| Part I: Backing Up Data And Things to HaveHurricane | | | | personal data in someone else's hands. Be sure your |
| season or not, you should always be backing up your | | | | hard drive is in an anti-static bag to avoid needless |
| data. Whether you plan on riding out the storm (a bad | | | | damage to it.If taking a long road trip, you should |
| idea) or evacuating to another location, you should | | | | probably place some sort of padding or foaming (even |
| have a backup of your computer data either on an | | | | a blanket will work) around your computer or hard |
| external hard drive or optical media such as CD-Rs or | | | | drive to protect it from the vibrations of the car. Don't |
| a DVD. Be sure to keep your data in a very safe | | | | bring your monitor unless you have an LCD and there's |
| place, such as a water proof safe. Never leave your | | | | room for it.Part III: Leaving Your PC at HomeIf you |
| backup by your computer.Next, you should have the | | | | don't have room for your PC in your car, don't plan on |
| following things to make life after the storm easier:1. | | | | staying with it during the storm. There are several |
| Phone numbers for insurance, computer or computer | | | | safeguards you can take to prevent unnecessary |
| parts companies, and phone numbers for all local ISPs | | | | damage to your computer:1. Cover any open parts of |
| (including dial-up and satellite). | | | | your computer case (such as fans and vents) with |
| Having your insurance phone number and phone | | | | tape. |
| numbers for your computer company will help get your | | | | Don't use duct tape unless you want to risk taking |
| computer replaced faster if it is damaged. I can't stress | | | | paint off your case or a sticky mess.2. Cover your |
| enough how important it is for you to have phone | | | | computer with as many trash bags as you need. At |
| numbers and even access disks for all of your local | | | | least 2 trash bags per computer are recommended.3. |
| ISPs! After Katrina, the Internet was the only way | | | | Consider how high your home is above sea level, the |
| many people could contact the outside world. As fate | | | | risk of flooding, and other factors. |
| would have it, my broadband was down for 3 weeks | | | | If you know your home could flood, you should put |
| and none of the other broadband ISPs would except | | | | your computer on the second floor. But if you know |
| new orders due to the storm, leaving me with my old | | | | your roof is weak and could easily blow off, don't put it |
| friend Dial Up, whom I thought I had buried 8 years ago. | | | | on the second floor! Find an enclosed space with no |
| Your best bet is to use a satellite ISP as they have no | | | | windows (such as a closet) as close to the center of |
| equipment that can be destroyed by a hurricane and | | | | your home as possible. If your computer case has a |
| cause an outage.2. Back ups of all your file, have all | | | | side window, make sure it's facing towards the ground |
| application and game discs, CD keys, drivers, and | | | | or against a wall. If you can, place other objects |
| operating system discs on hand.3. Photos of your | | | | around your computer to offer it additonal protection |
| computer as well as proof of what parts are inside.In | | | | from blowing rain and flying debris.Part IV: When the |
| the event your quad SLI rig is destroyed, you don't | | | | Worst HappensIn the event your PC becomes |
| want your insurance company to replace it with | | | | damaged during the storm, don't fret. If the damage is |
| something of a significantly lesser value, do you? It's | | | | from a fallen tree or a piece of flying debri, there is |
| very easy for people to claim "I had this, this, and this | | | | nothing you can do. If your computer becomes |
| and it all cost me $3000 last month." after their 3 year | | | | flooded, however, there are steps you can take to |
| old Athlon XP rig is destroyed. As a result, your | | | | recover it. Below is a basic guide on how to recover a |
| insurance company may be hesitant to replace your | | | | flooded computer.1. Do not turn on the computer! Make |
| expensive computer parts unless you can prove you | | | | sure it is unplugged! |
| own them. Also know to what extent your insurance | | | | While you may be anxious to see if your computer |
| (including flood insurance) will replace damaged | | | | can run, don't do it if you know it's been exposed to |
| property. While some policies will cover the | | | | water. You'll just end up causing more damage if you |
| replacement cost of damaged property, some may | | | | do. Remember to keep your computer unplugged.2. |
| only cover part of the damage cost. Also know what | | | | Remove components that work. |
| your deductible is.4. Blog or Social Networking | | | | If you can see a water line in your computer, take out |
| ProfileSocial networking sites such as myspace were | | | | all the components above it and put them in a safe |
| great after Katrina. Friends could find out where other | | | | place.3. Let your computer dry. |
| friends had evacuated to simply by reading each | | | | Let your computer dry for a week or so. One drop of |
| others' myspaces.5. Generator and GasA generator | | | | water in a running computer could mean disaster.4. |
| can power many things, including home computers! | | | | Remove the CMOS battery and other parts.5. Use a |
| Check with your local generator supplier about any | | | | solution of 90% alcohol or more to wash the various |
| local laws about generators, how to safely and | | | | components of your computer, including connectors. If |
| properly set one up, and how well they will work with | | | | necessary, use a paint brush to remove stubbon |
| computers. Because generators provide unstable | | | | crud.6. Let your computer dry completely.If the above |
| power, a battery backup UPS and a surge protector | | | | doesn't work or you have data you can't risk losing on |
| are a must. Do not count on gas to power your | | | | your hard drive, consider professional computer |
| generator being available in the aftermath of the storm. | | | | recovery. Do not plan on salvaging the power supply, |
| It's best to have a good supply of gas as well as a | | | | CMOS battery, the hard drive, optical drives, or any |
| few empty gas containers on hand.Part II: Evacuating | | | | fans if they have been flooded. Also remember to |
| with Your PCLike any family members or pets you | | | | take pictures of any damage to your computer before |
| may have, your PC isn't something to leave behind if | | | | you attempt to fix it for insurance purposes.Hopefully |
| you can avoid it. While your first priority should be | | | | this guide will help people save their computers from |
| getting out alive, you should consider bringing your PC | | | | hurricane related damage. A computer is a very useful |
| with you if you can room in your car. You can't count | | | | tool that should be part of any good disaster supply kit. |
| on your destination to have good computers, high | | | | Trust me when I say it's an important thing to have |
| speed Internet, or any entertaining activities for that | | | | around. However, remember a computer is only a |
| matter. Being in another place during a hurricane is | | | | material possession. Like all material objects, they can |
| stressful. Between watching your home town being | | | | be replaced. Human and animal life, however, cannot. |
| walloped on CNN and The Weather Channel, the | | | | Use good judgement when deciding whether or not to |
| people around you as well as yourself will be tense | | | | take your computer with you and while repairing it if it |
| and worried. Having a nice computer to browse the | | | | damaged.Disclaimer: In no way is the author |
| web with and play Battlefield 2 is a sure entertainer. In | | | | responsible for any actions you may take to save |
| fact, the Internet was the only place where I could get | | | | your computer from a hurricane or fix it after flooding. |
| information about my very neighborhood after the | | | | Any actions you choose regarding hurricanes and |
| storm! Local newspaper message boards were | | | | computers are taken at your own risk. For the sake of |
| packed with evacuees from all over my area and had | | | | all, please use common sense during any natural |
| plenty of information about damage to share.Even if | | | | disaster.Daniel Foster is the owner of PC Fastlane, a |
| you can't bring your PC, at the very least bring your | | | | great place to find computer help, interesting articles, |
| hard drive with you! If your home is looted in the | | | | tech news, and more. |
| aftermath of the storm, the last thing you want is your | | | | |