Avanquest Software AutoSave Essentials
AutoSave Essentials is a new commercial backup software developed by Avanquest which can be used to backup important data with minimal user interaction.
That is the biggest selling point of the software. It comes with three predefined backup plans for music, documents and photos, and minimizes the time a user needs to configure the backup software provided that data is stored in those default locations on the Windows system and that data needs to be backed up.
Instead of having to know where photos are stored in, to take the example, you'd simply select photos and let the software do the rest for you.
Additional options are available to save the complete My Documents folder using a backup plan, and to save Web Settings which will essentially save Firefox and Internet Explorer cookies and user data.
Those predefined backup plans are great for inexperienced users who don't feel like configuring a backup software.
Custom backup plans can be added which offer two additional options. The first is to create a backup plan for specific folders, partitions or drives of the computer while the second is a backup plan for specific file extensions. The latter will backup all file extensions of the type on all connected drives.
Configuring those custom backup plans is a breeze compared to other backup solutions on the market, as it does not require that you select paths that you want to back up. You can still select paths on the other hand if you want, but that is no requirement for using the application.
All options can be configured with just a few clicks and are therefore accessible for users of all experience levels.
AutoSave Essentials supports a good range of backup locations. The choice ranges from local hard drives, removable storage devices like USB devices and network / ftp storage.
The backup software will automatically recognize if a selected device is not present during scheduled backups and will start the backup as soon as the device comes online again.
Backups can be scheduled to run once a day, week, month, during system start, continuously or manually only. Continuously monitors the selected files and folders all the time and starts the backup whenever file operations take place.
Each of these operations will take place in the background with virtually no interference with important system processes or other work that takes place at the same time.
Closing Words
The biggest selling point of AutoSave Essentials is the ease of use. Users who store their important data in the My Documents folder can virtually use the application without interaction of the backup destination drive is the correct one.
It works out of the box for those users. Others will have to add backup plans manually but this operating requires minimal user interaction as well.
I have been using Avanquest’s AutoSave since v.2.0.17 for quite some time. BUT, I have come to discover that it is the program that BREAKS Windows Media Player, preventing DVDs from playing and causing the dreaded error box to pop up that says, “Windows Media Player cannot play this DVD because there is a problem with digital copy protection between your DVD drive, decoder, and video card. Try installing an updated driver for your video card.” This happens on every system, XP Pro, VISTA Home Premium, on which prior to installation and immediately AFTER uninstallation of AutoSave, Win Media Player and Media Center worked fine and played off-the-shelf store purchased DVDs. Upon discovery that AutoSave was the cause of the mysterious problem, I contacted Avanquest/Nova Development and have literally spent HOURS going over this with them, sending them screen shots and sysinfo files, before and after installation on BRAND NEW, all different and with only a fresh copy of OS with updates installed on the systems. They CLAIM this is not a problem that they are aware of, but acknowledged only one PC they tested did have the problem. I don’t believe that ONLY ONE system had the problem, as EVERY system I have installed AutoSave on manifested the same problem. They then had me download AutoSave Essentials 3.0 and suggested I try it. IT DID EXACTLY THE SAME THING and immediately broke Win Media Player’s ability to play DVDs in all the systems where it was installed (all new, with both nVidia and ATI graphics cards and with latest drivers). I even did the install in real time with a Manager named Art K on the phone at which time I put a DVD in the drive, let him hear it start up and begin to play, and then installed AutoSave Essentials 3. I then rebooted, and immedely inserted the same DVD. Now it would NOT play, and the error box popped up on the screen. I then immediately uninstalled AutoSave Essentials 3, and now Media Player/Media Center would again play the DVD without any problems.During your test of AutoSave Essentials you no doubt didn’t encounter this that’s because you didn’t expect it to BREAK Media Player and so I would presume that you did not test it that way. May I suggest that you try playing any new, copy protected off-the-shelf DVD prior to installing AutoSave to be sure Win Media Player works, and then with AutoSave Essentials installed on and see if you don’t experience that same problem. If you do, I would say that their refusal to acknowledge the problem or fix it for both AutoSave version 2.0.17 and now their new version AutoSave Essentials 3 should put it on the DO NOT RECOMMEND list. If enough users report the same problem, maybe they will fix the bug!
I need to do a backup /sync my Notebook to two different locations, a Freecom FSG NAS as well as an USB Disk connected to AVM Fritz.box. Both should work via FTP. Have already tried some solutions like ZDBackup and other sync tools, which did not work to my complete satisfaction. I am somewhat late to congratulate you , but nevertheless I would like to congratulate for your third Bday and singup as well if there is a copy of Autosave left.
Thanks so much for the gift, Martin. Your blog is already a huge gift as it is.
It is interesting to discover that Avanquest AutoSave is so similar to Memeo AutoBackup (in design, functionality and UI) that I am left wondering if Avanquest has struck a deal with Memeo or is about to take over that product. The Memeo version can be found here:
http://www.memeo.com/autobackupstd.php
Dan
Many thanks Martin for being a prize winner
& will look forward using it .
I look forward each day to read this blog with my morning cup of tea :)
best regards
A very happy birthday to Ghacks, I would like to use this application to bckaup my data to one of my dusty laptop drive, autmatically. Backups are boring but a necessity so a ”user friendly” apps would be welcome.
Thanks for signing me up and congratulation again for the third B-day.
Hi Martin ,
congrats on the 3 yrs , I would use it to back up my website,after loosing all due to not having offline back up , I learnt the hard way on having to rebuild it , the software that I am using has to run manually [simple data backup],so please consider me, if you would be so kind
Happy 3rd Birthday gHacks! I’ve been looking for a good backup program, I honestly never bothered backing up before and I learned my lesson the hard way. Sign me up!
Happy birthday gHacks ^^
I would love to win a copy Autosave Essentials. I only back up my gigabytes of pictures onto DVD before, and was it painful.
Happy Birthday gHacks! This site rocks. I would also like a copy of the back up software. The USB feature is awesome.
A very happy birthday to you, Martin! Please enter me in your contest… I’m using their (newly taken over) PowerDesk Pro 7 and would love to try out AutoSave.
Dan (whose birthday is 10/5!)
Happy Birthday gHacks!!
Do they make any 64bit versions? If so sign me up! I’d love to give it a try .. desperately need a good backup compatible with VIsta 64.
Is it similar NTI Shadow? Then, I’d like to have a full version, since that is the kind of software I need right now – and paying for NTI Shadow is something I’d rather avoid..
Thank you.