<p>I saw an ad on TV for Carbonite and considering getting something that automatically backs up computer files. Does anybody have any experience with this provider or have other recommendations?</p>
<p>I looked into Carbonite but it didn’t serve our purposes. I’m sorry I can’t tell you why because an employee of ours handles this and he is out today. We ended up using Mozy and are happy with it.</p>
<p>Thanks. I saw a review of Mozy as well so that seems to be a possible alternative. I need something automatic because I just am not disciplined enough about putting files on CDs often enough. Now that I am working out of the home if something happens to my files, I’m toast.</p>
<p>If you’re a Mac user, we like our Time Machine, though it can take a very long time to back up our laptops since we have it transfer all the data wirelessly, and it can make things pretty slow while it’s transferring everything. It’s a lifesaver, though. Just yesterday I rescued an important file for my husband that had gotten corrupted.</p>
<p>I’m still using Dell. I need a new computer, however, and have been thinking about making the jump. I assume all the software is the same, so it would feel seamless for my docs to go from Dell to a Mac? I would have to transfer a ton of files and I need my computer to just work without me having to think too much (too busy to learn anything new right now), so am nervous about making that switch.</p>
<p>If there’s one near you, go to the Apple store and talk to them about the switch. If you’re using Word, yes, it’s pretty seamless. For other apps, ask them what the transfer would be. My d bought a Mac for school, and we took it and her old PC laptop to the Apple store and they moved her files over, no problem.</p>
<p>I have Macs at home and use a PC laptop at work. Files go back and forth no problem at least for the major applications (e.g. MS Office). </p>
<p>I love time machine - awesome backup utility. I have not noticed it taking a long time - but then again, it is in the background so it isn’t interfering with anything.</p>
<p>I’m thinking about going with the Time Machine for my MacBook Pro. I’m using it now for home, work and just about everything. I was considering going to the Apple Store to pick up an eSATA ExpressCard adapter to hook up to a Western Digital MyBook (1 TB drive) for speedy backup. Perhaps leaving the drive in the office locked in a drawer.</p>
<p>One thing about backup is that I think that it’s important to have the backup device physically separate from where the computer will be used most of the time in case there is a physical disaster. Offsite net backup is nice because it is probably physically remote with professional backup. The downsides are that your data travels through a network and that it may take a fair amount of time to do the backup.</p>
<p>My husband had his computer crash, burn, die completely–hard drive unrecoverable–BUT he had a carbonite backup and lost nothing. His only complaint was that it took a LONG time to write the new drive–several days. But for $35/year… who’s complaining?</p>
<p>Note that these systems are really designed to handle a relatively small amount of data - generally a few gigabytes. Even with high speed DSL or cable connections it is slow to backup even a few gigs. A few gigs might have seemed like a lot several years ago. Anyone who collects music or does photography is likely to view this as unacceptable. I do photography and I have 2 terabytes of external hard drive for my backups. These drives can be set to automatically backup, but it is much safer not to trust software. Also it is best to backup and then power down and disconnect the hard drive. Duplicate or triplicate drive storage protects data against drive failure. As the online services point out there is still a risk due to fire or other disaster. I am considering keeping one drive at work to protect my home files. I am also considering a fire safe as an inexpensive and more convenient solution. If you have not noticed the cost of large drives has been dropping rapidly. Terabyte drives are dropping to the $100 range.</p>
<p>I have about 40 GB on the computer now that need back-up but the amount is likely to increase exponentially soon. I get large pdf docs (often 400+ pages) of audits and official statements emailed to me for work purposes that I need to keep and store. No pics. I have been reading the Mozy reviews. I appreciate the responses so far.</p>
<p>Edad: my husband had a terrabyte of info backed up with Carbonite. He also had backup copies of the drives. We had a copy in the safe. Carbonite was the easiest way to restore the whole computer.</p>
<p>A comment on fire safes: we had a massive total-destruction warehouse fire last summer. Three alarm, 95 firefighters, roof collapse, total writeoff. The fire safe had a USB drive with a copy of the books in it; the drive came through the fire just fine and was readable.</p>
<p>If you have an iMap email server, you should be able to leave them on the server in addition to having them on your local system. If this is an office operation, your email server should generally be available and use professional backup with offsite storage.</p>
<p>You could use GMail for this too if you have enough trust that GMail won’t have a data breach.</p>
<p>I have comcast, which uses pop I believe. I do need to keep all sent emails and that is a huge data file, so I like the ability to keep those off of the computer and will look into how I can switch to iMAP. I am not a techy person at all, but have started working from home on a contract basis so now have to figure this stuff out whether I like it or not. Before, I could just have the IT support people deal with whatever and I tended to keep them very busy.</p>
<p>In general, emails get removed from the server with pop.</p>
<p>I generally do not send or encourage any work-related email where sensitive data is involved from other coworkers through the internet. That is all routed on a private network. In general, I consider unencrypted email over the internet to be essentially public.</p>
<p>I would not play around with settings on email servers unless you know what you’re doing or have someone to do it for you that is knowledgeable.</p>
<p>Thanks BC. The email stuff may be over my head. When I worked from home before (but for a company) they sent people out to the house to run T1 cable lines (I think that is what they were called; anyway the firm considered the stuff secure but who know what they did to make it that way). I can just store the old emails on a flash drive and delete. That’s probably the easiest way to handle those.</p>
<p>You were probably on a private network if they ran a T1 line. Those things are pretty expensive relative to what DSL and Cable Internet cost.</p>
<p>It’s nice when somebody else handles the overhead. I really miss my Bloomberg, which is very expensive, and the first thing I’m paying up for once I get going. For now, the firm I am under contract with lets me use theirs if I need to, but I have to go into their office 30 minutes away to do it. I used to have a nice Bloomberg Anywhere thing the size of a credit card that took a thumbprint, spit out some encrypted number, and let me log on from any computer.</p>
<p>Anyway, after reading tons of reviews, I think I am going to start with some mega external hard drives. It sounds like a lot of people have had trouble restoring their files from the online systems. I tend to break computers alot (probably from overuse), so I know a restore is in my future.</p>
<p>I saw a 1 TB hd for $99!</p>
<p>Weekly, I back up my data files. I export my email, backup my bookmarks and firefox folder where it keeps preferences, etc.<br>
For any software I have downloaded, I save the .exe file and back that up.</p>
<p>I keep my HD in a fireproof safe with other important papers (which have also been scanned and backed up).</p>
<p>I am ANAL about this. As a former computer programmer, I remember when we had to back up to huge tapes or multi-disk platters. We used to tell our customers to ALWAYS keep an offsite backup. You only have to know one company that didn’t do this and see the havoc it wreaked to know why backing up your data is important.</p>
<p>Ok, sueinphilly, computer neophyte here.</p>
<p>My concern about back up is that I have lots of email I want to keep, which I thought didn’t “copy” to external hard drives. You mention you export your emails. Could you be more specific on what you mean by that and how you do it? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>