| Computer Backup Backup Tips and Free Backup Software Everyone knows they should have a good backup of any important files that are on their computer in case the Hard Drive crashes or the computer is otherwise destroyed by something like a fire, flood, or hurricane. The problem is many people don’t even know where to start to try and create a backup of the files and folders that are important. Here are some tips and suggestions to help you with your computer backup. The easiest and most reliable way to backup your data is using an online backup service that runs automatically in the background and stores your files off site. An online backup that stores your files off site is important because if your home is destroyed by a natural disaster or fire your data is still safe. If you use a laptop and it’s stolen then your files can be recovered from the online backup. The service I recommend for Online Backup is Backblaze and you can learn more about them by clicking on the banner ad below: |
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| If you don’t want to use Backblaze Online Backup then you’ll have to manually perform your backups. The first thing you’ll need is a good external hard drive. I like both this Seagate Portable Hard Drive and this Western Digital Portable Hard Drive as both are small and don’t require a separate AC Adapter to use. It connects to your computer via a USB port and is powered from the computer. The most affordable model is the 250 GB size and you can buy a larger model if needed. Next you need a software program to backup you data and preferably one that helps you to restore your computer in the event your hard drive crashes. You could bypass this step and just drag and drop or copy your files manually but this gets tedious after a while, isn’t automated, and won’t create an image of your system. An easy to use backup program that will provide continous backups for you to an external hard drive is Genie Timeline. This program also has a Disaster Recovery Option that allows you to create a recovery disc in case your computer crashes and you need to recovery your files. It's a very simple and intuitive backup program. |
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| If your computer came with Windows Pre-installed on it then you should consider a Backup Image program because if your hard drive does stop working the recovery option that the manufacturer installed on it won’t work either. This means to get your computer working again you’d need both a new hard drive as well as new windows software and this can be expensive. Another major advantage to having good Backup Images is if your computer becomes infected with a virus that requires reinstalling the operating system to clean you can reinstall an image from a time when your computer wasn’t infected. The advantage to this is reinstalling the image is faster and will put your computer back to a specific point in time with all your documents and programs included. The product I recommend for creating Backup Images is Acronis True Image. |
| In addition to using Acronis True Image you should also consider using an online backup to store critical files off site. The reason for this is because if your home is destroyed by a natural disaster or fire then chances are your external drive is going to be destroyed as well. |
| If you don't have a Backup and your computer crashes then the only real option to recover any data from the Hard Drive will be to use a Data Recovery Service. I hope that you incorporate at least one of these backup methods into your computing habits as it will save you a lot of time, grief, and money when something goes wrong with your PC. |
| Full Disclosure: If you buy a product through a link on this page then I will receive an affiliate referral fee for that product. |
