Do I need to back up my computer?

Even if you've taken precautions to protect your computer from malicious software, other potential dangers could destroy the information it holds. A power surge, lightning strike, hardware failure, or natural disaster could leave you without your important data or the use of your computer.

Backing up your files can help you avert disaster. Backing up is simply making an electronic copy of files and storing that copy in a safe place. If you back up your files regularly, you can retrieve some, if not all, of your information if something happens to the originals on your computer.

Here are some tips for backing up your computer:

* Use an external hard disk, CDs, DVDs, or other storage medium for your backup copies. Or upload data to an Internet-based file storage service. Whatever you do, don't just copy files to another location on your hard disk.

* Label the medium with the date and time of the backup. Don't erase the previous backup until you have made a new one.

* Back up anything you can't replace easily such as financial information, digital photos, music or programs you bought and downloaded from the Web, and school projects. For these types of files, you can simply copy and paste the file into the backup medium.

* If you use an email program that is installed on your computer (such as Microsoft Outlook), back up important email messages and your email address book. Some email programs include an export feature for backing up important data.

* If you're trying to save time or space when backing up your computer, consider backing up only your personal data. Don't copy programs like Microsoft Outlook or your operating system. They can be reinstalled from the original CDs you purchased or the System Restore CDs that came with your computer.

* If you use your computer occasionally, back up your data once a week. If you use your computer every day, a daily backup of the files you use most often or modified that day is a good idea.

* To be sure you've backed up every file, use backup software. You can find a list of backup products in the website. Your operating system may also include backup features.

* Make sure you have a copy of your operating system on a CD for re installation in case your computer's hard drive fails. If your computer shipped without a copy of the operating system, contact the manufacturer for a copy.

A Guide To Recover Lost Files on Your Computer

Computers are a blessing, until you get the infamous blue screen of death, or perhaps less dramatic, you accidentally erase a file. In many cases of deleted files, the file can be retrieved.

If you recently deleted the file, look through the Recycle Bin (or Trash for Macintosh users). In the Recycle Bin you can browse through a list of deleted items, or search for a specific item. Restoring the file from the Recycle Bin is simple. You can restore it directly from the Recycle Bin, move the file to the desktop for restoration, or open the file and resave it.

If the Recycle Bin or Trash does not have your file, look throughout the computer for a back up. The back up could have been manually created by you, or automatically created by your computer. If you are in a network, look through the server's files for your missing file. If you find a backup, be thankful and resave the file.

If at this point you still have not been able to find the file, you will likely need to start spending some money. Be sure to consider how much time and money the lost file is worth. If it is not much, now would be a good time to cut your losses and recreate the file. If the file was one of a kind, not redo able, find a file recovery system program or hire a human recovery specialist. These specialists understand the ways of a computer and where it puts things; but will not be inexpensive.

If you lost your entire hard drive (this may or may not have activated the blue screen of death), first take a deep breathe and let it out. Secondly, use the disk repair program included with Microsoft and Macintosh software. If the software disk does not help, move onto a disk repair program purchased from another company. Your last choice is to have a specialist come in, or bring the hard drive in to try and recover as much information as possible. This option will be costly with no guarantee of success. Once you go through this process once, there is the guarantee that you will not want to do it again.

To avoid losing every file you have made, back up every file you have made to a location other than the hard drive. Disks, USBs, CDs or servers are all good options. After each major change to your file, remember to save the file to both, or all, locations.

When installing a file recovery program, use the program from its installation device to avoid accidentally rewriting any of your files. Lastly, try to install this program before you have lost files. The likelihood of recovering lost files greatly increases if the program is installed ahead of time.

By: Gregg Hall