Posted on 01/18/2010 3:51:38 AM PST by SWAMPSNIPER
Just a few months ago my old computer reached the point where duct tape wouldn't help. My plan of having multiple drives didn't work, 2 out of 3 blew out with the rest of the package.
My new computer came with Vista which started showing signs of instability almost right away.
I heard Rush talking about Carbonite backup and signed up for the plan.
Last Thursday my OS really started going bonkers, nothing I tried would help. System restore would not work at all. Late Saturday I ran a reformat and recovery and got back on line. I only reinstalled the basics and turned on the Carbonite restore function. It's slow, the download is still running, but I have a lot of Tiff and large jpg files, a lot more than most folks have. All my stuff is coming back. My documents folder came in early this morning, lots of stuff I don't want to lose.
I don't usually do testamonials but Carbonite does exactly what they promise.
In addition to being faster than an on-line service, the data - YOUR data - stays under YOUR control. Also, in a bug out scenario, you can grab the MyBook and go.
I’d agree with him as far as the two big names go. Always had virus problems with those. Stopped using them and started using avast and it stops everything.
Aren’t you special.
If I have physical access to your data I can eventually unencrypt it. Physical access to any data = full access.
I’m not the one making flagrantly uneducated statements like “antivirus draws viruses to your computer.” That’s equivalent to, “Getting the flu shot will cause the flu virus to seek you out and infect you.”
I can't store RAW and TIFF files in the galleries, Carbonite handles that.
Keep in mind that the files I print from are very much larger than I can share here.
Understood.
I’m not making an uneducated statement, that happens to be my vocation. You are entitled to your opinion, and your entitled to express it. As am I.
One falling tree or a lightning strike on the power grid and it’s all toast. It’s one of the joys of country life.
So how is your Sleep Number Bed? LOL!
I have a nice little cot. I’ve never been into luxury much.
You have a right to your own opinion but not to your own facts. The fact is that you are incorrect about antivirus software and how it functions. If this is your vocation then I am deeply concerned for your clients and or customers.
“If I have physical access to your data I can eventually unencrypt it. Physical access to any data = full access.
“
Sure you can, but why would you. People who seek to do that tend to target people where they can make lots of money.
I’m in IT also. Not to target Carbonite directly but all these online storage solutions sound wonderful until one is faced with the very real possibility of needing to recover data without having Internet access. What then? What if malware has disabled IP functionality and/or trashed the OS? It’s fair to say that many of those who have ‘irreplaceable’ data are also frequent business travelers and attempting to restore data whilst ‘on the road’ or when dealing with a failing hard disk is quite a challenge.
As John Dvorak and others have noted even the most casual users are filling drives with 250 GB, 500 GB, even 1 TB capacities due to increased file sizes (photo resolution etc.) and general apathy/ignorance where archiving is concerned. Backing up a subset of those files and/or employing an incremental backup scheme still means a ton of data is going up the wire and in the event of catastrophic failure all that data has to come back down the wire.
I am amused by Rush’s occasional claims that he hasn’t increased the length or frequency of his commercial breaks. Strictly speaking he’s right but even he is not immune from the economy so he’s doing more Paul Harvey-style live commercials for Carbonite et al. Unlike his usual smooth transitions the live spots are jarringly abrupt and it’s a shame that he relies on the old Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt model that IT types are so familiar with.
While you both are quite correct (local backup to external hard drive(s) is a terrific and simple idea), it ignores one BIG factor in protecting your data.
Power.
During my 25 years in the computer industry, the single most common factor in damage to computers/peripherals is power: “dirty” power (slap a meter to your household current sometime and see just how “clean” it is; you’ll see spikes that will shock you); power surges, etc. If such can severely damage or destroy your computer/hard drive(s), it’s a pretty safe bet that your external drives are subject to the same thing and are also at risk.
Off-site backup a la Carbonite is NOT a bad idea at all; it virtually eliminates this risk.
IF you can afford it, I’ll add another recommendation to you all; something I did at my own house. I paid an electrician a few hundred bucks to run, install a few dedicated 20A (20 amp) lines specifically for some heavy-duty computer gear. While I was at it, had him do the same in the family room so that the home theater components are also plugged into such a dedicated 20A line.
This was a very good move. No refrigerators, freezers, etc. etc. sharing those circuits; these lines are totally “dedicated”, dramatically minimizing the opportunity for any serious electrical damage to the computer components. Additionally, I HIGHLY recommend a heavy-duty uninterruptible power supply (UPS)/power conditioner. I got a killer one, brand-spankin’ new, on eBay for a relative song. It, in turn, is plugged into a dedicated 20A line; have had zero power problems.
One final recommendation: Check your renter’s/homeowner’s insurance policy and make sure your electronics, especially computers, are covered in case of power surge/lightning strike. It’s cheap coverage; please GET it. It won’t protect your data (hence the discussion above), but it will help you in replacing expensive gear if necessary.
Hope this helps.
see here for reviews of the online (offsite) backup services (Carbonite rated 2 mice of 5):
http://www.macworld.com/article/142606/2009/09/online_backup.html
Sounds like your wife needs to set the laptop correctly. It might be set to shut down automatically when the lid shuts instead of going into standy or hibernation.
I can make it more simple for him.
If it runs Vista it will run 7.
I’m a leader, not a follower!
I have a whole house surge protector and all of my sensitive electronics are on APC UPSs.
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