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Q: I considered Carbonite after reading your comparison software and backup services. I contemplate getting a new computer to replace my dell 5150 Sun and Carbonite thought might be a good way to make the transition. but have not bought yet, I do not know the details. I see he has not marketed that way. Good idea or bad
A: In a sense, using an online backup service to move to a new computer would be like restoring your files to a new machine after a hard drive failure. We applaud your ingenuity. It is not a bad idea, but as with any process to work around, there are some things to keep in mind:
1) You will need to do some manual configuration of the backup process . By default Carbonite does not back any. For example, it does not save video files or files over 4GB in size. You will need to go through the backup preferences to ensure that each file type is covered.
2) While you can get Carbonite to back up your program files, it is better to settle these costs. Make sure you have access to the original installation disks or you always install the original files on your PC (and you indicated Carbonite to back up).
3) It will take a lot longer. A full system restoration line may take a day or more, and that does not count the original backup that also take long. There are many reasons for this, including the encryption used by your online backup service provider (must encrypt data before leaving a computer and decrypt it to the new computer). The last time I switched to a new computer, I used a Firewire cable to transfer data from a Powerbook with an iMac and it took less than two hours. Possible using other cables may vary, but there are no online backup medium can correspond to a direct connection.
So while it is certainly possible, it is an investment of time and effort. Online backup services are meant to keep your important data safe, and (in most cases) to give you mobile access to this data. If your hard drive fails or is stolen, you probably will not care if it takes a whole day to restore your data. But if you're like me, when you get a new computer, even two hours is too long to wait. In this case, you might want to try something like Laplink PCmover (although we have not yet had the opportunity to try it).