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Is Norton™ Online Backup a good backup system?
self | 12/9/2012 | self

Posted on 12/09/2012 10:02:54 AM PST by Grampa Dave

Recently I had a problem with Comcast's cloud backup.

Then, I went to MyPC Backup Premium, and I started a year of their Premium program.

Everything appeared to go well until this past week. I couldn't back up my files, and the system wanted me to go into a new package.

Finally, after several days, I got a response re what to do, and it didn't work. I went on line and checked out their ratings. Once you got past the bs, there appeared to be a lot of people having similiar problems as I had.

I really don't want the hassle of using a stand by hard disk, nor do I want the hassle of dealing with a so called cloud system with a lot of problems.

So how does Norton™ Online Backup stack up. I don't have a lot stuff to store, and I want the backup stuff there when I need it after easy backup storage by me.

Thanks


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: backup; diskimage; onlinebackup; pcbackup; tech; usb
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I need help re an selecting a reliable/simple online backup system that will not break the my budget.
1 posted on 12/09/2012 10:03:00 AM PST by Grampa Dave
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Ernest, what do you suggest?


2 posted on 12/09/2012 10:04:01 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Tagline space for rent to pay for some of my extra taxes the next 4 years!)
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To: Grampa Dave
Get yourself a usb harddrive and run periodically run it.

It is fast, a one time fee — drive ~ $80 for ample disk space (1TB).

I'd guess that you would be protected with the online service if your house burned down. But the connection to the Internet is going to be slow. Much slower than a local harddrive.

3 posted on 12/09/2012 10:22:07 AM PST by dhs12345
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To: Grampa Dave

I purchased a Seagate external drive and back up my computer every night. I tried one of the Patriot Radio shill brands, Carbonite, and it sucked.


4 posted on 12/09/2012 10:23:13 AM PST by whitedog57
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To: Grampa Dave

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Expansion-Desktop-External-STBV3000100/dp/B00834SJU8/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1355077377&sr=1-2


5 posted on 12/09/2012 10:28:53 AM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet - Mater tua caligas exercitus gerit ;-{)
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To: Grampa Dave
www.crashplan.com

It has both a paid plan and a free option where you can back your computer up to another internet connected computer. i.e. your work computer, a family or friends computer, etc.

6 posted on 12/09/2012 10:33:42 AM PST by FreeAtlanta (bahits.com)
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To: Grampa Dave

... an “offsite” backup is good if you think your home is vulnerable to fire, weather or theft.

crashplan is good and I have been running it for over a year


7 posted on 12/09/2012 10:36:24 AM PST by FreeAtlanta (bahits.com)
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To: dhs12345; Grampa Dave
Get yourself a usb harddrive and run periodically run it.

Sage advise.

Might I also suggest a copy of Acronis True Image or comparable software to go along with it?

Saved my butt on more than one occasion.

8 posted on 12/09/2012 10:38:21 AM PST by Las Vegas Ron (Medicine is the keystone in the arch of socialism)
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To: Grampa Dave

Crashplan.com

You’ll wish you’d used it earlier.


9 posted on 12/09/2012 10:47:20 AM PST by Psycho_Bunny (Thought Puzzle: Describe Islam without using the phrase "mental disorder" more than four times.)
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To: Grampa Dave
Buy a NAS - Like a USB hard drive, only attached to your router... Always on... then go DL Cobian Backup and you will be set.

Note that it is always a good idea to periodically back up to a separate USB hard drive, connected only for that purpose, and disconnected (and unplugged) thereafter.

10 posted on 12/09/2012 10:47:46 AM PST by roamer_1 (Globalism is just socialism in a business suit.)
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To: roamer_1

How long does a USB last? I have a USB loaded with some pictures that’s been sitting on the shelf next to my speaker for a couple of years.


11 posted on 12/09/2012 10:51:48 AM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Grampa Dave
I stopped using "Norton" products years ago. When they were bought by Symantec, the product line suffered from Symantec trying to wring every penny out of every line of code.

Basically, they were charging Ferrari prices for Model T performance.

They're off my radar, and I'd really have to be desperate to reconsider the brand.

Maybe they got religion, and instituted a yearly development cycle that keeps up with technology and methods.

I use a USB Drive, and DVD the really important stuff as well.

As people have pointed out, a 1T USB drive can be had for $80. It comes with basic but configurable auto backup software.

And as it has been pointed out, you do lose the off premises redundancy of a cloud-based service.

But, backups are only good if you can retrieve what was backed up.

I guess you can hermetically seal the USB drive in a mayonnaise jar and store it on Funk and Wagnalls porch for safety.

12 posted on 12/09/2012 10:55:02 AM PST by Calvin Locke
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To: Las Vegas Ron
Sounds like good software. The usb drives these days come with backup software that runs in the background. A resource hog. Always on the top of the list in Task Manager.

A separate app is better in my opinion. Requires maintenance, though.

Bottom line: few people back up and then panic when their harddrive crashes.

13 posted on 12/09/2012 10:55:24 AM PST by dhs12345
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To: Grampa Dave
I suggest you buy an external drive like Western Digital My Passport Elite 500 GB USB 2.0 and then buy Norton Ghost,
then you can have your backups at home, with you.
14 posted on 12/09/2012 10:59:07 AM PST by Yosemitest (It's Simple ! Fight, ... or Die !)
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To: Lancey Howard
USB flash drive or USB hard drive? Flash drives are supposed to be good for 10 years. At least that was the guarantee for the individual flash chip. There was a limited number of writes too. Probably well below anything seen in a backup.

Hard drives will last longer as long as they are not running 24/7.

DVD media has a shelf life, too depending on where it is stored. It is susceptible to higher temperatures and UV. A dark cool place is best.

Any valuable backup must be checked refreshed periodically.

15 posted on 12/09/2012 11:02:34 AM PST by dhs12345
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To: Grampa Dave

For less than the cost of a year of cloud service, one can get a USB disk drive.

I have always been leary of cloud services. Too many times in the past, Yahoo, Microsoft and similar on-line services have changed or ceased some services. I ended up losing data, because sometimes they didn’t announce what they were doing.


16 posted on 12/09/2012 11:06:53 AM PST by TomGuy
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To: Grampa Dave

A local backup to an external drive is fine but it does not protect against disasters like fire since the computer and backup are in the same location.

If you feel that you have objects that must be recoverable, such as pictures, then a cloud solution needs to be examined.

I have used carbonite for two years and it works fine. I can access the files online from another computer as well. I have heard good things about mozy as well. There are others.

Usually, if you sign up with one of these companies, you can get two months free by using some radion hosts name as a promotion code.


17 posted on 12/09/2012 11:12:51 AM PST by CriticalJ (Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress.. But then I repeat myself. MT)
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To: Grampa Dave

I never had anything but problems with Norton’s and will never use them again for anything.


18 posted on 12/09/2012 11:21:11 AM PST by bgill (We've passed the point of no return. Welcome to Al Amerika.)
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To: CriticalJ

Carbonite lost my business when they listened to a bunch of leftist non-customers and made a big production out of removing ads from Limbaugh because of the Fluke business.


19 posted on 12/09/2012 11:25:56 AM PST by SWAMPSNIPER (The Second Amendment,a Matter of Fact,Not a Matter of Opinion)
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To: CriticalJ

You can get “hardened” external drives that are fire and water proof. I think LaCie makes one.


20 posted on 12/09/2012 11:30:01 AM PST by NewHampshireDuo
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