In general, on our computer we tend to store all kinds of important information, both for work and personal information. That is why it is important to make backup copies on our Windows computer to avoid that any problem could lead to the loss of our most precious files. To avoid this, we can choose to install software such as MiniTool ShadowMaker , with which we can manage our backups.
Many users do not see the need to back up their equipment, so they are exposed to any failure of a mechanical or hardware origin or the contagion of any virus that could mean their loss forever. That is why making backup copies is currently essential, being the best way to safeguard our personal data, as well as the most important files.
Keep your data safe with MiniTool ShadowMaker
MiniTool ShadowMaker, is a free system for file backup and restoration, disk cloning, file synchronization. With this tool we can make partitions of a hard disk and restore them if necessary. This powerful software has support for exFAT, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS and Ext2 / 3/4 file systems. It also allows us to store our backups on HDDs, SSDs, external USB hard drives, hardware RAID, and Network Attached Storage (NAS).
With this application we will be able to solve the most common problems such as cloning a Windows 7 hard drive, repairing Windows 10, restoring to a previous version of Windows, creating a Windows 10 recovery drive or cloning an HDD to a smaller SSD.
Main features
- Backs up an entire hard drive, partition, or entire system.
- You can clone hard drives.
- Supports the creation of WinPE, to restore the system to a previous state.
- We can choose three types of security: complete, differential or incremental.
- Lets you schedule backups to run automatically.
- Graphically displays the space taken by the backup on the hard drive.
Create and restore backups
Once we run MiniTool ShadowMaker, its main menu will appear, with a completely English interface, which can make it difficult for some users to use. The menu is well organized, in a simple way, with the toolbar located at the top with all the available functions.
Backup
From here we can make a backup of individual files and folders, system and hard drives. From here we can select the hard disk that we want to make the backup, as well as select the destination where we are going to save the copy. At the bottom we have an Options button, from which we can make some adjustments.
Here we can choose whether to make a backup only for the sectors used by the file system, so that it reduces the file size of the copy image, or to make a sector-by-sector copy, so that an exact copy is made of the partition.
Sync
With MiniTool ShadowMaker we will have a file backup system through synchronization . It is a feature to be able to back up files for free, which allows them to be synchronized with another location that we choose to keep them safe.
From the Options section we can choose the Comparison and Filter options. Comparing the content of the file will increase the time of the backup and we will have to choose at least one, such as the type, size or content of the file. From the Filters section, we can establish exclusion conditions to filter files from the backup.
Restore
From here we can restore any backup we have previously made. For this we will only have to click on Add Backup to select the copy from the location where it is stored and proceed to its recovery immediately.
Manage
From this section we can select to turn off the computer once all the backup tasks in progress have finished. It is a good option for when we want to leave and leave the backup. In this way we make sure that the computer does not stay on longer than necessary and once it is finished making the backup, it automatically turns off.
Logs
From this section of Registration, we can examine all the tasks that we have carried out in a period of time. Here it will show us the name of the task, its start time, its end time, and the time used. It also has a search option to search for a specific task.
Download MiniTool ShadowMaker
MiniTool ShadowMaker has a free version, compatible with Windows 10/8/7 and that we can download from its website. Installation is quick and at no time do you try to install secondary software as an advertisement. The latest version available is 3.2, which dates from October 28, 2019, so it has good support from the developer.
The application also has a Pro version, for professionals, which requires paying to use its license. Its starting price starts at $ 29 a year, which will increase depending on the number of computers on which we want to install the application.
Alternatives to MiniTool ShadowMaker
If you are looking for a program with which to make backup and backup copies of your most precious files, one presents a couple of alternatives to MiniTool ShadowMaker:
AOMEI Backupper
It is a tool for backing up and restoring our system, hard disk, partition, files and folders, as well as synchronizing files and folders. Copies can be automatic, complete, incremental or by sector. It has a completely free and functional version that we can download from its website . Additionally, it has two paid versions with more advanced features.
DriverBackup!
It is a free, fast and easy-to-use application to perform all kinds of backup , restoration and removal of our drivers installed on the system. It does not require installation, being able to make copies of the drivers without having to be connected to the Internet and compatible with 64-bit systems. We can download it for free from its official page.