We’ve all been there ; we are working on that large contention for our finals, we’re doing the finishing touches on that large project thats guaranteed to get you that promotion, you’re making the final edits for that client who’s going to literally hand you a burlap bag with a money symbol-when it happens.  It might be a hard drive crash, a power surge, a tremor or a direct slap from God I don’t know-but all your work is gone and you did not back it up.  If you have not begun to feel that wave of icy shock and terror, then you’ve got to prepare-because what will you do when it *does*?  I remember years back, I was finishing my last project for my 2-D advert class, merely a stupid old timey propaganda war poster.  It was raining terribly heavily and the thunder was getting louder, I saved my project under a few separate titles but I would have liked to have a backup-just in case.  I put my USB memory card in and did another fast save-literally a second before we had a brown out / power surge. 

That 2nd of darkness felt like a cold, numb, scaring century.  When the light came back on and my computer started booting up all I could do was pray that my final was there and any damage was not.  My last was on my PC, one of the saves anyhow.  The final was still intact on my USB, but half the other files were corrupted and that port was fried and has not worked since.  The drive itself went 2 weeks later , a week after I handed in my project.  I got lucky, intensely lucky.  Hopefully if it happens again I can be as fortunate.  But always  ‘hoping for the best’ is a very foolish action to take.  That’s’s like never wearing a helmet on a bike and hoping you can never get hurt if you hopefully don’t fall-one search on Youtube proves you will get hurt when you fall off a bike.  Hilariously though, but still I’m sure smashing your face on a concrete path hurts. 

Thankfully for people that do enjoy wearing wearing helmets while using our PCs ( or making your PCs roughly wear one ), there are actually many options to be certain our files will be safe and backed up when the time comes.  Online backup is great to store your files, nevertheless it can be prices and you are restrained by the rate of your web and the scale of your information.  If you are prepared to spend the scratch, it easy and convenient and always a comfort knowing that what ever you want should be available to you at all times-as long as a Net source in close.  Which naturally it mostly is, I adore living in THE FUTURE. 

Still, if you’ve got the art of insane coincidence and karma makes a decision to say Sup? when you are backing up your information online-your doubly %$+.  And probably awfully short of a hug to boot. 
To avoid that rare catastrophe you can go with the classic strategy of offline info storage, the external disk drive.  Prices start for as little as under 20 greenbacks and you can buy one just about anywhere, it’s truthfully one of those invests you will be grateful for. 

Any PC with USB or Firewire capability will see the external disc drive as a storage gadget and allot it a letter to designate it.  Whenever you plug it in, you fundamentally just deal with it like any standard hard drive.  You simply drag and drop what you need, it’s super easy to transfer huge files forwards and backwards from work to home, to a friend’s house, or between your desktop and laptop.  It’s particularly helpful if you tend to keep large amounts of photographs, music, flick, or game files on your PC too.  Just treat your external like your attic, toss everything in there that you do not truly use or need-but your hoarder instinct is too dynamic to just remove them.  This way you get to fulfill your compulsion, your personal computer runs faster, and you all of a sudden have more space to hoard more data!  Or you can actually use if for critical stuff like I discussed earlier, so that in an emergency your info will remain safe and sound.  But I understand if that doesn’t slake your desire to having floor to ceiling hard drives for your LOLcat addiction .

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For some people, backing up computer information does not seem very necessary. After all, they’re not bankers or government officials with millions of important information to protect. However,  personal e-mails, pictures and notes on your drives should not be taken any less seriously. Just like a banker’s file of finances, every personal file of photo or of just about anything can hold wonderful memories of you and your loved one. Losing these things may not have a great impact on anyone else but you owe it to yourself to protect these important bits of info and backup your computer. Safeguarding your computer files is very important especially in the digital age when every person can put so much about himself on his computer.

