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Would you trust a backup of your vital data stored in Boston (Massachusetts, not Lincolnshire)? There's no reason why not
Online backup has been around for a while but the idea behind Carbonite is to make it easier, so the user hardly even knows it’s happening.
The first step is to download the Carbonite software from the company’s site and run it. The program asks you to specify the folders you want to back up – My Documents and emails are good places to start – and it then transfers them to its secure servers over the internet. It does this in the background and the software yields to other applications, so you shouldn’t notice much difference while it's copying.
Once Carbonite has made its initial copy, which may take a couple of days if you have lots of data, it continuously monitors the PC and updates the backup with only the files that have changed, which takes much less time. Should the worst happen and you lose data through hardware failure, theft or another calamity, the files can be recovered from any computer that can contact Carbonite’s secure server.
Give it your password and you can download the data to the original computer or to any other. The company's servers are in the eastern US, but does that make them less secure? That shouldn’t be a concern, because everything is scrambled before it leaves the computer, using industrial-grade techniques, and it stays that way all the time it’s on the company's servers.
So how does Carbonite stack up against simply using DVDs or an external hard disk for backup? The online service costs $50 (£25) a year, for an unlimited capacity. Unless you have a very fast broadband link, though, it’s unlikely you’ll be doing a complete file backup onto Carbonite, simply because of the time it takes. You would certainly be able to copy more files, and make a full backup, to an external USB disk.
These disks, including backup software, cost £60-£70 for capacities of 250-500GB and you would expect an external disk to last at least three years. So the costs are similar, but Carbonite has the advantage of offering global access to the data, from any machine with an internet connection, so could prove more convenient.
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Carbonite failure
I am using Carbonite and it hasn't worked. I was able to restore selected files after one hard drive crash, but after the hard drive failed on my new computer I discovered that Carbonite hadn't been backing up my data for about 2 months - although the Carbonite indicator always said that my data was fully backed up. The company has been slow to answer to my queries, and hasn't responded for over a week to my request to look into the matter. In order to assist they need full document names. But I have created many documents that I didn't make a note of because I thought I wouldn't need to because I was paying for a reputable back-up service. I'll update this entry if I get my data restored by Carbonite. As it is, I've had to buy a scanner to scan in print-outs of important documents.
Posted by Wendy Elizabeth, 16 Nov 2008
Carbonite not ready for prime time!
I found Carbonite?s restore process incredibly painful and their support even more ? like a root canal. The original restore missed most of my files and it took several days for them to tell me that I had to reconfigure Windows Defender, Windows Firewall and Norton to accept Carbonite ? no mention of that anywhere on their site. Their support has limited hours (only until 5 eastern) which is ridiculous when you can?t get to your data. Even after paying an additional $19.95 for ?priority? support, I didn?t get the response time I would have liked and like the others, I found their responses canned and not helpful. While the back up process might work quite well, the proof is in the restore. Not yet ready for prime time!
Posted by Cindy Morus, 24 Nov 2008
Carbonite Restore Failures!
It is now 4 days since my laptop was stolen and since activating the restore with carbonite. As soon and IF I get my data back - I will abandon carbonite! The support is horrible! The chat support told me that "larger files take longer to download" when I am simply trying to get a single file to download as I have given up on a bulk restore. $20 telephone support is worst than the chat support and website is friggin useless. If only their office was in town - I would go postal.
Posted by Business Owner with stolen Laptop, 09 Dec 2008
Refusal to download!
Carbonite refuses to D.L.my backup for reasons that they say i dont have Windows XP or Vista!!!!!! you actually think i would buy this HP Pavillion dv9000 if it didnt have Vista?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Donnie Gregory, 21 Dec 2008
Carbonite Backup Logo
I think Carbonite should changed their logo. Beneath their cute little logo with the lock, they should put, "We Only Back Up Files Located in DOCUMENTS and SETTINGS!!!!!" I was assured ALL my files on my computer were backed up. My computer was cleaned off to repair corruption. Went back to restore..........all of my business files of 10 years ...........GONE, GONE, GONE!!!! I'm now waiting on level 3 of support. Level 1 & 2 .........zero help!!!
