How to Back Up Your Computer

When your computer is new, you may put the necessity for back-up at the back of your mind. However, by being proactive from the start about backing up your data on a regular basis, you can recover all of your computer files should a cataclysmic computer crash strike.

Step One: Select Your Device

Choose a computer back up device. An external hard drive, such as Maxtor One Touch, will back up large volumes of photos and video files, with room for several hundred gigabytes of data. Many external hard drives cost less than $100. For home or small office networks, you can use a network-attached storage device (NAS) that gives you the ability to back up or access your saved data at any terminal in your network. Such NAS units as the Iomega Home Network Media Hard Drive, offer 2 terabytes of storage capacity for a cost of $150. If you need portable backup for a smaller volume of documents, consider a USB flash drive. The ScanDisk Cruzer, for under $15, can save 8 gigabytes of data, and you can plug in it to any computer with a USB port. A flash drive is a great back up option if you regularly use several different, non-networked computers.

Step Two: Set a Schedule

Back up your files on a pre-set schedule. The key to foiling a computer melt-down is to save your information regularly. An individual user may wish to back up once per week on Sunday evening, while a business user may need to back up every work day

Step Three: Back Up Your Information

Install your back up software in your computer, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Plug in your external hard drive or NAS to a power source, then attach the USB cable to your computer. When the screen for your device appears, select ñback upî and then wait for the cycle to complete. To access data, select the files you need and click "retrieve."

A business user may need to back up every day