Some have kept certain files for years. And this was always done in the same old process. First, you buy a stack of floppy  disks  or CDs which can be costly. You organize your files in such a way that everything in one category would fit into the disk space. Then, you label each disk before finally storing the information – which usually takes lots of space and hours of time. In storing your files, you need to be extra careful since a few scratches or a several drops of water could be enough to erase all your hard work and stored data. You may buy a protective safe for your disks but this would mean additional expenses on your part.

It’s a good thing that recent developments in technology have given way to better methods when it comes to data backups and storage. External hard drives are already available that allow you to just plug and backup. It has become as simple as that. And your files are organized exactly the way they were in your computer’s hard drive so the process should only take a few minutes of your time. External hard drives also let you store so much data — up to several terabytes. For many who don’t have an idea how big a terabyte is, one terabyte can hold up to 200,000 photos at 5MB each.

But not everyone wants to run out and buy a new, and often expensive, hard drive. While it lets you keep all of your files with you, which offers some comfort to most people, it can be a bit overwhelming for some people.

For these types of computer users, a good option for ensuring that your data is safe from all possible causes of data loss would be to avail of online backup services being offered by many companies, one example of which is Carbonite online backup. With this backup method, you don’t need to be a techie because most of these online storage solutions are very user-friendly. And, you get the assurance that your data is being kept away from prying eyes using advanced encryption technology and stored in servers located in a protected area.

Whether you are a student with school work to store or just someone looking for a place to keep your numerous photos, the best online backup services have a lot to offer you. If you  just want to make space on your hard drive for something else or if you are worried about possible damage to your files, you will find that the best place to  keep them is far, far away. Since most file backup companies have bunkers which are nearly impervious to outside disasters, there really is no safer place  that you can put your important files. But finding the company that works best for you can be a bit of a challenge unless you know what to look for.

Online storage companies which offer similar services are priced competitively – usually around per month. However, depending on the exact services that you want, you may pay less or more, sometimes even nothing at all. Just be extra careful in accepting services with suspiciously low or free offers. While most of them are usually harmless, entrusting your important data with someone who does not necessarily offer the service that you need may not be a good idea. Additionally, it is just about fair that you get what you pay for, for your online backup services.

File accessibility is also another factor to consider. Being able to retrieve your files immediately would not be such a major issue if you’re just looking to have copies of old photos printed, but for a student who needs access to his notes ASAP or for an office employee who sometimes brings work at home, even a day of waiting could be too long. You would therefore want an online backup service that can best respond to this need. Different online storage companies have varying policies when it comes to file restoration so be sure to raise these concerns before signing up.

Of course, you also want to make sure that using the software offered to you by the company is easy to use. Different companies have different systems and because of this, you often have to deal with different levels of user-friendliness.  Programs which are technical to use may be difficult to work with. The good thing about backing up your files online is that you are given the security you need without having to waste your time. And so, it is  necessary that the company you pick can offer you a decent backup wizard in their software suite.

Lastly, it’s important that you get an online service that gives absolute security. Online backup companies employ different methods of keeping your data secure. Most of them have the files encrypted while being backed up, and there are those that distribute the files across different services so that an intruder will find it impossible to get access to any one user’s data. There are also companies which allow you to keep hold of your password yourself. For you to find the best online backup services, make the decision based on what service fits your needs best, and reviews are a great tool to help you make that decision. As an example, a great review of a great service is the Carbonite review.

Losing all the information that you have on your computer can be devastating, whether it be your personal computer or your business pc. At least when at work you are able to call your IT Support Company and hopefully they will be able to rescue your PC by using an online backup, but as a home pc user you do not always have that luxury. Whilst it is possible to recover data after a disaster such as a hard drive crash, this is not always the case. Corrupt files can cause havoc on your home pc. 

Some scenarios where data could be lost include, but not limited to,

1. Virus attacks
2. Hardware malfunction
3. Human error
4. Natural disaster
5. Theft
6. While Deleting Programes
7. Other unpredictable causes

For small, medium and large businesses data backups and data recovery stratergies and the IT tools they use to do this are essential to their survival, they refer to this as Business Continuity or Disaster Recovery, a term you are sure to have heard before.

