The Cloud?

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The Cloud?

Is there anyone savvy enough to tell me how to get started using a cloud to backup my scrapbook pages? I know there are some that offer some free GB and after that one pays. Simple explaination essential for this electronically challenged user.

Also, those who use them, what "cloud" would you recommend and why?
Thank you!

It depends on your ultimate goal. Are you just saving them? Are you wanting to share them? Are you wanting to use the cloud for supplies or just pages?

Flickr is free, and now allows you to upload a full resolution of a photo. You can also download the resolution that you uploaded. You can share them with family and friends who can also download them if you want them to. And it's a terabyte free. For that, you just go to Flickr.com and set up an account. It's really user friendly.

I use Backblaze to back up my computer. It's $5 a month, and will backup unlimited amounts for that $5. It will also back up my external hard drive. I can download any file to any computer through the web. I had to change two settings: the file types and the largest file size. It was super simple to do, and I have no complaints.

I use Dropbox (free) on my phone, and my husbands phone and my computer. It is set up to automatically upload any photos taken by the phones. (And that folder is also backed up to Backblaze.)

I also print with Persnickety Prints, and I can upload my pages there for free. I don't know if there is a cap, I haven't seen one listed.

I have heard good things about Carbonite as well, but it was more expensive, and I've heard more complicated. Once you pick one, (or two, I believe in redundancy!) post and if I'm familiar I'll walk you through, if I'm not I'm sure someone can!

Thank you. Now I just have to get up the courage to try something new. I want to use it for backup. My ultimate goal would be to back up all photos and genealogy files, but for now I thought I'd start with finished scrapbook pages. I think I'll try flickr so I can share photos. Sounds like it will take a lot and I love the "user friendly" part.

I understand it takes a long time to back up a computer. I have over a TB of files, a lot of photos. $5 a month is not much more than it costs for our safety deposit box where I keep a hard drive backup and swap it out fairly regularily.

Today is full, but as soon as possible, I'll sign up for flickr as a start!

It can take awhile. I like Backblaze because I can set it and forget it. My internet speed greatly affects the speed of the backup. It's taking about 3 weeks to backup my 2 Tb on the hard drive and my laptop. However, I have shut my computer down during that time, and (of course) added new files. I started by telling it to back up my photo files first, then scrapbook supplies, then the rest. It took more effort on my part, but I was okay with that.

I really love Dropbox because so many programs and apps already sync to it. I pay the $10 to have 100GB of storage and I keep all of my digital scrapbooking kits in there so I can access them across devices.

Funny I should find this thread. I had an experience with my Photoshop Elements becoming infected and somehow my computer got a virus (though I have a great virus protection). I had to reload my Windows 7. I had done this in the past and had lost everything. I lost all my files, photos, etc. This time I was able to save a lot because I had saved things to zip files and saved a lot to Cloud drives and to google drive.
I used Amazon Cloud which I got as a part of my Kindle Fire HD. I uploaded all of my kits, tubes, clusters, masks, and other various things I use for digital scrapbooking to Amazon Cloud and to Google Drive.
Some things I just uploaded as is--other things I compressed, and zipped into smaller files so I could upload the most in a short amount of time.

I have a dropbox acct and have used it as well.

Because I think ahead I only lost 3 programs. I did not lose one tiny photograph. It sure felt good to be so prepared. There is nothing worse than losing your memories.

Courtney, I liked the info you provided on Backblaze so I decided to check it out and just wanted to ask a question if you or someone could answer in layman terms as I am not real tech savvy. Why do they not backup the sys and exe files? I would think those are very important because they are program files and set up files. The reason I am asking is when I purchased some programs I purchased and downloaded online so I do not have a cd for backup. I know I should have done something different but now I am concerned. What should I do about that I do have an external drive and I know some people have 2 or 3 but I just don't have the money. What do you think or Anyone suggest?

I would do whatever I could to have at least one or more external drive. Especially one large enough for my important files. I'd eat bread only for a week if necessary rather than chance losing my files after I once lost a years worth of work.

I save my purchased and downloaded folders with the regestration numbers in a folder on the backup drive.

I can't answer about the sys and exe files but am interested so hope someone comes along who can answer you. Maybe you should try it under a new topic in case someone might see it who can answer that question?

I just checked out the Backblaze site.
"Backblaze backs up everything on your computer except your operating system, applications, and temporary files. "

That would answer the question as to why it doesn't back up .exe files since they are applications.

It might be a great help if you asked in a new topic if anyone knows of a "cloud" backup that backs up the system. That's where I'm weak in my backups and it would take me hours now to redo my primary hard drive.

It actually will backup the exe and sys files. If you have it on your computer, then go to the control panel. Under exclusions, delete exe and sys. Also, check to make sure you have no limits as the file size.

By default it does not back those up. My guess (I may have read it?) is that most people don't need those files (same with temporary internet files). In my experience (switching computers, reloading Windows, etc.) I've been able to redownload the program from the original site. I just needed the authorization key or code or whatever again. I've been able to do that with Photoshop Elements, along with various other programs (A handwriting one, eCal, etc.). Also, those files will become outdated typically as companies provide updates.

Example: Firefox. You download the .exe file the first time to install it. Subsequent updates are provided, but not a new original .exe file. If you switch to a new computer you could use the same original .exe file, but would have to wait for the updates to also download, or you could go to Firefox and download a new .exe file with the updates already included. This is a very basic example, but I hope that helps a little.

Will it backup the operating system?

I had never thought to use Amazon Cloud for files other than my books. I use Dropbox, for sure, and I also have Box, Google Drive, Sky Drive, Asus Cloud. I have a neat one, The Pocket, that when I am on my tablet and find a website I want to go to on my computer, I just add it to my Pocket and it's there when I open it on my computer. It is a LOVELY Link saver. I've tried a few others, Evernote and spring pad, could NOT get them to do whatever it was they were supposed to do. LOL

I really need some online backup, but the cloud makes me a little nervous...

Cool! I'm going to look into The Pocket! I'd love to save links on my iPad and have them at hand on my PC as well.

I use Copy, www.copy.com and Dropbox. Both have referral programs for earning more free space by referring friends, but with Dropbox you start with less free space, and earn less free space with referrals. Copy gives you 15GB free, and you can earn 5GB more when you refer someone new. Each person, the one you refer and yourself, will get 5GB free for each referral that signs up using the link. If any one would like to try Copy, here is my referral link, and thank you in advance for using it.

https://copy.com?r=7k29iw