SuperDuper is one of the best among all the tools meant for system recovery. It has the ability to make a completely bootable back up. Isn’t that great? It’s not just great but is effortless. It works fabulously on Mac machines as well as those having Intel processors. In case your system is just not working even after installing the latest updates, then SuperDuper will come in handy. It makes a copy of the entire system, making it easier for the system to recover, as all important files have been saved by the software. It’s easy to understand because of the friendly user interface.

The Ultimate Boot CD is another system recovery software in which you can use diagnostic tools from your CD drives. Only one bootable CD can be used for consolidating all the diagnostic tools. It can be downloaded free of cost. There are many tools included in the ultimate boot CD and some of them are peripheral tools, tools to store CPU and system information. It has tools for BIOS, hard disk, partition, and many more.

KNOPPIX is a CD which is bootable from your system and has GNU/Linux software. It can detect the system hardware on its own. It is compatible with most of the hardware used in a system, such as the sound cards, USB and most of the other devices. No installation is required on the system as it is independent of the system on which it is plugged in to boot. Its free version is of 700mb and it is an open source CD meant for Linux OS.

System Information for Windows is one such tool which saves every information of your PC, this includes all the settings. It goes a step further to display the information in a readable manner, which makes it very easy to understand and follow. It can present and save a .txt or an html file and can be run for inventory tracking. It is a portable tool. It can be run on Windows 7 / Vista / Windows XP and many other clients while the Windows server 2008 and Windows server 2003 are servers which are compatible with it.

2BrightSparks SyncBackSE provides a strong back up option. It takes you through a set up wizard and you can start taking back up of all the important data. You can take a back even when the file is in use. The basic version of SyncBackSE is free of cost, the next level costs about $30 and the professional version costs about $50. The professional version adds the encryption option and advanced customization.

The next one inline is the EMC Dantz Retrospect Professional Backup Software. This is excellent for small businesses. This is because of the ease of setting it up and operating. LAN consisting of 2-3 computers can go well with this software. Automatic back up and automatic recovery of files are some of the best features of EMC Dantz Retrospect Professional.

Norton Ghost Backup Software is the third one whose professional version costs $69.99. The best feature of this software is the automatic management of memory. It checks whether there’s free space for the back ups and acts accordingly. The back up schedule can be set up as per your requirement. Another advantage of this software is that back up of images can be taken without starting the system again. It even has incremental back ups which can save a considerable amount of time.

Acronis True Image Backup Software is another such software which is meant for back up as well as disaster recovery. It is basically made keeping in mind the requirement of a stand alone PC for home users. The restoring process in this is extremely quick and easy to do as it is saved in the form of an image. If you click on this image, you can restore the entire data stored earlier.

The last one is the BounceBack Professional Backup Software. This creates an accurate copy of all the files on you PC and enables easy access to the files. It is also one of those rare software which work well with Macintosh systems.

It is always a good idea to have a back up software installed on your PC, at least the basic one if not the professional version. This ensures convenient back ups and no loss of data.

A CD or DVD works best for personal data such as photographs and videos. They are also ideal for storing presentations, documents and other small size data required in the office. An office PC is in use at all times, mostly throughout the day thus more prone to crash. Thus, it is important that even minor, seemingly unimportant data is backed up in case it is required later. Such data can be easily stored on rewritable CD or DVD and deleted when it is not likely to be used again.

Flash drives work best for office use, the best part being they can be kept safely in your pocket. It is also simpler to use compared to CD or DVD as it acts as a regular drive where all you need to do is copy and paste the data to be backed up. There is no need of software to burn the data. The drawback is that it is prone to virus attack, especially those meant to attack USB drives. It is important that your format and scan the drive before saving any sensitive data.

Apart from this, you can also back up your precious data online using FTP. Though security of the data may seem like a problem, most FTP sites are secure and also back up the data again on DVD. This is the best option when you don’t have very large data but nevertheless it is important.

Though saving your data on another media is the best option, you must also keep a copy of important data on your hard drive. For instance, if you save pictures in the C drive, which is the system drive, you must take a back up on D drive. This works best in case the system crashes wiping off your C drive, however your data remains safe in the D drive.

The type of back up used depends entirely on your requirement. In case you have a small or medium sized business you can always buy storage devices or space on the internet to back up your data.

We generally go on installing free software such as PC cleaners, antivirus, games etc without realizing that we are no longer using it. Does this seem familiar to you? Check your PC regularly for software which is just lying about not in use for ages. Chances are it is occupying a large amount of space, which can be used to boost performance of your PC.

The next thing to do is regularly check and delete temporary files. Every time you go on the internet or open documents, the operating system creates a temporary file. However, at times it does not get deleted even when you close the application you were working on. This leads to a large amount of space being occupied by data which is no longer needed by the system. You can delete temporary files either manually or using system tools.

One of the best ways of ensuring that your computer runs smoothly is to install good antivirus software and make sure that it is updated regularly. Whether you install a free or paid version, it is important that regular updates are available. Most paid versions of antivirus software have live update facility, so the virus database is updated automatically when you connect to the internet. However, in case you have a free version installed always check and download the latest updates available on their website.

Another good habit is to clean up your PC on regular intervals. This is not to include junk or temporary files, but data created by you. Are there old pictures or documents no longer needed by you lying on your system? They are simply occupying space and hindering the performance of your PC.

