- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try (15-day trial); $49.95 to buy
- Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP
- Date added: October 09, 2008
- Total Downloads: 12,619
- Downloads last week: 60
- See full specifications
A newer version of Carbonite Online Backup is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 123 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.
Version 3.6 saves multiple backup versions of frequently-changed files and allows you to schedule your backup if you choose to.
What's new in this version:
Version 3.6 saves multiple backup versions of frequently-changed files and allows you to schedule your backup if you choose to.
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User reviews of Carbonite Online Backup 3.6
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 123 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 25 user reviewsSee all 25 user reviews
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0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Carbonite Online Backup 3.6
"Even the free trial didn't work."
Pros: Not a thing I can think of outside of the VP listing his email. He did respond and offered both his apologies and a waiver for phone support after I sent him a copy of the pathetic Live Chat response.
Cons: I'm now on my 3rd support person just trying to download the program. 1st person stated "Agent (Peter): "My resources are bit slow, please bear with me." That is a direct copy/paste.
I give up.
Tech support has people no knowledge of Carbonite.Summary: Stay away from folks that don't understand their own product. Do your homework before buying something like Carbonite. After soooo many problems with just trying to install this program I have decided to just use an external hard drive and do it all... read more >>
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0 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Carbonite Online Backup 3.6
"Carbonite-Decent product; dumbest company ever"
Pros: Easy to backup files; cheap
Cons: Impossible to restore files after a crashed system; spend a little more on a product that works.
Summary: I subscribed to Carbonite when my hard drive was showing signs of failing. After backing up ALL of my files, my hard drive subsequently did fail and after recovering Windows onto a new drive, I attempted to install Carbonite. Unfortunately, I forg... read more >>
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2 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Version: Carbonite Online Backup 3.6
"Do not use this trial program"
Pros: I spent two weeks trying to delete this program. It is viral.
Cons: I spent two weeks trying to delete this program after 20 reminders that the trial had expired. DO NOT TRIAL THIS PROGRAM.
Summary: I spent two weeks trying to delete this program after 20 reminders that the trial had expired. DO NOT TRIAL THIS PROGRAM. Do I need to be anymore explicit. It was a pain in the xxx
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Carbonite Online Backup 3.6
"Slow,Slow Slow,and doesn't deliver what it promises."
Pros: Great concept but it doesn't always work.
Cons: Remote file access never worked no matter what computer I used, what browser or what ISP. Plus restoring files always generated a continuing hourglass.
Summary: Tech support was attentive and said they were working on it yet they continue to advertise remote file access. Maybe when they get it working I'll give it another try but for now I'll keep my backups in house using Second Copy. I have used it for ye... read more >>
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Carbonite Online Backup 3.6
Pros: Started out relatively simple to use.
Cons: Cannot reinstall; will soon be dropped
Summary: No longer a 'safe bet' for me.
- See all 25 user reviews Write review
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