| tart --> | | | | device. Purchase one at your local Best Buy, |
| This is a question that MOST home computer users | | | | CompUSA, Radio Shack or online at Amazon. Bring it |
| (Mac or PC) HAVE NOT asked themselves. | | | | home, plug it in to your PC (or if you have a Mac, plug |
| How do I backup my computer & What data do I | | | | it in and pray the Mac recognizes it). The USB Key will |
| need to backup? | | | | be assigned a letter (ie E: ) in My Computer (Windows) |
| In a business setting there are unlimited options that IT | | | | or will show up as a mounted drive on the Mac. Open |
| professionals have access to in order to backup up | | | | the USB Key up and copy and paste your "Computer |
| corporate data. Home users have many of those | | | | Backup" folder to the drive. Once it is done copying, |
| same options, but are completely unnecessary due to | | | | remove it from the computer and you have a safe |
| the amount of data that home users will be backing up. | | | | data backup off of your existing computer hard drive. |
| When you backup a computer there are many | | | | Another computer backup idea would be to purchase |
| different ways to do it and many files & folders | | | | an external hard drive (fire wire or USB cable) and |
| that can be backed up. For this article we are only | | | | plug that into your computer. You will need to treat the |
| going to focus on the actually data files (word, excel, | | | | external hard drive just like the USB Key solution. The |
| mp3's, jpegs, etc.), and NOT everything else, such as | | | | only difference is that there is more space available on |
| the applications folder, the program files folder etc. | | | | the external hard drive than the USB Key. You can |
| For a home user there is no need to backup | | | | also purchase an internal hard drive and have it |
| everything on your entire hard drive. That will just take | | | | installed or if you are just purchasing a new computer, |
| up too much time & get too expensive. | | | | you can add one for a small amount of money. This |
| I suggest saving all of you data files to 1 spot, if you | | | | will be treated just like your original hard drive, it will |
| are a Microsoft Windows user, most software | | | | have a letter assigned to it (ie C or D) or it will be |
| packages default saving your data to the My | | | | mounted to your desktop (Macs). The only problem is |
| Documents folder. If you are a Mac user it defaults to | | | | if your computer crashes you will need to contact an |
| only God knows where! Actually it usually defaults to | | | | IT Professional or someone who can access that hard |
| the desktop). | | | | drive & reconstruct your OS. |
| Make a folder & name it something meaningful. | | | | The third idea for a computer backup solution would |
| Call it something you will remember, like "Computer | | | | be to simply burn the data to a CD or DVD. This |
| Backup" or "My Backup Files" or "Hey Stupid, Back Me | | | | solution may take a little longer, depending on how |
| Up!" | | | | much data you are backing up at once. It may also |
| Next make sure you save all your important files to | | | | turn out to be the most expensive, of course |
| that folder. I repeat, put any data file in that folder that | | | | depending on how many times you backup per month, |
| you work on and wish to save. You can default many | | | | week, etc. |
| of your files to save in that folder so you do not have | | | | There are many ways to perform a backup of your |
| to worry about clicking & dragging to the folder. If | | | | data on your home computer. I have outlined the 3 |
| you are truly interested in getting FREE instructions on | | | | easiest & least expensive solutions for you to try. |
| how to do that, visit one of my 2 sites listed in my bio | | | | You would be surprised how many people have |
| and contact me through them. I will get back to you | | | | actually never thought of backing up their data on their |
| ASAP. | | | | home computer. While working in the private business |
| Once you have saved all your important files in that | | | | sector, supporting residential & commercial clients, I |
| one folder, we have to decide how to physically move | | | | encountered 2 -3 customers per week who lost |
| (copy) that folder off your existing computer hard | | | | important files due to not having a proper computer |
| drive. I have outlined 3 different ways this can be done, | | | | backup plan in place. |
| in no particular order of importance. | | | | Take action now! Save yourself heartache & |
| Your first option would be to purchase a USB Key | | | | frustration. Follow one of these three solutions |
| (thumb drive etc, whatever you want to call it). These | | | | TODAY! If you have more questions please visit one |
| devices are an extremely cheap form of backup | | | | of my sites below or shoot me an email. |