Online Backup Services
Frequently Asked Questions about online backup services
Can I back up data from an external hard drive?
Some online backup services will allow you to back up data from an external hard drive, while others may not. Mozy, for example, guarantees that it can back up any drive that Windows recognizes as "fixed." Operating systems consider hard drives "fixed," regardless of whether they are internal or external. DVD/CD-ROMs, media cards and some thumb or flash drives are not considered "fixed," and cannot be backed up. Carbonite, on the other hand, does not guarantee support for external hard drives, although we have heard conflicting reports from users as to whether or not it is actually possible. If backing up an external hard drive is important to you, Mozy is probably your best online backup option.
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Recently answered questions about Online Backup Service Reviews:
Can I transfer Carbonite to my new computer?
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. [...]
Are online backup providers responsible for keeping customers' data unencrypted?
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 [...]
If an online backup provider was subpoenaed, would it have to hand your data ...
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 [...]
Does Carbonite offer remote file access?
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 [...]
Do any of these storage systems back up external hard drives as well as the i...
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 [...]
Does Carbonite's unlimited backup storage include data on other drives?
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 [...]
What would it cost to back up 3 computers with Carbonite?
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 [...]
If my hard drive crashes, do I have to reinstall each program?
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 [...]
Does Carbonite store Outlook files and email?
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 [...]
Will Mozy back up my external hard drive?
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 Mozy, or any of the online backup offerings, allow me to back up my external drive along with my desktop drive? [...]
