carbonite back up

[grandmabee]

I got a virus on my computer and had to reinstall all my programs and now I am trying to find my back up data for 2009 and 2010 at least on my carbonite. I can't find them. I am now in panic mode !

[Pacun]

I don't have an answer to your question but I want to advise others who might experience the same situation.

Just for the record, when you get a virus, you are still able to recover your data if you get your hard drive and make it a slave on another computer. Do not reprogram your computer without knowing that your data is safe. A better solution is to buy another hard drive and program the new hard drive and keep the old one until you have pulled out your data.

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

Have not had to restore from Carbonite (thankfully). I believe you can ask them to send you CD/DVD's of whatever data they have from you, if you are having trouble restoring using their software.

For the future, do not rely on any single or even two methods. Have a copy you make yourself, a copy on a couple of online services, copies you mailed to a second secure location, etc. Paper records still come in handy as well.

[grandmabee]

I did take the computer to a repair shop and they reinstalled my windows. I told them before when I left the computer that I needed to keep all my data . They saved all my quickbooks data files but not any of my tax software. he said he couldn't but now i think he just didn't know for sure what he is doing. If I don't find it on carbonite I don't what I am going to do because all my 2010 returns are gone. I was so surprised when he told me he wiped my computer clean and reinstalled windows. He didn't even call and ask.

[ILLMAS]

I use carbonite and I will check to see if it backups ATX files, will let you know. I know sometimes you need to select a folder you want backed up, so if that folder wasn't select then it won't back it up. FYI I have an external HD and export 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010 files to separate folders in the HD, I do this very couple of months.

[grandmabee]

I use carbonite and I will check to see if it backups ATX files, will let you know. I know sometimes you need to select a folder you want backed up, so if that folder wasn't select then it won't back it up. FYI I have an external HD and export 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010 files to separate folders in the HD, I do this very couple of months.

I thought I selected back up everything on carbonite. Where does ATX store my backup files on my hard normally? Every time I close the program it says its backing it up. Do you know what the name of the back up files for ATX are? As you can tell I am not a computer expert.

[ILLMAS]

Look for this path: C:\program files\ATX2010\Backup\ it might different on your computer if you are using Windows 7 the path is the same for all the years.

MAS

[grandmabee]

I use XP

[ILLMAS]

Then this should be your path:

C:\program files\ATX20XX\Backup\

If you go to start, then run and type C:\program files\ATX2010\Backup\

This will open the 2010 backup folder, then you'll see if there is any files in there, to search for other years just type 2007, 2008, etc......

[ILLMAS]

Just checked my machine and carbonite does make backups of the ATX folder, I remember selecting them to be backed up manually.

[grandmabee]

so I Had to select it manually to do it? and not select back up everything?

If I go to carbonite then I look up that C:\program file\ATX2010\backup\ I can see if it is backed up/

[cred65]

On the task bar (right side) click on Carbonite. On the pop-up click on Info Center. There you can view your files backed up, and you can Restore from there.

[ILLMAS]

Carbonite automatically picks up the most common files word, excel, powerpoint etc.... But if you right click on a folder and find Carbonite, then you will see something like backup up this file, once it's backed up you will see a green dot next to the folder, if you see an orange dot, that means there were some files it did not backup which are usually program files.

To access your backed up files in Carbonite, there should be a green lock with a happy face on the lower right hand side of the screen, if you double click it you will see Infocenter... then go to restore and the click on browse my online backup drive, a box will appear and just look for C:\program file\ATX20XX\backup\ then select the folder to restore. If you computer doesn't show the green lock, go to programs and look for Carbonite ->Infocenter

[Jack from Ohio]

I did take the computer to a repair shop and they reinstalled my windows. I told them before when I left the computer that I needed to keep all my data . They saved all my quickbooks data files but not any of my tax software. he said he couldn't but now i think he just didn't know for sure what he is doing. If I don't find it on carbonite I don't what I am going to do because all my 2010 returns are gone. I was so surprised when he told me he wiped my computer clean and reinstalled windows. He didn't even call and ask.

You need to find a COMPETENT tech!! That is very amateurish for him simply to reinstall windows without checking with you about what you need. Competent techs do not come cheap, but will preserve your data!!

PACUN described a couple of methods that a competent tech would use to save your data.

Find a DIFFERENT tech!!

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

(Based only on your description) Demand a refund from the person masquerading as a computer tech.  If they do not oblige, and you paid by charge card (always pay by charge card), dispute the charge.  Wiping a drive is lazy (and fraudulent in my opinion) unless you asked for or approved the drive to be wiped.  Blindly wiping a drive is comparable to solving every auto engine issue with a new engine...  And when I do the rare fix it job for someone, I harken back to the work approval process, and removed part saving process of my younger days.

I did take the computer to a repair shop and they reinstalled my windows.  I told them before when I left the computer that I needed to keep all my data .  They saved all my quickbooks data files but not any of my tax software.  he said he couldn't but now i think he just didn't know for sure what he is doing.  If I don't find it on carbonite I don't what I am going to do because all my 2010 returns are gone.  I was so surprised when he told me he wiped my computer clean and reinstalled windows.  He didn't even call and ask.

[B. Jani]

I always create a backup folder in mydocument folder and divert my backup to mydocument folder instead of program default. This way I have only one folder to back up. I hope you find your backup online and save lots of headach.

[Pacun]

A data recovery company might be able to recover your data if you know where it is. If you installed ATX in the default directories it should be under C:\program file\ATX20XX. It is expensive and I don't know how many clients you have but it might be worthy to give it a try. Remember that the backing up done by ATX is like saving your money under one pillow and then saving some money on the other pillow. This type of reserve or back up will work only if you bed gets burned only half way.

Depending on how the technician programmed your computer, a data recover company will undo what the technician did and give you the hard drive virus infected but your data should be there. When a technician says... "I will have reprogram your computer but your data will be OK" What they mean is that "my documents", favorites and desktop will be safe. The word desktop means, the folder that holds the icons and all the crap you dump there. It doesn't mean your computer. When a tech uses that terminology, they have covered their basics and it is up to the clients to say "besides QuickBooks, I use ATX and I need all the data from that software. The folder name is ATX2010". Their lingo is like when you tell your client "I can see you sold your rental house in May last year and you got a profit of $300K and since you depreciated your house for the last 15 years, I will have to recapture that depreciation". In your mind, you are telling them that they will owe a bunch of taxes but the client doesn't understand what you just said. When you present the return and they owe a bunch of money, they don't like your work and don't want to pay you and they want their papers back.

My suggestion is to negotiate with them to have the hard drive sent to a data recovery company and maybe they can share the cost. As the computer industry says... it is your responsibility to look for a good, certified tech. (Sounds similar to what the IRS tells taxpayers when they blame the preparer).

I have said this before... Don't use your tax preparation computer as a regular computer....

I have a partner and I do not let her use my computer UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE because tax preparers should NOT get a virus on their work computer. Remember that if your computer is hacked, you have a lot of information from your clients. You have:

Correct name

SS#

Address

Previous addresses if they are long time clients

Name of employers, addresses, FEIN, etc.

Marital status (on most cases)

Income amounts

bank account numbers

date of birth

Mortgage loan information, etc.