- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try (15-day trial); $54.95 to buy
- Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP
- Date added: October 14, 2009
- Total Downloads: 13,852
- Downloads last week: 172
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 120 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
If backing up your folders is one of those good ideas you never get around to, Carbonite Online PC Backup might be for you. Carbonite tales the effort out of your contingency plan with software that automatically backs up your selected data and stores it, encrypted, on online servers. The format and services are useful and intuitive.
An entertaining video tutorial explains your options for selecting and deselecting individual files or folders to back up. You can set your preferences to auto-backup your data each time you change it, or run back-ups manually. You can permanently exclude some data from being saved, and quickly recover files from your online holdings. Carbonite has an unobtrusive color-coded system for communicating the status of your file back-ups, so you can determine you status at a glance. For instance, a green dot by the folder on your desktop signals a successful online back-up.
Some downsides we encountered were the high CPU usage and the long initial back-up. Any logging out activity, such as a screensaver session that needs a password to end, will stall the back up process. The download itself is lengthy and annoyingly requires a reboot. New users are also required to register an e-mail address. Despite the setbacks, users who want a hands-off and off-site back up solution should find Carbonite a worthy investment of time and money.
Publisher's description
From Carbonite :Carbonite Online PC Backup will automatically back up all the data on your PC. Most importantly, Carbonite is a "set and forget" service. It takes just one minute to download and install and then you're all set because we constantly monitor your PC for new and modified files (and backup only the difference). And we won't slow down your PC/Internet. Carbonite is also integrated with the Windows file explorer so you won't have to learn a new interface. Data is encrypted before it leaves your PC and remains encrypted on our servers. Carbonite is ideal for home use, frequent travelers, students, small businesses--we provide "Backup for Everyone.
More popular Backup Software downloads
- 16,266 downloads 1. Macrium Reflect Free Edition
- 8,974 downloads 2. Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition (32 bit)
- 7,704 downloads 3. EASEUS Todo Backup
- 7,048 downloads 4. SyncBack Freeware
- 4,070 downloads 5. TrueSafe Personal Edition
- See all Backup Software downloads
User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 120 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 5 of 22 user reviewsSee all 22 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Carbonite Online Backup 3.7.6.352
"Not that great. Crashplan is better."
Pros: It backs up most of your files (not all, see below)
Cons: It really slowed my system down, especially the performance of Windows File Explorer. It also doesn't backup video files (including home videos), this was a show stopper for me. It doesn't give you much control over backup, either.
Summary: I tried it, but it really slowed my system down, especially the performance of Windows File Explorer. Carbonite integrates itself with Windows Explorer to add little color icons next to each file, so this is a flaw of the basic design. The fact th... read more >>
-
Version: Carbonite Online Backup 3.7.6.352
"Annual Flat Fee to Back up Everything You Select"
Pros: - One annual fee to back up any size computer
- Schedule the backup automatic or at your convenient schedule
- Select the standard files; add or subtract as you need
- Restore all or some of the files; look at them any time
- Check on status any timeCons: - would like to have more guidance on selecting files to back up
- would like more information about Carbonite's automated scheduleSummary: I've just renewed after 1 year of Carbonite use. This time I have selected 2 years. This product gives me comfort in knowing all my files are kept backed up. Carbonite monitors my system and knows when I have added files. They are almost immedia... read more >>
-
Version: Carbonite Online Backup 3.7.6.352
"Test Support - Not Very Helpful"
Pros: Non that I know of.
Cons: I couldn't install the product. Techie gave some canned answer that this was a known problem, sent me an email on how to fix local hosts file, Continued below.
Summary: Continuation of cons: There was no problem with my local hosts file. You really get what you pay for. If your data is only worth $50 then go for it. If you data is more valuable than that, then invest in an external disk drive and do your own bac... read more >>
-
Version: Carbonite Online Backup 3.7.6.352
"ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC*****************!!!"
Pros: WHAT IS THERE TO LIKE...HMM...HOW ABOUT SAVING 20 YEARS OF FILES WHEN MY PC CRASHED BECAUSE OF A POWER FAILURE ...ALLOWED ME TO TRANSFER ALL OF MY FILES TO A BACK UP COMPUTER!!!..
Cons: CONTINUATION OF PROS...NOTIFIED ME WHEN I THOUGHT I CORRECTLY REINSTALLED CARBONITE APPLICATION AFTER I PUT IN A NEW HARDDRIVE...WHAT IN BLAZES IS THERE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT UNLESS YOU ARE A COMPLETE MORON!!
Summary: WHATEVER COMPLAINT YOU HAVE IS BECAUSE YOU MESSED UP AND BLAMED THE CARBONITE APPLICATION AND YOU PROBABLY WASTED THE VALUABLE TIME OF TECH SUPPORT WHO COULD HELP A CUSTOMER THAT HAS A VALID PROBLEM.
I KNOW ANY OF THE PROBLEMS I HAD WE... read more >> -
Version: Carbonite Online Backup 3.7.6.352
"It saved me already when my laptop crashed"
Pros: Ease of use and no monitoring it. It's always there doing the job for you no matter where you are. No hooking up to an external hard drive which is pretty hard to do as you travel about doing your thing.
Cons: There is nothing I don't like about it.
Summary: When I had to reload everything onto a new computer after the old one crashed, it managed the job flawlessly. How easy is that?
- See all 22 user reviews Write review
Submit your review
Previous Versions:
