Online data storage - best deals???

cottager

For a paid service, I've used BackUp Solutions for about 10 yrs, since before online backup was really 'fashionable' or affordable for home users -- at that time back in 2002 they were pitching at the business market but that's now changed. I was and still am only a home user with a single PC, but went with them as I had OH's computerised business records which it's important to keep safe for a number of years... as well as all my own stuff which was considerably more!

Currently it costs me $24.95 per quarter (note dollars, not £) which I pay online by c/card when due -- usually works out at roughly £18-19 on the card after conversion. In earlier years it was about three times more expensive (and there were also grades of backup size limit, and I'd hit mine), but when I saw they were advertising a lower price with unlimited storage for new users and emailed them about it, they happily moved me onto the lower rate + unlimited. This is for one system, and mine's currently running at about 35GB and always rising, mainly because of digital images. Works well and I've always been very pleased. They're in California.
http://www.backupsolutions.com/PCMac-overview.php

I have an external HD as well, which is quick and convenient to back up to, and in normal circumstances if I needed to retrieve anything I'd use that; but as others have said, if your place goes up in smoke or all your kit's stolen, you're completely stuffed (unless you not only back up regularly but stick to a regime of keeping backups off-site). If the worst happened I could log in to the online account, register a new computer and get everything back -- though with 35GB it would take a very long time with my connection! Still, it's there as the last resort which is the main thing.

By the same token, for a new user with a very large amount of data as I do, the initial transfer might take 'forever' to accomplish (with possible implications for data transfer limits, if not on an unlimited broadband package?); but after that it's obviously only transferring any changes since the last backup. Mine's scheduled to back up to them twice-weekly, but you can set this as frequently as you want.

Fosterdog

I'm going to be using Knowhow Cloud, I have two months left of my existing backup service but haven't been very happy with lots of downtime. My brother works for Currys/Pcworld and has been using their cloud for a few months now and is really happy with it and I've had a look at him using the software and it's really easy compared to what I'm using now.

He just has one that is 500gb for £30 for one year on one computer but I'll be going for the 1tb backup for £50 for one year or £150 for five years and can backup and share between three (OHs laptop, my macbook and my phone). I haven't decided yet whether to just go for the one year or pay out for the five. The five is cheaper in the long run but after one bad experience I don't want to be tied down without a trial first (more than just the demo from my brother)

Pinkypants

Try https://www.livedrive.com

I've been using for well over a year to back up main pc and a laptop. Pretty sure it'll back up a connected external drive too.

Money_Grabber13579

Have you thought about skydrive? 7GB of free storage and if you download the Skydrive app onto your computer, it just acts like another folder (eg. My Documents) and everything in that folder is automatically synced online.

https://apps.live.com/skydrive

jamescross91

Skydrive give you a tonne of space for free. !!!!!! is also good, i got 50gb for free!

NIKKID

Some very helpful suggestions there and a lot for me to think about. Like I said, I do back up to dvd and hard disc regularly - that on it's own is a chore but having lost a huge amount of work once before when my drive failed I'm not going to be caught out again.

Thanks for all your suggestions