When Did You Last Back Up?
When did you last back up your computer files? Seriously, when did you? Think about it. If you switched your computer off tonight and in the morning..Shock …Horror..it didn’t boot up or you had a catastrophic hard disc failure – and it does happen- what would you do?
Just take a moment to think about all the files you have solely on your computer. Photos, videos, downloaded files, music, iTunes files, etc. Some of them will be irreplaceable. You can always download that album/music track/software again, but what about those wedding photos?, Or those pictures of your newborn baby? What about that picture of a relative who, sadly, is no longer with us? What then?
Tonight I had a scare. Nothing life threatening but nevertheless, a scare for me. I have a laptop computer which has Vista installed on it. With Vista, you don’t get a recovery disc with it, you have to make your own. I’ve had my laptop for nearly 2 years. You’re supposed to make recovery discs as soon as possible so that, in the unfortunate event of any serious problem, you can restore your computer back to it’s factory settings.
I hadn’t done this….until tonight.
I turned on my laptop as usual. I waited for the login screen…and waited…and waited….and…………………………nothing happened!
After about 10 minutes, I manually switched it off. I waited about 30 seconds and switched back on again. I was then informed that my laptop hadn’t started up properly last time and the startup repair program started. I don’t know about you but the word “repair” got me worried. What was wrong with my laptop? Would it boot up correctly next time?
After about 7 or 8 minutes, it restarted and thankfully, rebooted as normal. PHEW!!!
Needless to say, I made my set of recovery discs pretty soon after. I needed 3 blank DVDs and it took about an hour and a half to complete. Time well spent if you ask me.
I still need to back up my photos, videos etc, but this was a major kick up the “you-know-what” for me!
Blank media – CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives/ memory sticks are so cheap today it’s unbelievable. You can buy a spindle of 50 DVDs for around £7.00 here in the UK. A wise investment.
So, if you’re sat reading this and you haven’t backed up your computer for a while…do it ….now. Tomorrow might be too late. It only takes a few minutes. If you’re running Vista and you haven’t made your recovery discs, make them now. Go to “Start – All Programs – Recovery Manager – Recovery Disc Creation”.
Super post Chris. I have never had a computer fail unless it was brand new, so I can’t imagine going to long and then losing all my information. However, I back up all important files on a daily basis to an external source. I started doing this when I bought the computer I have now. A year ago I bought a computer and it would just shut off and I would lose everything for no reason. I called support, etc, etc and still it would shut off – Finally they agreed it was a lemon and replaced it. But until they replaced it I backed up on a daily basis and still do. Just a good habit that only takes a minute and won’t be appreciated until you need it the most.
Hi Chris – Boy, can I relate to that! I’ve lost a couple of hard drives and both times hadn’t backed up in a while! Since then I’ve learned and try to back up once a week. Thanks for the reminder!
Waltraud
Hi Chris, I agree with you.
If we are serious about building our online business, data backup is one of the number one we must do, like what Waltraud said, at least once a week.
I actually have 2 hard drives for backing up. One is for weekly backup or whenever I have completed some major assignment. Other one is for monthly backup and is kept at another location for safety reason.
All the best, Dan
Hi Chris
Boy, do you have that one right!
I backed up a few weeks ago… wrong!
Especially with this class and everything changing almost daily.
My motherboard evidently got bored and left for who-knows-where.
Left with all of my information directory files scrambled or deleted. What a mess!
If anyone hasn’t backed up VERY recently… JUST DO IT!
It takes so little time. I still find things I need to replace, and there are things I need that are not ever going to be replaced.
Thank you for the reminder.
And Dan, I’m going to follow your advice for a special monthly backup kept somewhere else.
Great, lifesaving advice!
Dj
ps Chris, Great graphics! In exchange, check this out
http://dj-barnes.com/get-your-foot-fixed/
Well said Chris! It’s just too easy to think that this vital function is too unimportant compared with everything else we have to do!
Thanks for the reminder!
I’m backing up NOW !!
John