If you're lucky, you will never have a computer that is struck by lightening, affected by a power surge, or data that is corrupted beyond repair. But if anything like this happens to you and you aren't prepared, it can be devastating.
Make sure your computer, monitor, and modem/router are plugged into a surge protector, not just a plain power strip. In the event of a power surge in the wiring in your house, a surge protector will protect your electronics from getting "fried". There are even surge protectors on the market that allow you to plug your phone line or cable co-axial line in them instead of directly into the computer or modem. For dial-up users, this offers protection against power surges coming into your computer via the phone line. For cable users, this can 'ground' your electrical circuit even if the wiring is your house is older and therefore not already grounded.
Also, make sure to back up your personal data and documents. If you followed the first tip about getting your CDs and information organized, reinstalling your software shouldn't pose a problem if need be. But what about your spreadsheets, the book you've been writing, the five years worth of digital pictures of your family? If you don't back up these types of items, they could be lost in the event of hardware or software failure.
There are many options available to you when it comes to backing up your information. You might choose to burn items to CD, copy documents to an external hard drive or flash drive, or move copies to an online storage service. Depending on the importance of the documents you're dealing with, you might want to choose more than one. Start by backing up information once a week, but find a back-up schedule that works for you and is reasonable.
If you decide to copy items to another hard drive or a flash drive, consider using synchronization or backup software to make the job a little easier. SyncBack is a freeware program that allows you to set-up profiles each with their own back-up or synchronization strategy. For instance, you could have a 'Photo' profile that would copy all the items in your 'My Pictures' folder to an external hard drive and a 'Work' profile that would synchronize files between your flash drive and your desktop, keeping only the newest version of each file.
For those wanting to try an online storage service, Box.net offers a basic plan free of charge. It includes 1GB of storage space and allows files as large as 10MB. Just bear in mind that even the most reputable online storage service is at risk of being hacked, so consider carefully before you use such a service for sensitive information.
Make sure your computer, monitor, and modem/router are plugged into a surge protector, not just a plain power strip. In the event of a power surge in the wiring in your house, a surge protector will protect your electronics from getting "fried". There are even surge protectors on the market that allow you to plug your phone line or cable co-axial line in them instead of directly into the computer or modem. For dial-up users, this offers protection against power surges coming into your computer via the phone line. For cable users, this can 'ground' your electrical circuit even if the wiring is your house is older and therefore not already grounded.
Also, make sure to back up your personal data and documents. If you followed the first tip about getting your CDs and information organized, reinstalling your software shouldn't pose a problem if need be. But what about your spreadsheets, the book you've been writing, the five years worth of digital pictures of your family? If you don't back up these types of items, they could be lost in the event of hardware or software failure.
There are many options available to you when it comes to backing up your information. You might choose to burn items to CD, copy documents to an external hard drive or flash drive, or move copies to an online storage service. Depending on the importance of the documents you're dealing with, you might want to choose more than one. Start by backing up information once a week, but find a back-up schedule that works for you and is reasonable.
If you decide to copy items to another hard drive or a flash drive, consider using synchronization or backup software to make the job a little easier. SyncBack is a freeware program that allows you to set-up profiles each with their own back-up or synchronization strategy. For instance, you could have a 'Photo' profile that would copy all the items in your 'My Pictures' folder to an external hard drive and a 'Work' profile that would synchronize files between your flash drive and your desktop, keeping only the newest version of each file.
For those wanting to try an online storage service, Box.net offers a basic plan free of charge. It includes 1GB of storage space and allows files as large as 10MB. Just bear in mind that even the most reputable online storage service is at risk of being hacked, so consider carefully before you use such a service for sensitive information.
No comments:
Post a Comment