Great price for this service. I've used it for a few months and have been very pleased, after trying out the other competing services like Mozy, Backblaze, and ElephantDrive.
I've been using Backblaze and love it. You have a choice of multiple dates to go back in history and restore from. Doesn't look like Carbonite does that. And it backs up everything under 4g.
I just installed Carbonite and it appears you must manually click to select program files and large files. I'd be clicking all night.. because U must click each file U want backed up. Impossible for me to do (you can't simply select a directory or drive letter).
briankh said: I've been using Backblaze and love it. You have a choice of multiple dates to go back in history and restore from. Doesn't look like Carbonite does that. And it backs up everything under 4g.
I just installed Carbonite and it appears you must manually click to select program files and large files. I'd be clicking all night.. because U must click each file U want backed up. Impossible for me to do (you can't simply select a directory or drive letter). I've seen workarounds posted (probably linked in previous Carbonite discussion threads) for backing up file types that Carbonite doesn't back up by default, without having to manually click each file. I didn't know Carbonite wouldn't back up large files by default though. At what file size does Carbonite consider it a large file and not back it up?
jkkw
Ancient Member
posted: Dec. 11, 2009 @ 9:39p
timd957 said: Just use CUST50 as the promo code. It drops the price by 50% for 1, 2, or 3 years service.
Apparently a pretty scummy company... http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/Carbonite-stacks-the-deck-on-Amazon/ I see it could be a good deal, and I wish something like Dropbox was $50 a year instead of $100 for the space I need, but I really don't want to do business with that company after that info and the other reviews I saw of them.
badrobot said: Apparently a pretty scummy company... http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/Carbonite-stacks-the-d... I see it could be a good deal, and I wish something like Dropbox was $50 a year instead of $100 for the space I need, but I really don't want to do business with that company after that info and the other reviews I saw of them.
My Webroot AntiVirus subscription includes a 2 GB free online backup. I recently upgraded for more online space for sharing files with family. Also have dropbox on my system which I actually prefer but don't mind free 2 GB. Haven't used Carbonite. Anyone have any positive reviews?
badrobot said: Apparently a pretty scummy company... http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/Carbonite-stacks-the-d... I see it could be a good deal, and I wish something like Dropbox was $50 a year instead of $100 for the space I need, but I really don't want to do business with that company after that info and the other reviews I saw of them.
SO WHAT? A couple of employees wrote glowing articles on Amazon...proud of their work! That doesn't seem "Scummy" to me, that just let's me know they are interested in telling people how great their stuff is. If you read the whole article, the president of the company made sure the reviews were removed when he heard they were there and causing issues, with apologies.
I personally take every review I read with a grain of salt and who is to say the reviews were not honest?
For me, I had never heard of this company until I read this thread, but it looks like a decent service and and interesting offering!
Leo Laporte has Carbonite as a sponsor. If Leo endorses it, I trust it. That said, I used the code twit to get a free trial, and then twit again to get two free months with my year subscription. That was before this code came out.
This is the part that concerns me about Carbonite and really almost any of these online backup systems...
From their terms of use:
"To provide its services, Carbonite Software routinely scans your computer in order to detect new, modified, or deleted data files that require further action to complete backup and restore operations. Carbonite Software also catalogs the number and total storage size of various file types on your computer. Carbonite Software inspects file headers and related information in order to confirm that each file's type is properly represented by its file extension.
The contents of your files are encrypted before they are transmitted to Carbonite's data center. Carbonite may have the ability to decrypt your data files. However, Carbonite will not decrypt your files unless i) it reasonably believes that it must do so to troubleshoot problems with the Carbonite Services or ii) it reasonably believes it must do so in order to comply with a law, subpoena, warrant, order, or regulation, including, without limitation, the requirement of a certification that complies with 18 U.S.C. § 2703"
Even if you encrypt your data so that while it sits on Carbonite's servers it is "secure" their agent while running on your PC is going to inspect really almost anything they want before the encryption process takes place. Plus if they have the ability to decrypt your data to "troubleshoot problems" who is to say an internal breach (employee theft) couldn't happen and boom suddenly your Quicken or TurboTax files (along with thousands of others) are being sold in some IRC channel?
There are some business grade options out there that swear up and down they have no ability to access your data and are HIPAA Compliant (i.e. Firstbackup.com) but they are much more expensive.
briankh said: I've been using Backblaze and love it. You have a choice of multiple dates to go back in history and restore from. Doesn't look like Carbonite does that. And it backs up everything under 4g.
I just installed Carbonite and it appears you must manually click to select program files and large files. I'd be clicking all night.. because U must click each file U want backed up. Impossible for me to do (you can't simply select a directory or drive letter).
I've used them for about two years and it's great! I didn't have to do any clicking.
I've got a desktop that I use as a file server/print server for a couple laptops. Am I able to back up all 3 computers with one subscription? Or only the desktop? I currently copy all files over to the desktop then back it up to an external drive anyway, but it'd be nice to just go directly from all 3.
