Can I backup my operating system?
Posted by kent on November 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: Can I backup my operating system?
A: By default, most online backup services are set to backup documents and other irreplaceable items on your hard drive. In general they do not automatically back up programs or your operating system (or OS, for short). Now, you can have your service back up pretty much anything on your hard drive. While it's crucial to have a restore disk with your OS on it, it's critical that the backup is on a separate, physical installation disk, such as a CD ROM. And it shouldn't just be a copy of your OS; it should be a full restore disk that will install a new OS from scratch. There are three big reasons why, and they're related:
The OS is the foundation of your system. In order to access your online backup service, you have to be using your OS; it simply runs everything. Trying to replace the OS on your startup disk would be a bit like trying to swap out the engine of our car while you're driving it.
Similarly, if your hard drive ever does crash, and your OS goes with it, you won't be able to access your online backup service. You'll have to start up from a separate startup disk. Once you have your system reinstalled, you'll be able to connect to your online backup service and get your documents back.
Now, you might ask why you can't just startup from that external disk, access your online backup, and then restore your OS from a browser running on that external disk. While that may work, a clean install is always the best way. If you've backed up your email, various libraries and preferences (Carbonite does this, for instance, but you should always check to see what your service backs up by default). There are just too many components in the OS that need be installed in a particular way, and in specific places.
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I have a Windows XP machine and want to back-up data, then download to new Windows 7 machine. Will this work?
Posted by kent on November 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: I have a Windows XP machine and want to back-up data, then download to new Windows 7 machine. Will this work? Thanks
A: Yes, this will work, provided you use a backup service that is Windows 7 compatible. IDrive is the only service we've reviewed so far that claims that its software is Windows 7 compatible. However, any of services that allow web-based interaction should work as well, since they use a web app for the restoration. Backing up your documents, music, photos, and videos will enable you to "restore" them to a new Windows 7 machine.
We will put in our standard warning that this will probably be slower than a direct connection between two computers. A complete backup can take a day or more, depending on your Internet connection. There are a few reasons for this, one of which is that it takes time for IDrive to encrypt and unencrypt your data, a crucial operation for safeguarding your files.
However, if you already have a compatible online backup solution, or you plan on purchasing one, there's no reason why you shouldn't give it a try.
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Can I transfer Carbonite to my new computer?
Posted by kent on October 30th, 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: I purchased your product about a month ago then I bought a new computer because my old one was so stinking slow. Can I transfer Carbonite to my new computer (It even has my old hard drive in it)?
A: It's a great question, but first we should clarify that while we do review and provide links to Carbonite, NextAdvisor.com is a separate company. With that out of the way, here's the answer to your question:
In short: Yes. That's the great thing about a subscription-based services like Carbonite. I found these instructions on the help section on Carbonite's web site. I'm assuming you reformatted your drive when you put it on the new machine, so the first step probably doesn't apply to you. The main thing you need to do is access your Carbonite account online and transfer your subcscription to your new computer, but here are detailed steps:
1) If the computer that Carbonite is currently installed on is still in use, Uninstall Carbonite (using Add/Remove Programs from Control Panel). Otherwise, proceed to step 2.
2) Log into your account from your new computer (the computer to which you would like to transfer your subscription)
Click the My Protected Computers tab
3) If you want to transfer your subscription without restoring any files, click the Transfer button. To transfer your subscription and restore files to your new computer, click the Restore button
4) Follow the instructions to download and install Carbonite
Again, some of these steps will depend on whether or not you reformatted your drive. And if you did reformat the drive, you can use Carbonite to restore the files that were on your old machine.
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Are online backup providers responsible for keeping customers' data unencrypted?
Posted by kent on August 28th, 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. This question comes as a follow-up to a question asked earlier this week: If an online backup service provider is subpoenaed, would they have to hand over your data?
Q: As a data storage provider, if forced to turn over a clients data and it is encrypted, and me as a data storage provider that does not have any means to obtain my clients encryption code; I would just essentially be turning over jibberish. How does this play into the whole scenario?
A: Last week I noted that online backup providers must cooperate with search warrants, meaning they must hand over data, unencrypted to law enforcement if subpoenaed. I also noted that Carbonite requires that data not be encrypted, prompting a reader to ask if online backup service providers were required to screen for encrypted data.
