Back Up Your Data and Prevent Data Loss
Eventually you will have to get a new computer. Do not worry, happens to all of us 
At some point in their former carried out, the hard disk is blocked or deleted, or something will happen when you need to move old data to another machine. There are not many guarantees in life, but I can guarantee this: If you use your computer long enough, eventually you will lose some data, or having to move from one computer to another.
What to do when files of the genealogy that has collected over the years are suddenly caught in a hard drive that no longer work? Or when all the pretty pictures that the family has kept no longer available because the computer can not boot? The last resort is to pay a specialist data recovery firm to recover $ 1000 of the data and send to you on CD. Nobody wants that. Fortunately, there is a quick and easy way to ensure that their precious data securely hidden and available when needed: Backup files.
“But Bill”, ie “how can I make copies of all these data? There’s so much … I do not want to spend hours every week on something that may never need.” Well, because you do not have to. In fact, the vast majority of the data unit * never * be supported. So how do you decide what to make copies? It’s really easy, and will have very little time.
There are only 2 types of data in your PC that you have and you do not copy. You do not need to back up anything you already have on CD, as Windows, PrintMaster … all they have purchased and installed, if you still have the CD, is a backup. In fact, if you do not have the CD, the backup will make no good … for many programs, you must have the CD to install it. Put the CD in a safe place (not * no * means the floor under the desk! , And 90% of backups are performed.
That leaves only the data that are not on CD, and there are two types of these: programs that are downloaded from the Web (or a copy of someone else) and what you have written in, scanned in or received in an email address.
The first type is easy to back up, if you have a Zip drive or a CD recorder. In the case of a Zip drive, just insert the cartridge into the bay, then double-click My Computer. A window that lists all the drives on your PC. Drag (click and hold) the downloaded file to the Zip drive icon (usually drive “D”, but not always) and let go. The program will be copied to the drive and reinstall it if you need, you have it. Might make sense, however, to change the name (right click, rename) the file to a name that reminds you, as “Download Accellerator Install”, so you can recognize it when you need it. Remember, you only need a backup of the ‘install the program … anything else you created during installation will be re-created when you install again.
If you have a CD burner as soon as you get some files (enough to be worth), rename them and copy them to a CD and then label the CD ‘Backups’ with the date. Many records are “one time” writing, so it is not worth putting each file on a CD by itself (this is one of the great advantages of * zip). One idea could be to save them one by one in a zip disk and then when full, copied to a CD mass.
If you do not have a CD or a Zip drive, unfortunately, you will not be able to back up a lot of “big” to download files … diskette only have about 1 1 / 2 megabytes of data. The best solution is to keep a notebook or a 3×5 card with the name of the program and that you downloaded from (the network is the largest unit in the existence of backup), so you can re-download it if necessary . This is a last resort because they are at the mercy of someone else … often files “disappear” from the Web without a trace, so unless you have a copy, there is no guarantee that you can recover.
Of course, if you do not want to write to them, have the advantage of starting with a hard disk that is * not * full of programs. Believe me, there are times when I decide not to restore some programs that I have saved … simply not worth it.
That leaves us with a final category of data, what is “theirs” has been introduced, it is estimated, it was created, or through my email. But again, there are two categories: those that fit on a floppy, and no. For large, use the Zip drive or CD, or you can use an online (many places offer free space where you can share pictures with family and friends … of course, you have to watch their ads, too).
We are now, finally, which will not be the most common, but most of the problems is the small files. If you save your letters or notes, or small files of any type, you can probably fit 100 of them on a disk, and I need not tell you that it will be a lot of problems for a copy – one to a floppy. First, you miss the half, and second, you copy a lot of things twice.
The best solution is to list all the file types you have, such as letters, spreadsheets, and similar (not the file names, only the list of guys … there should be only 3 or 4), and Then, make sure that when you use a program (eg MS Works), always saved in the same place (like “My Documents”, which is * perfect * for this sort of thing). When the time comes to return to the data, just put a floppy in the drive and then drag and drop the whole directory to the unit. If you have all your letters in a directory and all the other spreadsheets, which will be separated in the disk. And if you need to recover something, it’s a breeze to find! Review your list to make sure you have all types of file, and you’re done!
Now, the most often asked: “How often should I back up?” Unfortunately, there is no “right answer”. Can you afford to lose the data? If not, back it up. How long does it take to recreate it? If it is a lot of work, back it up. Then every few months take a moment to think about what software you use and what would happen if they lost.
Backing up is not a task, it is a state of mind. Remember, only the recovery of a “price” image, file or program will make all the effort worthwhile.
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