Abstract: A user's home computer is backed up over the Internet or other network to a host computer site to create a virtual copy of the home computer at the host computer site. The user can then access the virtual copy over the Internet or other network using a remote access client computer, which can be any computer having a Web browser and a compatible remote computing protocol. In response to user commands from the remote access client, the host computer executes the applications of the virtual copy of the home computer and returns the results to the remote access client, with the user thus controlling the host as though the user were operating the home computer.