

Choose too many and the control turns red.
IDRIVE REVIEWS PCMAG FULL
Both have check boxes for inclusion and exclusion from the backup set, so the duplication seemed unnecessary, especially with the third "Contents of my backupset" area below these two.Īs you select files, a thermometer control shows how full your backup space is getting.

The right-hand section is another tree, just of files and folders included in the backup. An Automatic Selection item was, however, added to the bottom of the main backup window, called "Contents of my backupset." Next I tried adding files simply by using the directory tree in the left-hand section of the program's main window. When I let the "wizard" choose a bunch of folders to back up, they weren't then checked in the tree windows, which I find confusing. For example, you can choose to back up files from IM programs, Quicken, and Microsoft Office applications. Marking those determines what gets backed up, and you'll find more than the usual choices (My Documents, Pictures, Music, e-mail, and the like). Selecting it brings up a large dialog containing 31 check boxes. Investigation reveals a File Selection "wizard" menu choice, but it's not worthy of the wizardly name. That's it: No wizards make suggestions about what to back up, or when. Below is an area called "Contents of my backupset". When you enter a password, a dialog tells you that the key itself is stored in encrypted format on your machine, and that you'll be unable to retrieve your files if you forget the password.Īt log-in, you see the IDrive Classic interface-a three-pane window with two folder trees of your hard drive. Unlike Carbonite, IDrive recommends using your own. As with MozyHome Online Backup and Carbonite Online PCBackup, you can use the service's default encryption key to secure your data or provide your own. And, in my testing, uploads were comparatively fast.Īfter installing software, you start the client program and go through the usual account and password creation process. Fee-based accounts include phone support with longer hours than other services offer. All versions can back up from and restore to network drives. Business accounts cost $9.95 monthly or $99.95 yearly for 50GB of storage. Besides, uploading that much could take a month.

IDRIVE REVIEWS PCMAG PRO
The reasonably priced ($4.95 monthly, $49.50 yearly) Pro version gives you 150GB-less than the claimed "unlimited" space but more than most need for personal use. The problem? IDrive's bewildering interface. The free Basic version allots up to 2GB of storage, and, where most rivals give you extra space for a set time if you refer acquaintances who then join, IDrive permanently adds 10GB to free accounts just for sharing five e-mail contacts. IDrive goes beyond the offerings standard in consumer online backup services, with drag-and-drop file restore, backup-set searching, and Web-based viewing of backup logs. The powerful capabilities of this online-backup service almost made me forget that I tore my hair out unearthing them.

IDRIVE REVIEWS PCMAG SOFTWARE
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