Are any of you using Backblaze, Carbonite, Crashplan?

For various reasons, I am looking for a full proof, bulletproof way to backup my data.

These companies from what I've seen seem very very unreliable. It works till it don't work. There software compared to say filezilla (another file transfer software, albeit, for uploading html files through ftp), looks extremely janky to me.

I'm just thinking that these companies are promising the world but ultimately aren't really that reliable.

Any advice?

 

That's what I am thinking to, and then just using google drive.

 

Can you tell me why you like it better than google drive?

 

I'm thinking about going with acronis disk director and then acronis backup. The software is a hell of a lot better, i know that.

 

Here's what I decided to do: I bought wd my book 3 terabytes (best buy is selling these for 104.99) a great deal. I also bought Acronis True Image 2016 (49.99), which allows you to create clones of your drive, rescue disks, incremental backups, etc. Then I am using Google Drive for my offline storage, I might switch to dropbox.

I feel like this setup puts me in control, instead of having some company that I don't even know in charge of my critical files.

Think about it: crashplan, doesn't this seem to good to be true? And what happens when they reach critical mass? Offering unlimited never deleted storage is just WAY to good to be true, so I just don't believe them.

My setup puts me in control of just about everything, which software that is actually easy to use rather than the crappy software these cloud storages are offering, which also a lot more flexible backup options.

 

Okay, after much much research (probably too much), I am ready to post my backup strategy in the hopes that it might help somebody else.

I am going to write this in a problem solution format.

Problem #1. Most backup software actually sucks ass. This includes many of the big players in the space: Acronis Perfect Image, Genie Timeline, Novabackup, and Paragon.

Acronis Perfect Image. SEEMS great, until you actually start using it. The biggest problem I have with the software is that the entire software is a marketing tool to get you to buy their crappy cloud software. Also, there are a lot of idiosyncrasies that don't really make a lot of sense. For example, they claim that you can use a feature called nonstop which is suppose to be like an instantaneous sync: only problem is that with the feature activated, it won't allow you to backup individual folders (which is the only reason you'd want to do instantaneous backup).
I am not sure why, and that is just one of the MANY stupid gochas with their software.

Paragon. Paragon is twice as expensive as most of the options (99.99) and its gui interface is insanely, mindnumbingly, unorganized. They offer a poorly executed "simple" alternative ui which looks like windows 8.1 tiles. I never even tried the software because I thought I'd lose my mind if I tried to make sense of it.

Genie Timeline has some of the worst reviews of any of these backup options, so much so that I didn't bother trying it because I couldn't find 1 good review, and Novabackup was pretty much panned by a reviewer who claimed that the software had bugs and could be inaccurate. I for one don't want ANY inaccurate backup software.

Solution:
The solution is macrium reflect 6. Price 69.99 (if you call sales you can get 10% off).
Macrium also has a free version that basically allows you to backup your entire drive but not much else. You don't get for example incremental backups, or individual file backups: which basically means that each backup you make has to be full system, a huge waste of space, especially if you are going to want to sync this backup to the cloud which I recommend later.

Things I like a about Macrium: it has a clean, well-organized design. It also has a feature that allows you to add a copy of your backup image to your boot menu, so if you are like me and like to reinstall windows, this will allow you do it in one step, all of your programs and settings in 1 shot (no headache.) You obviously will still need to create your distaster disk in case your hard drive fails.

There is one gotcha that I've found, (i'm posting this since I spent days trying to figure it out). However, it doesn't affect anything in my recommended setup for bulletproof backup that I'll explain later, but I thought I'd mention it, in case you run across it.

Here it goes: If you are using a wd my book, which I recommend, the smartware syncing service which is included on the drive actually conflicts with macrium's browsing technology.
What I mean is: each time you want to browse a backup, macrium sets up a virtual mounting drive. The problem occurs when you try to unmount the drive by right clicking on it: basically this action crashes window explorer. Smartware in this case is the culprit. So you can't use them together. That's fine because I'm going to show you a better way to sync, right now.


Problem #2 Google Drive and Dropbox and basically any storage service does allow you to sync to an external drive. And it is VERY VERY difficult to actually find an app that actually works without spending a fortune. Luckily, you have me, cause I found a free app that is actually the BEST app for this kind of thing.

Solution: The app is called SyncBackFree and it is freaking awesome.

So let me provide you with a scenario with a disclaimer. The disclaimer is that if you are relying ONLY on Carbonite, Backblaze or Crashplan for your disaster recover, you are playing with fire: there is no way else I can say it. I really cannot see a sustainable business plan that makes sense to get these guys afloat and once they go under, goodluck getting you files back.

I said that to say this: an external harddrive is no a luxury, it is crucial. The idea is that if you don't have a backup to your backup, you aren't backed up. I take it even a step further than that.

That's where Syncbackfree comes into play. Syncbackfree allows you to sync your external hardrive to any folder on your desktop WITH RULES. My logic with it goes like this:

First, I want to backup my recycle bin to my external drive. That way, any file that i delete will always be saved.
Next, there are 3 options, backup, sync and mirror in snycback. Without getting into too much detail Sync basically means that if I delete a file in my google drive, then the file (once the backup is run) will be deleted on my external drive. This is what we want. Remember, we are backing up our recycle bin, so you don't have to fear accidental deletion. You can also exclude file types, etc, which you will want to do for things like full system backups.

Without an external harddive a lot of this isn't possible. But anyway, my cost on this is: 105 for 3 terabyte drive, 63.00 for macrium and (for now) I got fee cloud service with google drive but will be 10 bucks and this plan is pretty bullet proof.