Home computer safety is a must – back it up!

December 15, 2010 – 11:43 am

Whether or not your realize it, your belongings are divided into two categories: the things you can replace and those you can’t. For the items you can’t replace, you’ve probably stored them in a safe place, like a lockbox at a bank. In either case, you’ve also probably purchased insurance so that if those items are lost that are replaceable, you can do so.

On your home computer, have you also divided things into those two categories? If so, what have you don’t about the items that you can’t replace? These items include things like checking account records, digital family photos or personal financial records. What happens if your computer malfunctions or is destroyed by a hacker? Are those files gone forever?

Think about your home computer. Do you have “spare tire” – a way to continue computing when you have a “blowout” caused by a malfunction or a thief? If you’d never purchase a car without a spare tire, why then do you operate your computer without a device to protect and back up your files?

What files should you back up? You should select those that cannot easily be recreated or reinstalled from somewhere else. But be realistic: back up those files you can easily replace as well as those you can’t easily replace.

How often should you back up your files? You should back them up every time the files change, ideally. But at least once a month should be sufficient.

Where should you back them up to? Back them up using the best method available to you. For example, if you can burn a CD with your information on it, do so. If you must store everything on a flash drive, then do that. There are also Internet services that allow you to store your backed up files online.

What should you do with the backed up files? Keep a copy of your files in a fireproof container or a safe deposit box at the bank.

Remember: just as you plan for that flat tire or the destruction of your belongings, you must also plan for the loss of the information stored on your computer. Making backup copies of important files and folders is critical.

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