Let me set the scene: It was last Sunday morning around 10:30 am when my PC suddenly flashed and gave me the deadly Microsoft Windows blue
screen with the following error message:
“Fatal System Error: c21000a….”
After several failed attempts to either restore to an earlier instance or to fix the problem in SAFE MODE Dell informed me that I needed to start over. And so it began, the long arduous and painstakingly frustrating process of reloading all the software and applications (it took about 8 hours).
I thought myself lucky as I had purchased an online backup application that backs up “all my files” remotely while I work. Unfortunately, I made two critical mistakes:
- You must manually set the solution to backup your PST file in order to save your email, contacts, and calendar; and
- I did not select a provider that provided a full offline restore (I would have paid any amount to get my business files back via CD once I determined the online restore was having versioning issues). Plus the online restore process took more than 100 hours to complete.
The criteria I recommend using when evaluating online backup services:
- Software Compatibility (not all run on Vista or Apple for example)
- Tech Support (only via IM or on the phone as well? When you have problems you will want to talk to a real person!)
- Provide offline copy restore of all files (Yes or No? This would have saved me hours)
- Price per GB
- Setup Usability (All are fairly straightforward and most offer a free trial)
- Restoring Single Files Ease of Use (most meet this requirement)
- Full Restore of All Files (How long does it take to restore all files? Which files are restored?)
- Multiple Computer Backup (most of the solutions only allow one machine to be backed up per subscription)
- File Versioning (when you delete a file by mistake or it becomes corrupted, you can retrieve a previous version to work from. If this is an important feature for you, pay attention to the versioning limitations)
- Computer Performance During Backup (How much of your PC’s resources are being consumed? My backup solution locked up repeatedly during restore)
- Backup of Which File Types (Microsoft Outlook PST for example)
- Online File Sharing (most do not allow this but a few do)
- Synching (backing up latest version between your PC, laptop, and mobile devices)
For a more comprehensive list on online backup solutions do a search for “online backup services” at www.pcmag.com and you will be able to compare multiple solutions. Also, checkout the following resources:
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