Birmingham -     Backing up your files is important, but it doesn't have to be difficult.

    Some new devices on the market are making it very easy to make safety copies of your music, movies, and photos.

    The ClickFree drive starts an automatic backup process when you plug it into your computer's USB port.  It automatically selects data files, but you can edit what is backed up and what isn't.  ClickFree also makes a USB cable that turns any external hard drive into a ClickFree backup drive.

   Rebit works in a similar way, but you have to supply the hard drive.  The software makes a 'full metal' backup- meaning your entire operating system is backed up, not just the data files.  That way, a crashed computer doesn't mean re-installing the OS then restoring the data.  You can restore everything in one operation.

   A program called GoodSync allows a simple backup operation that works similar to a HotSync on a PDA.  Simply select your source and destination directories, and analyze.  You can check to be sure the files are backing up the way you want, then start the process.  It only shifts the files that have changed since last backup, saving you time.

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