We’ve all heard the horror stories: One day you are happily working away on your computer – and then crash! Whether it’s a file-destroying virus, a misguided attempt to free-up some disk space, or a hard drive that’s just given up and died, you can no longer access your data.
Dozens of files, hundreds of photos, and years of hard work – all replaced by a blue screen and a rising sense of panic!
Despite the problems that lost data can cause, surveys indicate that less than five percent of home computer users actually take the time to save and back up their files. But with automatic back up now built-in to Windows 7, there really is no excuse not to do it.
External hard drive. An external hard drive can be attached to your computer using one of the USB ports. If you don’t have one, they are sold at Best Buy and all other major electronics retailers. Choose one that has at least 200GB of space. External hard drives can be disconnected and stored in a safe place and only need only be connected to the computer when prompted.
Writeable CDs or DVDs. Many computers have built-in CD or DVD burners, or you can purchase a separate disk drive which connects through a USB port. Depending on how much data you intend to back-up, you may need several CDs or DVDs to complete the task.
USB flash drives. Flash drives are relatively inexpensive and can hold huge amounts of data. The only downside with a flash drive is that it is small and easy to misplace.
Network location. If your computer is on a network, then you may be able to save your data to another network drive or a shared folder. This is very convenient, as it doesn’t require any peripherals. But you need to make sure that you will continue to have access to the specified network.
Next, think about which files you want to back up. You probably don’t need to back up system files, games, and other applications, as these can usually be reinstalled from the original source. (For example, you can re-install iTunes and recover your music library from your iPod.) The most important files will be the ones you work on every day, like Word, Excel, and Outlook. Don’t forget media files such as photos and videos.
You’re now ready to start the back up process.
Click the Start button, select Control Panel, then select Back up your computer under the System and Security header.
Windows will then show you a screen with your back up destination options. Select your back up option and click Next. If nothing is specified, then make sure your external hard drive or other back up option is properly connected and click Refresh.
Windows will then ask you what you want to back up. (See screen image.) With most users, it’s best to let Windows choose the files, but if you have specific requirements, you can click on Let me choose and specify them yourself.
You can then choose how often you want to back up. With normal computer usage, you should probably choose to back up weekly. Choose a day and time when you are unlikely to be working on anything. If you have something urgent that you want to back up, then you can always choose the manual back-up option.
Windows will then begin your back up. This could take quite a while the first time through, so make sure your computer is on until the entire process is complete.
Finally, ensure your back up is stored in a safe place. If you have particularly sensitive files, you may want to make a copy of your back up and keep it at work or at a friend’s house. You can never have too many backups!
And that’s it – you no longer have to worry! Your files will be automatically backed up on the precise schedule you have selected. Your computer will even prompt you to connect your back up device at the appropriate time if you haven’t already done so.
Make backing up your data a top priority – 20 minutes of effort will provide years of peace of mind!