Backup Your Data
What methods are
used for backing up data?
Tough
question? Hard drives fail, computers get stolen, viruses
destroy data and catastrophes can happen. Backing up your
important data is an inexpensive form of insurance. Computers
and applications can be replaced. Most data (documents,
photographs, financial data, music, etc.) cannot be replaced.
Maybe it could be re-created, but it would not be the same. Good
backup procedures include the following:
-
Backup often. (How much new stuff can you afford to lose?)
- Use
automatic backup if possible. (Because we tend to forget.)
- Store
backups off site. (Chances are against a catastrophe
happening in two places.)
- Use
more than one method. (Sometimes backups fail.)
What
data needs to be backed up?
Most
people need to back up the following:
- “username" folder for each user.
-
Financial data including QuickBooks (stored in C:\Users\Public\Public
Documents\Intuit\Quickbooks\companyname.qbw).
- Email
unless using web-based email such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL or
Gmail. Outlook is typically stored in “C:\Users\user name\Documents\Outlook
Files.”
- Possibly “Public documents” if that folder is used for data.
- Some other
programs may store data in their own folder or some other
folder. Make sure you know where the data is stored or it won’t
get backed up.
What
methods are available to use?
From the
least to the most expensive, these are the best choices: Use 2
methods.
-
Backup to another computer on your home or business network.
Windows backup is free and can be used to backup automatically.
-
Backup to online storage such as
Carbonite for home
or
Carbonite for business
-
External Hard drives (2 are needed to keep one off-site.)
Windows backup is free and can be used to backup
automatically.
- Flash
memory stick. (2 are needed to keep one off-site.)
Windows backup is free and can be used to backup
automatically.
Occasionally test the backups to make sure they are working. You
should use any combination of two of these as the best practice.
Remember, backups can fail, too.
If you
need any help with this or other computer issues, please feel
free to call me. |