Hard drive backup software has become quite popular since people have begun using their computers as storage places for sensitive and important files. Dragging-and-dropping each file to CD just didn't cut it when Hard Drive sizes began to surpass 20GB.

The solution became using an automatic backup software package. These software tools are created to make the process of backing up files simpler and faster. The software is able to backup files to a blank CD or an external portable hard drive. You'll also be able to backup files to a number of other devices in most cases. 

Options like Norton Ghost and Arconis True Image are popular backup software tools that offer a number of features to secure and restore hard drive contents. I'll explore some of their features below.

Common tools like Norton Ghost and Arconis True Image offer features such as:

1. Backing up and restoring an entire hard drive.
2. Offsite FTP backup.
3. Backup specific files or specific groups of files (e.g. all images or all music files).

The alternative to these software tools for backup is using a site like Carbonite for automatic online back-up of files. In the experience I've had this is a far more secure and convenient option.