Does Carbonite back up my computer software programs and all my data, documents, and video files?

Posted by kent on March 4th, 2010

The following is an actual reader submitted question:

Q: Does Carbonite back up my computer software programs and all my data, documents, and video files?

A: With unlimited online backup storage, Carbonite can back up everything on your computer including your programs. By default, it's not set up to do that, so you'll have to specify that in the preferences. But before you do, consider why it's not initially set up to do that:

1. Time: These days, programs are huge. Even though they only need to be backed up once, they will significantly increase the time taken for an initial backup, and likewise a restore (remember, this is all being sent over your broadband connection). If you need to restore any programs after a crash, they will reinstall much faster from disc.
2. Functionality: Program installation is a bit of a science, at least on the part of the software. When you install a program, that installation package is busy putting a lot of program components in very specific places. If you simply restore a program onto a clean hard drive, it may not function like it used to, or at all.

So, the best policy is to use Carbonite for all those irreplaceable files like documents, photos, and emails, and use the original installation discs that came with your software for the programs.

Entrepreneur Magazine calls Carbonite an "essential" for any new business

Posted by Joe on June 10th, 2009

Entrepreneur Magazine released a list of ten top tech essentials for new businesses today. We weren't surprised at all to see that Entrepreneur had selected Carbonite, a five star provider and editor's choice in our comparison of online backup services, as the best online backup service for new businesses. Here is what the folks at Entrepreneur had to say:

We're all for saving money on technology, but don't skimp too much when it comes to data backup. External hard drives that connect to your computer or network are a good start. But off-site backup is even better for protection against natural disasters, damage or theft. For inexpensive, automatic online backup of a single system, look into a $50-per-year service like Carbonite.

We agree wholeheartedly that Carbonite is both a great value and a good investment for both consumers and smaller businesses. It is important to note that NextAdvisor.com visitors receive a special 15% discount on one, two or three year plans. This means that one year Carbonite plan is just $46.71 per year versus the $50 per year that Entrepreneur referenced above.

You can learn more about Carbonite and online backup by visiting our review and comparison of online backup services.

Does Carbonite's unlimited backup storage include data on other drives?

Posted by Caitlin on April 20th, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: Does Carbonite's unlimited backup storage include data on other drives (D, E, etc., which are either internal or external) in addition to the C drive?

A: By default, Carbonite backs up everything in your Documents and Settings folder, as well as all of your music. The default backup does not include programs, system files, temporary files, videos, or individual files greater than 4GB. You can manually add any of these, from any internal hard drive, to your Carbonite backup. Carbonite does not guarantee support for external hard drives, and we have heard conflicting reports as to whether or not it is possible to successfully back up an external hard drive with Carbonite.

Mozy, another of the online backup services reviewed on NextAdvisor.com, does back up external hard drives.

To learn more about Carbonite, Mozy, and other online backup services, see our reviews and comparison chart.

What would it cost to back up 3 computers with Carbonite?

Posted by Caitlin on April 15th, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: What would it cost me to back up 2 desktops and 1 laptop computer (total of 3) for 1, 2 or 3 years with Carbonite?

A: Assuming that you purchase your Carbonite subscription through NextAdvisor.com, and receive our 15% discount, to back up all three computers for one year would cost $140.13. To back them up for two years would cost $254.88. To back them up for three years would cost $331.38. The prices before the 15% discount would be $164.85 for one year, $299.85 for two years, or $389.85 to back up three computers for three years.

To learn more about Carbonite and other online backup services, see our reviews and comparison chart.

If my hard drive crashes, do I have to reinstall each program?

Posted by Caitlin on April 15th, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: If I back up my system with Carbonite and my hard drive crashes, do I have to reinstall each software program in addition to the backup recovery or is everything recovered without having to manually reinstall each program?

A: Carbonite backs up all the files in your Documents and Settings folder by default. This includes data files and settings for your software applications. You can add other items, including programs, to your Carbonite backup. However, this does not mean that in the event of a hard drive crash, Carbonite can restore your software with the touch of a button. You will still have to individually reinstall each program, either way. So while it is possible to use Carbonite to back up your software, it may not be particularly useful for you, and your daily backup will most likely take significantly longer.