The last point is to never experiment with your system. It might look very tempting to try on some things on your own rather than consulting an expert. However, it is best to leave the technicalities to someone who has complete knowledge of the system. You may always attempt to learn to take care of your PC on your own; however make sure you gain enough knowledge before you indulge in activities such as cleaning the registry or formatting the C drive.

The best way to tackle this issue is check where the problem lies, rather than upgrading the memory every time you run out of it. Running disk clean up regularly helps remove temporary files of all types. This is also easier as you need not physically hunt down each and every file and delete it. A disk cleaner automatically searches for such files, where all you need to do is give permission to delete them.

The next thing is to delete unnecessary files downloaded by you. Did you download some pictures or clips for a report or presentation? Small files of 1-100 kb may not look very conspicuous pleasantly sitting on your system; however they often occupy a large amount of space without you ever realizing it. It is best to delete such files once your report or presentation is over. You would only know the memory that was occupied once these files have been removed.

Next remove the files that you no longer need. Have you seen that 500 GB movie? Then remove it, as you are probably not likely to see it again for a while. Also, if these movies or games are available on a DVD with you, there is no need to save it on your system. Removing such files would free up a lot of space without you ever needing to upgrade it.

Remove all the cookies from your system. Cookies tend to occupy a lot of memory, even when not in use. Cookie is nothing but a small text file containing website information stored by a browser on your system, which is used for several purposes such as session tracking, authentication and so on. However, most of this information is not mandatory, as you would be allowed to browse even if the cookie for that website no longer exists. Thus, removing cookies will not harm your system, but only release some precious memory.

Following these tips would definitely help you free up some memory. It is important that these tasks are performed regularly, so you never run out of memory.

The first thing you must check is the specifications required to install the software. This is because an older version of the software, though cheaper, may not work with your system, especially if you have bought it recently. Though most companies release newer versions every year, you must nevertheless check the specifications to avoid compatibility issues. For instance, if you have a PC with Windows 7, the software versions 2008 or even 2009 may not work with the OS.

The next thing you must check is the type of virus database update available. Most paid versions provide live updates via the internet. In case you don’t have continuous access to internet you can also download the updates and install it on your system. Make sure both these options are available with the software you get. You must also check how often the virus database is updated. With newer viruses being released almost every day, one cannot be too careful. Some software update their database everyday, while other provide weekly updates. This entirely depends on your requirement and sensitivity of data on your PC. For instance, in case you use your system for business purposes, it is best to get software that provides updates on daily basis.

Apart from this, you must check if the software can be scheduled to scan the system and if idle scan facility is available. More often a virus sits on your system causing damage which may not be very evident, where you come to know of it only when your system has crashed. Idle scan ensures that your system is scanned for virus even when it is not in use.

The last thing you must check is ease of upgrading and compatibility with common OS in use. If you have bought the latest version, chances are the next upgrade will be available a year later. However you must check if the version you have bought works on different platforms and is flexible enough to work on all common OS.

In the virus database method every file coming from another source such as portable storage device or the internet is checked against a database. In case it is found on the database, you are alerted. The software takes action on the file, these including removing the file from the system, putting in quarantine or try to repair the file. The first attempt being trying to repair the file in case it is detected to be infected rather that being the virus itself. In case it cannot be repaired it is quarantined so it cannot duplicate itself or infect similar files. A file is completely deleted if it has been established as a virus beyond any doubt. This method requires regular updates of the database, so that the PC is safe from latest threats. The main drawback of the system is that it is generally not able to detect a virus which has modified itself, thus still wandering about in your system.

In suspicious behavior method the software monitors the functioning of the computer and notes abnormal behavior. For instance, in case a program attempts to change an executable file, the process is noted and you are given an alert, along with actions to be taken. This is a better method compared to virus database, as it alerts the user of a new virus, much before it is updated in the dictionary. However, the drawback is that, even small changes such as normal software upgrades are detected as suspicious behavior, causing unnecessary alerts. This leads to the user ignoring the alerts after some time, thus relying more on the virus database method.

Another method of detecting virus similar to suspicious behavior is the file emulation method. In this method the suspected file is run in a virtual operating system, prompting it to work the way it would when executed in normal OS. In case it shows some abnormal behavior such as modifying code or trying to duplicate itself, it is deleted or quarantined.

A freeware is free for download and distribute. Often the software is owned by an individual and not by any company or organization. The source code of the software is not revealed, however it can be used by one and all. These are generally trial software created by newbies or professionals trying their hands on something new. Such software may be experimental, where its success in performing the task it is supposed to perform is not guaranteed by the creator. In most cases the software are good and occupy very less space. Common freeware software include music players, small games, photo viewers etc.

A shareware is similar to freeware in that it is free for download. However, it comes with a trial period, where you must buy the software in case you want to use it further. Not all shareware are available as trial, some are full versions however some features of the software are disabled, and are made available only when you buy the software. Shareware too can be distributed freely, and source code is not available to the user. Thus, shareware is more of a sample program, where full version is made available once you pay for it.

Open source software sound very similar to freeware. The difference is that the source code of the software is available to users and software developers. The software may or may not be associated with a company; however it comes with support, documentations as well as services, almost like paid software. Such software help developers collaborate with each other and make improvements and enhance features of the software. This also helps normal users, as they get upgrades of free software, without purchasing it. Whether you download these files for personal use or for programming purposes, it is best to check the terms and conditions given by the owner.