Carbonite Support > Virtual Machines

Virtual Machines

  • This article is for Windows and Mac

Virtual Machines allow users to run multiple operating systems on one computer in separate instances. Since each instance of an operating system is identified as a unique machine, a single Carbonite Safe subscription can only back up user-created files visible to the file management system of the VM where Carbonite is installed.

If the user-created files for all Virtual Machines are accessible to the file management system of one of your VM's, you can install Carbonite on that VM and let it back up the files for all VMs from there. Files must be visible to your computer's default file management system for Carbonite to be capable of backing them up. You can select files for back up by right-clicking on them and selecting Carbonite; Back this up. Files that appear as though they are located on a network drive when mounted to your file management system can not be backed up by Carbonite.

We recommend that you do not back up. the virtual machine's operating files. The files that comprise the virtual machine change often enough while running (even if you are not doing anything with it) that our software will likely continually attempt to back up the constantly changing virtual machine files rather than your vital data files. To deselect these files for back up, first locate them on the machine. After the files are located you can right-click them and select Carbonite; Don't back this up or select the files from the Carbonite Mac Interface.

We have tested Carbonite to work with our supported operating systems, but we did not test our software in a virtual machine environment and therefore would encourage you to try a free trial first to make sure that the software will function properly with your current configuration.
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