Overview
Below are answers to frequently asked questions about backing up your data.
Detail
Why should you back up your data?
It is always a good practice to regularly back up data that is stored on your computer. There are a number of scenarios in which the information on your computer could be lost:
- Your hard drive could fail
- Your files could become corrupted
- Your laptop may be lost or stolen
- Your data could be deleted by mistake
- A virus or other malicious program could harm your data
Backing up your data is the practice of making a copy of that data so that you can restore it in case the original data is lost. Backups can be used to restore an entire hard drive or to restore smaller number of files that may have been accidentally deleted or corrupted.
How frequently should I back up my data?
How often you back up your data is up to you. As a general rule, back up your data when you have created enough new files or made enough changes to existing files that it would be difficult to recreate them if lost.
What data should I back up?
At the very least, you should back up files that are frequently changed, especially if they are important to you (e.g., term papers, resumes). You may also want to also consider your web browser bookmarks, contacts databases, and files stored on your desktop.
It's generally not practical to back up programs, but you should always make sure you keep the installation disks or files. That way you can reinstall those programs if necessary.
What options do I have for backing up my data?
Cloud Storage (Microsoft OneDrive)
With Microsoft OneDrive, you can upload files and folders quickly and access them from anywhere on any device. You can search the full text of files that you store, and you can even sync files to your desktop. OneDrive uses state-of-the-art technology and industry best practices for data encryption during transit to and from the cloud, as well as while stored.
USB Flash Drives
Flash drives are small, portable, and can be reused many times. But they also offer significantly less storage space than other backup options. They are also much easier to lose or misplace. Copy files to a flash drive by inserting it into a USB port on your computer and dragging and dropping the files you want to copy to it.
CDs and DVDS
CDs and DVDs are physical media that you can use to back up data. A CD can hold approximately 750 MB of data, while DVDs can hold either 4.5 GB (single-layer DVD) or 8.7 GB (double-layer DVD). It is possible to use multiple DVDs to back up all the data on your computer, but it is a time-consuming process. You will need a writable CD or DVD drive in order to copy data to a CD or DVD. If your operating system does not support drag-and-drop CD or DVD writing, you will need to install a separate program that allows you to copy your files to CD or DVD.
External Drives
You can purchase external hard drives that are large enough to back up your computer's entire hard drive. Many external drives come with software to help you manage and schedule regular backups. You can also use the Mac Time Machine> feature or the Windows Backup and Restore> feature to back up data to external drives. External drives can be stored at an offsite location to protect them from physical damage that might be caused by a fire or other disaster. External drives tend to be the most expensive option for backing up your data.