I'm glad you asked because your question sent me back to the Terms of Service for a deeper read. It turns out that Carbonite only prevents you from using "the Carbonite Products or Services to decrypt data encrypted by others" as well as disallowing you to "permit others to Use the Carbonite Products or Services to access or decrypt data stored on servers provided by Carbonite…" Specifically this seems to refer to an unauthorized use of Carbonite's own encryption methods (which it uses to securely pull the files from your computer).
So, that entanglement is avoided, and I apologize for that misreading on my part (it seems obvious now). Still, it's important to note that these services are not routinely scanning your files for inappropriate content. That would actually make them liable for everything on their servers, a horrendous and unmanageable burden. Carbonite says it may decrypt your files if "it reasonably believes it must do so in order to comply with a law, subpoena, warrant, order, or regulation…" It may also due so for trouble shooting purposes.
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If an online backup provider was subpoenaed, would it have to hand your data over?
Posted by kent on August 27th, 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: I have a question about online backup services. In both civil and criminal lawsuits, we have all heard or read about an individual's computer contents being used as evidence, and if the crime or individual is "newsworthy," the contents splashed all over the news.
Would the same situation apply to software backup services? If they were subpoenaed, would they have to hand them over? Or are there some services that provide some kind of encryption so no one could access the contents except the owner? Not planning on being in court – just that Dell has provided backup service software with my new laptop and I am hesitant to put the entire contents of my PC "out there."
A: That's a great question. First, I should say that I'm not a lawyer and this does not constitute legal advice, but I do spend a lot of time pouring through Terms of Service (TOS) agreements and have worked with legal departments at online service providers in the past. This morning I spent some time with the TOS's of several of our online backup providers.
My entirely non-legally binding findings are: Yes, if your online backup provider was subpoenaed to hand over your data, they would have to do it. Your online storage is, as you suspect, just like the drive on your computer when it comes to a search warrant. Furthermore, the backup service provider does not want to (and legally cannot) store data that they know to be in violation of the law. If the provider were to do anything to disguise your data (i.e, through encryption), they would be in breach of the law. In fact, at least one provider (Carbonite) expressly prohibits you from making your data unreadable, since it would prevent investigations.
In my professional experience, online service providers are sticklers for subpoenas, and will not hand over customer data without a proper court order. While they are required to help out law enforcement, there are consequences to violating a user's privacy (both in terms of public relations and litigation).
But, as you suggest, once that data does get turned over, the genie is out of the bottle. Still, the same would be true if you backed up your data on an external drive and it was discovered during a court-ordered search of your house.
For more on online backup services, check out our reviews and comparisons.
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Does Carbonite offer remote file access?
Posted by kent on August 25th, 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: Your comparison chart and program details table for carbonite says "No file access except for full system recovery", while your review says "Carbonite now offers Remote File Access, so you can access any single file from any computer that has web access."
A: It looks like you caught a little misprint in our online backup services comparison chart. Yes, at one time Carbonite only offered full-backups, but they now offer remote access to your files from any web browser. This makes it not only great for online backup, but also extremely useful for anyone who's ever needed to access a file remotely. With Carbonite, you're not only keeping your documents safe from hard drive crashes, but making sure your files are always available to you when you need them.
Carbonite gives you unlimited storage for $54.95 per year, and runs on Windows Vista, XP, and Mac OS X (10.4 or above).
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Do any of these storage systems back up external hard drives as well as the internal drive?
Posted by kent on August 18th, 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: I have two external hard drives attached to my laptop for additional storage. Do any of these storage systems back up external hard drives as well as the internal drive?
A: The only online backup system that we've found to offer backup on external drives is Mozy. Mozy earned a five-star rating when we reviewed it. While not quite as inexpensive as Carbonite, at only $4.95 per month (minus an additional 10% discount), it's well worth it. You can even try it out free with a 2GB storage cap to make sure it's right for you.
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.
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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.
- 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?
- Will online backup services also backup a virus or spyware?
- Will Carbonite back up the music I downloaded from iTunes?
- NextAdvisor launches new detailed online backup service FAQs
- Can we buy one subscription of Carbonite to back up both our computers?
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