Is anyone using SkyDrive for 'serious' backup - like 50 gb of images?   I currently use Amazon S3 and it works, but there are some things I don't like about it.  I'd prefer to have everything in one place, under one Microsoft account.

SkyDrive advertises prices for storage up to 100 gb, but requires everything to be in the single SkyDrive folder on C:.    I haven't checked out the details of synchronization and other fine points of how it manages your files.

Never tried using it for backup, but I do post a trip to Iowa there, once a year. In other words, a toy site for playing around, I can't find anything serious. If I missed the bulk uploads and downloads and ability to link to images, that I could actually use? 25GB free

Still using Dropbox for many things, like my work calendar, so I can access it from any device, anywhere. Also nice for attaching large files to people, instead of in the email. Private and public sections, nice security. I'm at 17.25GB free right now.

https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg3NTUwMjA5

Google Plus? If you're signed up for Google+, photos up to 2048x2048 pixels and videos up to 15 minutes long won't count towards this free storage limit. And Google will automatically resize photos for you when you upload them to Google+, so they stay under the free size limit.

Mostphotos? 

I'm sure there are more. But depending on the size, Picasa is pretty good for a smaller resolution image collection. Unlimited, really is Unlimited, and you can up/down/link which is nice.

So far I'm happiest with Dropbox.  https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg3NTUwMjA5

And there could be others out there. If someone wanted to sign up for multiple "free" services, you could accumulate all kinds of storage.

Ah Ha, a friend mentioned that his designing work was automatically backed up with Windows 8 and how much he liked it. And me? You're talking to someone who is still running XP on all the computers except the one running 98SE. 

Some Midi editing software only runs on 98 and some will only run in DOS and 98 has "real" DOS while future version disabled features. It's all about running limited interest utilities and antique software for obscure purposes.

Now I understand what you are trying to do. Keep posting when you get a solution. I'm the external drive guy, I can carry them with me, make redundant backups, year after year and by the year, for $99 a year for 2T now. I don't expect storage to go up in price, but there could be newer technologies making hard drives with motors obsolete. Better reliability, more secure.

Hey did you notice 32GB thumb drives are $20 bucks now? You could have your whole backup in your pocket or wear it around your neck. And a second copy in a safe location in a box... for $80 total? Amazing!

No, I'm talking about serious backup: 50+ gigabytes, raw files.   Not photo sharing.

SkyDrive is promoted mainly as a way to share (collaborate on) Office documents so I assume it's safe and secure.   It's built in to Win8 so you don't have to mess with a separately installed client program.   There are other advantages.   But before I'd switch from Amazon S3, I'd like to hear from someone who uses SkyDrive for large amounts of important stuff.  So far there don't seem to be many such users.