CoolMax 3.5" Xtreme Files (F1-B) 80GB Backup Drive

Conclusions:

For the most part, the Xtreme Files F1-B backup drive is very user friendly, processes are simplified to just 3 buttons on the unit. Backup and Restore procedures are also very fast thanks to the USB 2.0 interface. The drive is available in retail stores, and comes in 3 sizes: 80GB, 160GB, and 250GB. The OS Backup makes a complete image of the hard drive data, saving countless hours of re-installing and configuring software, and copying data files, should you have a hard drive or OS failure.

However, this unit is not without its minor quirks. The software is very simple to use, which in itself is somewhat a flaw. As mentioned before, by default the Data Backup excludes 38 file extensions, which can prevent the user from doing a proper backup; this can be overcome by manually editing the exclusion files in the program files folder. Also the Data Backup (not to be confused with the OS Backup) does not compress the files as they are copied, however this too can be remedied by simply using the built-in windows compression (which is transparent to the user and programs). Lastly I think the OS Backup could be tweaked some to allow the user more control. These 3 issues can easily be addressed by a future software update, and don't have a huge impact on the overall operation of the backup drive.

While this unit is only meant to operate the backup functions within Windows 2000/XP, you can still use it as a regular storage device with other operating systems like Linux or Mac OS X.

Bottom line, this product gets the job done, and is easy enough to use even for the most novice user. The software could use some enhancements, which hopefully will be released in future versions of the software.