Crash Plan Users...

[rach3975]

I was just looking at Crash Plan, and it says they can back your computer up to both their cloud and a local drive like your EHD or another computer. Does anyone use them to back up to your own EHD? (Not backing up an EHD to their cloud, but using them to manage backing your computer's main HD up to an EHD.) What has your experience been if you needed to restore from your EHD after a HD crash?

I want to switch from the Norton backup software I've been using, and I'm debating using Crash Plan for that vs the Windows 8.1 File History (or whatever they're calling it). I'd also be using the paid cloud backup if I go with CrashPlan. I'm using Backblaze right now and am trying to decide which I value more, the ability to back up files from an EHD without worrying about them being erased [winner=Crash Plan] or the ability to buy a drive with all my files instead of potentially doing a 300 GB restore by downloading [winner=BackBlaze/ETA: Looks like CrashPlan may offer this now even though the reviews I've read said they don't, in which case it would be a tie]. Thanks!

[Julie Billingsley]

I don't have any experience with backing up Crashplan to an EHD, but I wanted to say I did just sign up for Crashplan earlier this month. Everyone warned me about it taking months to fully back up. I have about 1 Terabyte to backup to their cloud, however I'm over halfway backed up and it's only been 14 days! I played around with their throttle and upped it to go faster and I'm really glad I did.

[rach3975]

Wow, that's fast! I've had to do a few initial backups to BackBlaze (since if your HD crashes and you get a new one you have to do a new initial backup after you restore) and my 300 GB or so has taken a couple weeks.

[Libby Pritchett]

I don't have any experience with using Crashplan to back up to my EHD, but I have used Crashplan (backing up to their cloud) for several months, and I love it!

I used Backblaze previously, and I ended up very frustrated when they had some error on their end (which was pretty common based on my research) where they basically lost all of my data. It was nonecoverable, and since I was going to have to start the whole initial backup process over again, I decided to check out my other options.

Crashplan has been very fast with my backups, and I LOVE that I can get stuff off of there after it has been deleted if I need to. Last week, I realized that I needed a file that I know I haven't had on my computer since probably September. On a whim, I thought I'd check Crashplan, and I was STUNNED to find that it was still there.

I love Crashplan and have no plans to go back to Backblaze ever.

[MamaBee]

No... we only use the cloud... DH confirmed. ;)

[lorryfach]

I've had to do a few initial backups to BackBlaze (since if your HD crashes and you get a new one you have to do a new initial backup after you restore)

What? Seriously?? :thumbdown:
CrashPlan wins here too. If you get a new one, you can just adopt an existing backup. No need to reinvent the wheel.

[rach3975]

What? Seriously?? :thumbdown:
CrashPlan wins here too. If you get a new one, you can just adopt an existing backup. No need to reinvent the wheel.

Agreed. In theory Backblaze has a similar ability, but IIRC the site says it isn't as good as a complete new backup and recommends it only be used in specific circumstances.

I started my CrashPlan backup last night. It's doing a complete back up to the EHD first, which should be done in a few more hours. After that it will start backing up online.