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Computer Backup – How Should Home Users Backup Their Data?
This is a question that MOST home computer users (Mac or PC)
HAVE NOT asked themselves.
How do I backup my computer & What data do I need to backup?
In a business setting there are unlimited options that IT
professionals have access to in order to backup up corporate data.
Home users have many of those same options, but are completely
unnecessary due to the amount of data that home users will be
backing up.
When you backup a computer there are many different ways to do it
and many files & folders that can be backed up. For this article we
are only going to focus on the actually data files (word, excel, mp3’s,
jpegs, etc.), and NOT everything else, such as the applications
folder, the program files folder etc.
For a home user there is no need to backup everything on your
entire hard drive. That will just take up too much time & get too
expensive.
I suggest saving all of you data files to 1 spot, if you are a Microsoft
Windows user, most software packages default saving your data to
the My Documents folder. If you are a Mac user it defaults to only
God knows where! Actually it usually defaults to the desktop).
Make a folder & name it something meaningful.
Call it something you will remember, like “Computer Backup” or “My
Backup Files” or “Hey Stupid, Back Me Up!”
Next make sure you save all your important files to that folder. I
repeat, put any data file in that folder that you work on and wish to
save. You can default many of your files to save in that folder so
you do not have to worry about clicking & dragging to the folder. If
you are truly interested in getting FREE instructions on how to do
that, visit one of my 2 sites listed in my bio and contact me through
them. I will get back to you ASAP.
Once you have saved all your important files in that one folder, we
have to decide how to physically move (copy) that folder off your
existing computer hard drive. I have outlined 3 different ways this
can be done, in no particular order of importance.
Your first option would be to purchase a USB Key (thumb drive etc,
whatever you want to call it). These devices are an extremely cheap
form of backup device. Purchase one at your local Best Buy,
CompUSA, Radio Shack or online at Amazon. Bring it home, plug it
in to your PC (or if you have a Mac, plug it in and pray the Mac
recognizes it). The USB Key will be assigned a letter (ie E: ) in My
Computer (Windows) or will show up as a mounted drive on the Mac.
Open the USB Key up and copy and paste your “Computer Backup”
folder to the drive. Once it is done copying, remove it from the
computer and you have a safe data backup off of your existing
computer hard drive.
Another computer backup idea would be to purchase an external
hard drive (fire wire or USB cable) and plug that into your computer.
You will need to treat the external hard drive just like the USB Key
solution. The only difference is that there is more space available on
the external hard drive than the USB Key. You can also purchase an
internal hard drive and have it installed or if you are just purchasing
a new computer, you can add one for a small amount of money.
This will be treated just like your original hard drive, it will have a
letter assigned to it (ie C or D) or it will be mounted to your desktop
(Macs). The only problem is if your computer crashes you will need
to contact an IT Professional or someone who can access that hard
drive & reconstruct your OS.
The third idea for a computer backup solution would be to simply
burn the data to a CD or DVD. This solution may take a little longer,
depending on how much data you are backing up at once. It may
also turn out to be the most expensive, of course depending on how
many times you backup per month, week, etc.
There are many ways to perform a backup of your data on your
home computer. I have outlined the 3 easiest & least expensive
solutions for you to try.
You would be surprised how many people have actually never
thought of backing up their data on their home computer. While
working in the private business sector, supporting residential &
commercial clients, I encountered 2 -3 customers per week who lost
important files due to not having a proper computer backup plan in
place.
Take action now! Save yourself heartache & frustration. Follow one
of these three solutions TODAY! If you have more questions please
visit one of my sites below or shoot me an email.
Good Luck.
Bender Smith is 10 year vet of the Technology Profession. He is
currently a Network Administrator & a staff writer for a Free
Technology Article website called www.RamRoo.com. Bender Smith
also writes & reviews technology products & services on his
personal blog, The Complete Geek.
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com
HAVE NOT asked themselves.
How do I backup my computer & What data do I need to backup?
In a business setting there are unlimited options that IT
professionals have access to in order to backup up corporate data.
Home users have many of those same options, but are completely
unnecessary due to the amount of data that home users will be
backing up.
When you backup a computer there are many different ways to do it
and many files & folders that can be backed up. For this article we
are only going to focus on the actually data files (word, excel, mp3’s,
jpegs, etc.), and NOT everything else, such as the applications
folder, the program files folder etc.
For a home user there is no need to backup everything on your
entire hard drive. That will just take up too much time & get too
expensive.
I suggest saving all of you data files to 1 spot, if you are a Microsoft
Windows user, most software packages default saving your data to
the My Documents folder. If you are a Mac user it defaults to only
God knows where! Actually it usually defaults to the desktop).
Make a folder & name it something meaningful.
Call it something you will remember, like “Computer Backup” or “My
Backup Files” or “Hey Stupid, Back Me Up!”
Next make sure you save all your important files to that folder. I
repeat, put any data file in that folder that you work on and wish to
save. You can default many of your files to save in that folder so
you do not have to worry about clicking & dragging to the folder. If
you are truly interested in getting FREE instructions on how to do
that, visit one of my 2 sites listed in my bio and contact me through
them. I will get back to you ASAP.
Once you have saved all your important files in that one folder, we
have to decide how to physically move (copy) that folder off your
existing computer hard drive. I have outlined 3 different ways this
can be done, in no particular order of importance.
Your first option would be to purchase a USB Key (thumb drive etc,
whatever you want to call it). These devices are an extremely cheap
form of backup device. Purchase one at your local Best Buy,
CompUSA, Radio Shack or online at Amazon. Bring it home, plug it
in to your PC (or if you have a Mac, plug it in and pray the Mac
recognizes it). The USB Key will be assigned a letter (ie E: ) in My
Computer (Windows) or will show up as a mounted drive on the Mac.
Open the USB Key up and copy and paste your “Computer Backup”
folder to the drive. Once it is done copying, remove it from the
computer and you have a safe data backup off of your existing
computer hard drive.
Another computer backup idea would be to purchase an external
hard drive (fire wire or USB cable) and plug that into your computer.
You will need to treat the external hard drive just like the USB Key
solution. The only difference is that there is more space available on
the external hard drive than the USB Key. You can also purchase an
internal hard drive and have it installed or if you are just purchasing
a new computer, you can add one for a small amount of money.
This will be treated just like your original hard drive, it will have a
letter assigned to it (ie C or D) or it will be mounted to your desktop
(Macs). The only problem is if your computer crashes you will need
to contact an IT Professional or someone who can access that hard
drive & reconstruct your OS.
The third idea for a computer backup solution would be to simply
burn the data to a CD or DVD. This solution may take a little longer,
depending on how much data you are backing up at once. It may
also turn out to be the most expensive, of course depending on how
many times you backup per month, week, etc.
There are many ways to perform a backup of your data on your
home computer. I have outlined the 3 easiest & least expensive
solutions for you to try.
You would be surprised how many people have actually never
thought of backing up their data on their home computer. While
working in the private business sector, supporting residential &
commercial clients, I encountered 2 -3 customers per week who lost
important files due to not having a proper computer backup plan in
place.
Take action now! Save yourself heartache & frustration. Follow one
of these three solutions TODAY! If you have more questions please
visit one of my sites below or shoot me an email.
Good Luck.
Bender Smith is 10 year vet of the Technology Profession. He is
currently a Network Administrator & a staff writer for a Free
Technology Article website called www.RamRoo.com. Bender Smith
also writes & reviews technology products & services on his
personal blog, The Complete Geek.
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com
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