General Info >> Back up Computer Data
Is Your Home Computer Data Backed Up? Business computer users know that the loss of their data can be a disaster, so they have data backup strategies in place. Many home computer users, though, don’t think about data backup. That’s a big mistake. Computers don’t last forever, and your data can disappear in seconds in a hard drive crash, power surge, fire, or the theft of your computer.
The loss of financial records, emails, documents, and personal photos can be as much of a disaster for a home computer user as it is for a business. With just a little effort and expense, you can protect yourself from data loss and the hard work and expense needed to recover from such a loss.
If you use Windows-based PC’s, most of your data files are in the “My Documents” folder. This is the default location that most programs save or store files in. Go through the subfolders within “My Documents”, you will find most of your critical files.
Data Backup Strategies
Protecting your data needn’t be expensive or complicated, but it requires a little discipline. A regular backup schedule is critical, and sticking to that schedule is a must. Choosing how to back up data is also important.
For a typical home user, a complete backup of your entire hard drive isn’t that important. Software programs can be re-installed and, even if you have to buy a new computer, much of what is on your hard drive will come with that computer. Backing up only the data that can’t be easily replaced is the strategy most home users choose.
Selecting a Backup Method
There are many ways to back up your data. Consider the options below, based on how much data you need to store and whether you want to store your data locally or remotely. Local storage is fine for most users, but remote storage will protect you even in the case of a fire or other disaster.
- Use Existing Equipment – Most home computers come with a CD-RW or DVD drive that can record data. Windows users can use My Computer to view folders, then simply click and drag folders, like My Documents, to the CD-RW or DVD drive to copy them to a disc. Label each disc with the date of the backup, then store the backup discs in a safe place. Macintosh users have similar tools.
- Use External Drives – External hard drives and small solid-state USB data drives are very reasonably priced, and plug into your PCs USB port. The same drag-and-drop techniques described above let you quickly and simply back up entire folders. In this case, allow your computer to overwrite the previous backup on the device, for simplicity’s sake, then store the drive safely.
- Email Data to Yourself – If you have an email account that stores your email on a remote server, like Yahoo, Gmail, or AOL, you can easily backup individual, but critical, individual files by attaching them to an email to yourself. This method, though, won’t work for backing up entire folders of data.
- Let Software Automatically Backup Data – Most home accounting software, like Quicken, and some other programs, can automatically back up your data each time you use the program. Use these tools with a solid-state USB drive or even a floppy disk to make aback up each time you use the program.
- Use Automated Online Backup – Several companies offer automated backup for your data for a reasonable fee. For about $50 per year, they provide a software program that lets you select folders and files you want backed up regularly. Then, the software automatically backs up those folders and files whenever they change or new files are added. The data is encrypted and stored on their servers, and can be retrieved by you from any computer at any time. This backup method is ideal, since you don’t have to think about it once you set it up. You must have broadband internet access to use this method. Here are some online backup web sites:
- Carbonite.com – www.carbonite.com
- Symantec.com – www.symantec.com/norton/online-backup
- Crashplan.com – www11.crashplan.com/consumer
- Mozy.com – www.mozy.com/home