It is a common scenario: You try to boot up your computer and get a flashing error message. You don’t need a tech expert to tell you that the hard drive might have crashed, wiping out all your precious data. Those treasured family vacation photos, music, videos and financial data –gone in an instant, with little chance of recovery. At that moment, you wish you had taken the time to back up your files.
The reality is backing up your computer can pose a major headache, but it is a smart precaution to take in case disaster strikes. Backup means regularly copying and storing your data in a safe place so that your files are protected when your computer suddenly fails or is stolen. Here are some smart ways to back up your data.
1. External hard drive
If you need to back up a large amount of data regularly, an external hard drive is a good choice as it acts as a spare hard drive. If you have plenty of files, you could get a 1TB external hard drive or a 3TB external hard drive with ample storage capacity. Setting up an external hard drive is a breeze. It can be plugged into your Windows PC laptop or desktop, typically via a USB cable, and your computer should automatically recognize the device. To back up your files manually, all you need to do is drag and drop your documents, music, pictures, and videos to the external hard drive. Many external hard drives come equipped with software that offer advanced features such as password protection and hardware encryption to help keep your data secure, automatic continuous backup, and fast data transfer speeds. Find out which hard drive is right for you.
2. Online backup
Another option is to back up your files on the cloud.Cloud storage services utilize a web-based server, where you can store your data. One advantage of saving your data on the cloud is that you don’t have to worry about any hard drive crashes as your data is stored online. Common cloud-based backup services include Mozy, Carbonite, and CrashPlan which offer features such as file encryption and security and the ability to schedule automatic backup times. You could also consider cloud-based storage services like Dropbox and Google Drive – these applications offer a certain amount of storage space for free, with the option to add more space with a paid subscription.
3.USB flash drive
A USB flash drive is another device to consider if you’re looking for a quick, convenient and portable backup method. USB flash drives can range from 4GB to 128GB in capacity, so these devices can handle a range of backup jobs. However, if you want to back up your entire system, an external hard drive is probably a better choice.
4. Disk imaging
Another backup method is to take an exact snapshot of your hard drive in its current state. The method clones everything -- your PC systems, applications, settings and personal files. In case your hard drive crashes, you can use the disk image to restore the system quickly. To clone your hard drive, it might be worth investing in disk imaging backup software. For instance, Acronis True Image software is a versatile solution that lets you copy your hard drive and back up your entire system, so you can quickly recover your operating systems and applications without having to re-install any software. Plus, you can configure your backups once with Set&Forget, and Acronis software begins to perform backups automatically going forward.
Store music, movies and more with this WD My Book 3TB external hard drive, which features a dual USB 3.0/2.0 interface for fast transfer speeds. WD Security software lets you set password protection and hardware encryption to protect your files.
