NT - Backup Service

[Beersheba]

Can anyone recommend a backup service? I have used Carbonite for years but the credit card changed my number and they couldn't charge my card.

Guess what?? There is NO WAY to reach these people by phone. Even "customer service" blog has "Frequently asked questions" with dozens of pages to read through. Whether these computer genius people like it or not, there are some occasions when nothing else can suffice except a real live person on the telephone.

Computer companies are not the only ones too cheap to hire telephone people. Endless telephone menus which cut you off after 15 minutes of asking you questions and telling you "your call is very important to us".

I am currently without backup service and would appreciate a recommendation.

[Lion]

I would try any of the Sales telephone numbers. Sales tends to answer! And, you are trying to buy/renew. https://www.carbonite.com/contact-us

[Rapid Robert]

A computer backup is like insurance - you don't know what you're getting for your money until you "file a claim" = "restore a backup".

Did you ever test the restoration of your backup (assuming a complete failure / destruction / theft of your production machine) from Carbonite? In other words, could you buy a brand new off-the-shelf notebook computer at the nearest electronics store and successfully get yourself back to where you left off, using only your Carbonite access?

"I am currently without backup service"

Not a good look, but at least you are trying to fix it.

In the short term, you could always just buy an external disk drive, plug it in to your Windows machine (assuming Windows), and copy your critical data directories from the workstation to the external drive.

[Beersheba]

I would try any of the Sales telephone numbers. Sales tends to answer! And, you are trying to buy/renew. https://www.carbonite.com/contact-us

Thanks Lion. I did use the contact number and listened to an endless telephone menu that no matter which option I chose, Even choosing the "Sales" option dumped me back into the menu. I heard another long message and of course, was referred to the website for more "helpful" information. After the menu exhausted all efforts to get me off the phone, they finally put me through to a real person, telling me "this call may be monitored to assure good service". I finally got through to a real person!! YAY!! But it was voice mail. "This is xxxxxxxxxx, please leave a detailed message and your phone number and I'll call you back." That was four days ago.

RR thank you for your response, but I would appreciate someone referring me to another backup company other than Carbonite.

[Anarchrist]

could you buy a brand new off-the-shelf notebook computer at the nearest electronics store and successfully get yourself back to where you left off, using only your Carbonite access?

No, Carbonite only backs up data.

That was four days ago.

Sales will never call you back for a technical problem. I'm sure you'll have just as much difficulty getting a live tech person with most cheap backup services.



I recall people on some of these listservs mentioning Mozy & iDrive. My computer guy used Mozy a decade ago, don't know what he uses now but if he switched he probably went with something like MS Azure.

Have you googled? Lots of reviews:

https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-cloud-backup

https://www.pcmag.com/picks/best-backup-services

https://www.pcworld.com/article/407149/online-cloud-backup-services-carbonite-idrive-backblaze-livedrive.html

https://www.techradar.com/best/best-cloud-backup

https://www.cloudwards.net/award/best-online-backup-services/

[Beersheba]

Thank you Anarchrist. You really did answer the question.