly options (you may be asking for trouble if you leave it this long anyway). You can also set up triggers for back-up, such as when a certain event happens, like a program is installed or run. You
may need to buy more gear to get the most out of this though – backing up onto an external hard disk is fine but opting to use writeable DVDs is still a disc-swapping chore.

Value for money
The price of Norton Save & Restore has actually gone up since version 1.0, which we thought was a bit steep even then. Although it's more sophisticated than free back-up programs available with Windows or other third parties, it isn't that much better. You could also get back-up as part of your security suite if you decide to go down this route – Norton 360, for example, includes the online back-up missing from this product alongside the usual firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware protection, for just £20 more.

More Other Software reviews:

• So Protect Me Blocker 2008
• Acronis True Image 11 Home
• OpenOffice.org
• Google Docs
• IBM Lotus Symphony