January 14, 2008 8:05 AM PST

Back up your PC for $2.99 (after rebates)

(Credit: Symantec)

Are you making regular backups of your PC? Please, don't lie--it just embarrasses both of us. Don't tell me it's because you don't know how or you can't afford pricey backup software. Excuses don't pay the rent (or restore your data).

Buy.com has Norton Save & Restore 2.0, by all accounts a solid backup utility, for a mere $2.99 (shipped!) after a pair of mail-in rebates. Granted, one of them is a competitive upgrade, but just about any utility software qualifies: antivirus, antispam, firewall. You supply the proof of purchase (confirmation e-mail, a page from the manual, or even the CD itself), and Norton supplies the $20.

Save & Restore 2.0 can back up your entire hard drive or selected files and folders. It can also round up specific file types, like digital photos and MP3s. Computer Shopper rated it 7.0 (out of 10), the biggest knock being the price. That's hardly an issue now, right? Do yourself a favor and make regular backups, because hard-drive disaster isn't a matter of if, but when.

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Add a Comment (Log in or register) 8 comments
by mhelshou January 14, 2008 9:44 AM PST
Beware you need to own a Symantec product to get the $20 rebate
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by DatabaseDoctor January 14, 2008 10:41 AM PST
Skip the mail in rebate scams and install mozy.com. Free backup offsite and optionally encrypted (don't lose the encryption key). FREE :) More space is at reasonable price. Wonderful tool.
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by nortonsmorton January 14, 2008 10:56 AM PST
wow, what a great deal. i pay 2.99 and they give me 20.00 back. i can't wait to get this on my linux box. thanks for the fantastic advice rick broida.
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by dovsug January 15, 2008 11:35 AM PST
Why pay anything when you can have absolutely free unlimited online backup with Zoogmo? Check it out at www.zoogmo.com.
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by dovsug January 15, 2008 11:35 AM PST
Why pay anything when you can have absolutely free unlimited online backup with Zoogmo? Check it out at www.zoogmo.com.
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by GadgetConsumer April 19, 2008 8:41 AM PDT
BEWARE of BUY.COM promos. They are currently taking $50 off on a $51 purchase when signing up for a RevolutionCard account. They don't mention that all sales are final when using a coupon. They gave me a return authorization for an unopened product. Buy.com confirmed that they received the product back, and promised a refund to my credit card within 7 business days. 3 weeks later, they said "no refunds" and won't even send the unopened product back to me.

If they aren't going to follow their own refund policy, they need to give the merchandise back to the buyer. BUY.com is obviously getting some kind of financial benefit from RevolutionCard. At the very least, they should send back the item to me, and not just keep it, re-sell it, and double their profit. As of this writing, there are over 600 consumer complaints logged with the Better Business Bureau regarding Buy.com?s handling of refunds. Buyers beware!
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About The Cheapskate

The best things in tech are cheap. "The Cheapskate" scours the Web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets, and all the other tech stuff that makes life worth living. Send your own cheapskate tips to thecheapskate@gmail.com. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.

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