Posted by Robin Williams, 08 Jan 2009
A Postive Experience
I've found Carbonite a pleasure to use. It was easy to set up and to do the initial backup - and I have about 15GB of files backed up on Carbonite. Not just in Documents and Settings, obviously. I recently purchased a new computer and Carbonite's Restore function easily downloaded everything onto the new computer with just a few clicks. The customer service has been good - I had some questions recently and the live chat was terrific. My only complaint is that they do not back up files on external hard drives, but I'm told they are working on that as well.
Posted by Ellen, 24 Jan 2009
Carbonite - Please, I don't think so...
It has been two weeks since I've tried to restore my files. As I type this, I am at 23%. The first two times I used the free online support, the response I got was, everything is downloading just fine. Just fine, I don't think so... I was at 3% after 48 hours. Then I paid the $20 for their phone support... much better, but even with the 3 different people that helped me for the remainder of the two weeks, it didn't get much better. All three times, the techs started the process over. I once got to 50%, but the tech had to reinstall Carbonite, so here we are, 2 days later and back at 23%. I called and asked to speak to a supervisor. I was told that the supervisor was not available. I asked to speak to one of the "engineers" but was told that they don't come to the phone. I asked to speak to anyone above the tech that answered the call, but was told that there was no one there that could talk with me. I emailed the customer service rep, Jeffery Robison to let him know all the difficulty I was having. This was his response: "Thanks for reaching out. I see that you were able to speak to Dan and your restore is progressing normally. Your restore will take time to complete because of the large number of files. We appreciate your patience. Regards, Jeff " Patience? Please, I don't think so... If I ever get my files restored, which at this rate will be within the next 5-7 days, IF I don't restart my computer, I will NEVER depend on Carbonite again.
Posted by Marsha Bryant, 26 Jan 2009
Carbonite is a dream
I just installed Carbonite a week ago and everything was so easy and simple to use. One quick download and bingo, Carbonite began backing up my files. I found it great that I could also click on any folder and add that folder and it's contents to be backed up as well. I like being able to pick and choose what gets backed up and what doesn't. The simple one mouse click approach makes Carbonite simple enough for my 9 year old daughter to use to backup her favorite games and pictures. I am recommending Carbonite to everyone I know, it is the best product out there on the market today. It's so simple almost everyone can use it, all except those that clearly shouldn't even own computers because turning them on is obviously too complicated for them.
Posted by Jim mora, 29 Jan 2009
Carbonite is a JOKE
I bought it to back up my drives which are failing. 2 weeks later and the initial backup is STILL not done. After 3 days of zero activity, I was informed by what they jokingly refer to as "customer service" that I needed to reinstall the program, then told no, that's not the problem, it's that Carbonite's "server" was "in maintenance "and they had no idea when backup would resume. Obviously the server was down and it was down for 3 days. 3 days after it came back up and exactly .1 gigs have been backed up. I wouldn't recommend this program to my worst enemy.
Posted by Michael, 26 Feb 2009
Help! Carbonite ate my wedding video!
Help! Carbonite ate my wedding video, and the video of my child learning to swim! Even after trial period, video files are not by default backed up. In their CURRENT online info, if you dig, you find the following: "The default backup does not include programs, system files, temporary files, videos, or individual files greater than 4GB." Hidden behind programs, system files, and temporary files. Ouch. Worse, you have to explicitly and individually mark every folder from which you want videos backed up, and it only does one level, not subfolders. So each time you shoot a video and load to a folder on your disk drive, you have to remember to explicitly mark that folder. So much for the "Completely Automatic" that they claim on the front page! Who doesn't want to keep their home movies? I thought I was protected. And now that my disk crashed, I'm left stuck. And my wife is pretty sad (and angry) as well.
Posted by Kevin N, 18 Mar 2009
Not a good start
Downloaded the trial version of carbonite 2 days ago to test out for some customers... since then i have been on to there rubbish support 3 times now wondering why the 3 files i have choosen to backup for testing purposes are not found in my remote access account... the support have told me that this is a known issue with SOME of there users and it is being worked on. Whats the point in backing up your files if you cannot access them when you want? They pretty much told me not to worry cause my files are back up, however i dont think i will be recommending this to any of our customers or there for anyone!
Posted by Darnell, 17 Apr 2009