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Carbonite Online Backup

By Carbonite Free to try Editors' Rating
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Editors' Review

Download.com Staff Nov 7, 2008

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.

Full Specifications

What's new in version 5.7.4

Functionality and Usability Enhancements:
Tiered Backup on Initial Backups - The backup priority has been adjusted to make sure your important data is backed up first during your initial backup. Carbonite will now attempt to back up key locations within the C:\Users or C:\Documents and Settings folders in the following order:

  • Documents folder
  • Desktop folder
  • Pictures folder

  • All other automatically or manually selected files and folders Anytime Anywhere Access File Accessibility - You no longer have to wait until the end of your initial backup to Carbonite in order to remotely access files from higher tiered backup locations.

    Issues Addressed:

  • Carbonite icon in Windows Notification Area more accurately reflects backup status when backup first starts.
  • Addressed issue with Back up once a day scheduling option not working as intended.
  • General

    Release June 23, 2015
    Date Added June 23, 2015
    Version 5.7.4

    Operating Systems

    Operating Systems Windows, Windows XP, Windows Vista
    Additional Requirements None

    Popularity

    Total Downloads 22,192
    Downloads Last Week 0
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    User Reviews

    2.9/5
    203 User Votes
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    Developer's Description

    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.

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