To learn more about Carbonite and other online backup services, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Does Carbonite store Outlook files and email?

Posted by Caitlin on April 14th, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: One thing I'm concerned about is the vast amount of info I have in Microsoft Office. Is Carbonite able to store Outlook files (addresses, phone numbers etc.) and email?

A: Yes, Carbonite can store Outlook files. By default, Carbonite will back up everything in your Documents and Settings folder. Once you purchase an account, it will also back up your music files. However, you can manually add anything you like to your Carbonite backup.

All of your Outlook data is stored in a single file, called a PST file. This file contains your email, your calendar and your contacts, among other information. The location of this file varies depending on which version of Outlook you have. If you open the "tree view" of your Outlook folders, each top level items, normally called "Personal Folders" or "Outlook Today," represents a different PST file. Right click on the folder and select "Properties." Then click on the "Advanced" button. This will bring up a window that tells you the folder's name and filename. The filename will include the full path to the PST. Once you know where your PST is located, you can manually add it to your regular Carbonite backup.

You could also back up your PST file with any other online backup service, although since these files can become rather large, it is most convenient to use a service such as Carbonite, Mozy or ElephantDrive, which all offer unlimited storage space.

To learn more about Carbonite, Mozy, ElephantDrive and other online backup services, see our reviews and comparison chart.

If I buy a new computer, will I have to re-subscribe to Carbonite?

Posted by Caitlin on April 10th, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: If my computer dies, or if I choose to buy a new computer for whatever reason while I have a current Carbonite subscription, would my current service still continue on the newly replaced computer, or do I have to re-subscribe all over again? I am concerned that if I purchase a 3 year plan (most economical) that I might have to replace my PC within that time frame.

A: You will not need to purchase a new Carbonite subscription if you start using a new computer. You can easily transfer your existing Carbonite subscription to the new computer through the Carbonite website. Just log into your account and click on the "My Protected Computers" tab. From there, you can transfer your Carbonite subscription and you also have the option to restore your backed-up files to the new machine.

To learn more about Carbonite or other online backup services, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Will Carbonite also backup programs and applications in a form that would allow them to be installed and run without the hassle of rebuilding ones pc in a crash?

Posted by Joe on April 9th, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: Will [Carbonite] also backup programs and applications in a form that would allow them to be installed and run without the hassle of rebuilding ones pc in a crash?

A: By default Carbonite only backs up your data and files in the Documents and Settings folder or your User's folder of your Windows PC, depending on whether you have XP or Vista. It does not backup a disk image. You can manually set the software backup to include program files, system files, and temporary files. Some applications could be reinstalled just by restoring them from Carbonite's site.

However, Windows locks some system files during operation that would be needed to restore the operating system and some applications. Backing up and restoring these files, like the registry, would require other programs or scripts to be run to extract these locked files for backup. Of course, you would have to load a new operating system on the computer and the Carbonite program before you could access and download the files that had been saved to your Carbonite account.

You can learn more about Carbonite by visiting our comparison and reviews of online backup services.

Can we buy one subscription of Carbonite to back up both our computers?

Posted by Joe on April 9th, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: Both my wife and I are retired, use different computers for our home uses and from the same site. We also share emails accounts. Question. Can we buy one subscription [of Carbonite] to back up both our computers?

A: Carbonite is priced on a per computer basis. That means that each computer that needs to be backed up will need a separate subscription. If you have two computers that you would like to backup then you will need two Carbonite subscriptions. We would still advise purchasing two subscriptions of Carbonite even if you share the same email account because there are likely other important files on each of your computers that should be backed up.

We believe that Carbonite is an excellent value at just $54.95 per year per user. That works out to just about $9.20 per month for two users which is likely significantly less then you would spend in time and money on replacing lost files, music and videos in the case of a hard drive failure.

To learn more about Carbonite and other online backup services, please visit our reviews and comparison.

Carbonite adds Mac support

Posted by Caitlin on March 16th, 2009

Until recently, the only online backup options reviewed on NextAdvisor.com for Mac users were Mozy and ElephantDrive. Now, however, Carbonite is also providing online backup for Macs.

To learn more about Carbonite and other online backup services, see our reviews and comparison chart.