Wow, great deal. I've been using Carbonite on over 20 computers and servers for several years. It's been great, much more relaible and less trouble than any other service I've used.
Carbonite has saved my bacon several times. Honestly everyone should use this or some kind of backup service, not instead of local backups, but in addtion to local. It just works, and is a great insurance policy.
-------------------------------------------------------------- A quick email to the rapid response support team at Carbonite set the record straight. For those wanting to know, here are the files and directories that are excluded.
"The following folders are excluded from Carbonite backups:
"%WINDIR%*", "%TEMP%*", "%TMP%*", "Recycler*", "Recycle Bin*", "System Volume Information*", "MSOCache*", "I386*", "Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data*", // skipped because most of this is system configuration stuff "Documents and Settings*Cookies*", "Documents and Settings*Local SettingsHistory*", "Documents and Settings*Local SettingsTemp*", "Documents and Settings*NetHood*", "Documents and Settings*PrintHood*", "Documents and Settings*History*", "Documents and Settings*NTUSER.DAT", "Documents and Settings*Application DataMozillaFirefoxProfiles*Cache*", "Documents and Settings*Application DataOperaOperaprofilecache*", "Documents and Settings*Application DataMicrosoftCryptnetUrlCache*", "Documents and Settings*Application DataYahoo! Desktop Search*", "Documents and Settings*Application DataGoogleGoogle Desktop*", "Documents and Settings*Application DataMicrosoft Help*", "Documents and Settings*Application DataCarbonite*", "Program FilesCarboniteCarbonite Backup*", "Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeClipart*",
The following file types are excluded from Carbonite backups:
Additionally, music and video files are excluded during free trial subscriptions of Carbonite.
Files that end in "_" or "~" don't get "Back this up" option in context menu. It means it's a compressed system file. It can be renamed (from the command line) to an extension w/out the "_" (underscore)or the "~"(tilde) and then you will get the backup option."
Make sure that the files you want to be backed up are not included in the above exclusions. Of special note is SQL database backup files are *.BAK by default. Change the file extension to get them included in the backup. --------------------------------------------------------------
Yelp
Member
posted: Dec. 12, 2009 @ 6:16a
briankh said: Read this: Make sure that the files you want to be backed up are not included in the above exclusions. Of special note is SQL database backup files are *.BAK by default. Change the file extension to get them included in the backup. --------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for this info. I think their business model is failing, especially with the bad economy, so I think they are offering this discount in hopes of getting more business. Looks like a half-assed gesture with all the excluded files.
Witchdoctor120
Member
posted: Dec. 12, 2009 @ 7:09a
Not really a fan on Carbonite.. Tried to backup 500 GIGs and it took 2 weeks over a FIOS line and STILL did not complete. Carbonite states it was my line speed but that is not true.. I am blazing with upload speed..
daves1955
Member
posted: Dec. 12, 2009 @ 7:17a
Thanks OP, I jumped on the 3 year plan for half price. Great deal for peace of mind security. This code can also be used to extend a current subscription.
coolbreeze said: Nice idea, but several hundred gigs of data takes months to upload.
I'm good with my HP Home Server and secondary Seagate 1TB drive (kept offsite).
Yeah, and it doesn't run on the MSS. I have a pair of 1TB WD external drives that I swap in/out and store in a safe deposit box at the bank. It's kind of a pain but at least I know it's not going anywhere, I don't have to deal with semi-partial backups and someone else, and I'm not subject to any dodgy terms of service.
Witchdoctor120 said: Not really a fan on Carbonite.. Tried to backup 500 GIGs and it took 2 weeks over a FIOS line and STILL did not complete. Carbonite states it was my line speed but that is not true.. I am blazing with upload speed..
I had the same problem with Mozy. It took 3 months to upload about 15GB (no joke). I determined my year subscription would've been over about the time my entire hard drive had been uploaded.
The key thing for me is that my images are backed up off site (I have multiple on-site backups because they are irreplaceable) and there don't appear to be exclusions on image files (orf or jpg).
howiehour
Member
posted: Dec. 12, 2009 @ 8:45a
I've been with Carbonite for a little over a month and find it very easy to use. You can select entire folders and back up all contents at once. Fonts don't seem to be automatically backed up, but that was easy enough to correct. Happy customer here.
I had done this deal for 4 years (3 + 1) using Mr. Rebate. I had received email Mr. Rebate telling me I had earned rebates and they actually showed up in my account summary the Mr. Rebate website. 12 days later, I check Mr. Rebate and find all my rebates have been zeroed out. Even the prices paid have been zeroed out. I had also had referred two of my colleagues buy the plan through Mr. Rebate, and should have been eligible for 20% of their rebate as bonus. They are listed, but again have been zeroed out.
Did we get screwed here for using the coupon? Or is it me only having a problem/glitch? Could you all please check your Mr. Rebate account?
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