Should Everything Be Backed Up?
A question that is often asked is “what should be backed up?”
The answer is simple, any and everything that is of value to you which may include

1.your own information
2. pictures
3. emails
4. documents and other files

You should also have copies of all software that you use including relevant serial numbers.

When Should I Backup My Personal Computer?
How often you backup your personal computer depends on how often you use it. It is important to back up any important folders or files whenever a major software change is made, or new folders and files are created that are of value to you. 
 
A full backup should be made of all your documentation and then periodic backups should be made when data changes. The period of time depends on how often changes are made and how crucial the data is.

Types of Backup for Personal Computers
There are three main types of backup with other strategies using a combination of at least two of them.

Full backup: a complete set of all the files that you want backed up. A full backup will provide a complete copy of all your data and makes restoring easier if only certain files are to be restored. A full backup is only performed occasionally.

Full backups take a long time to complete because of the amount of data and take up the most storage space on the backup media. Redundant backups are stored on the server taking up valuable space. You need to keep at least two consecutive full backups.

Differential backup: this backs up those files that have changed since the last full backup and should be on a regular basis. Differential backups are faster and take up less space than a second full backup. The problem with differential backups is that redundant information is stored as each backup is similar to the previous one plus any changes that have been made since the previous backup. Subsequent backups will take longer as more files are changed since the last full backup.

Incremental backup: this is a backup of any changes to files since the last backup of any type. If a full backup is created every month and incremental backups run daily, only data changed that day will be backed up. This is different to differential backups that would create larger and slower backups. Taken over a one-month period, this could use a lot of storage.

With incremental backups, it is possible to backup multiple versions of the same folder. The downside for incremental backups is slower restoration. To restore incrementally, the last full backup is restored and then each subsequent backup in the correct order until the data is restored.

Although it takes longer, if you do not expect to restore on a regular basis, incremental backups from an offsite server is your best option.

Where Should I Backup My Personal Computer?

A copy of your operating system and applications should be onsite in case of the need to restore a failed hardware or operating system. It is not necessary to keep a copy of data backup’s onsite as this leads to complacency and a loss of all your data should disaster strike.

It is foolhardy to have backups in the same location as the original data. A flood or fire could mean losing all the data. Leaving backups with friends or neighbours is not an ideal solution either as a loss of data could lead to a loss of friendship.

Backups are safest in a remote location. Many hosts and ISP’s provide backup and data storage at a minimal price. Restoration from a remote backup server is easy and painless.

Those who are not familiar with this company think that when they restore files from Carbonite, he would need to go through a complicated and tedious process. But this couldn’t be further from the truth as Carbonite Backup is one of the most user-friendly online backup services available today. The company has made a name for itself as the leading service provider in the industry and takes pride in its affordable services, and backup and restore process that are so simple, you don’t need to be a geek or a techie to figure them out.

If you are ever faced with the task of restoring your files after reformatting your hard drive or after a computer crash, the first thing you would need to do is download the Carbonite software again. As soon as you do this, the setup wizard will ask you to choose from two options – restore your files later or restore your files now. If you opt to restore them immediately, you will then be asked if you prefer the files downloaded to their original locations, or choose specific files for specific users. Most users would choose option one but even the more advanced option is relatively easy with detailed instructions.

In restoring files from Carbonite, you also have the choice to restore a single file or an older file version. To do this, first you would need to go to My Computer, where Carbonite is listed as a virtual drive. Open the drive and go through it just as you would any other computer drive. You should be able to find all your files there. Once you locate the particular file you want to restore, highlight it, and click Restore to download it back to its previous location. You may also click Restore To to send the file to another location. If you want to restore an older version of a particular file (up to three months back), click on Restore Previous Version.

However, you have to know about some limitations to Carbonite as well. You will not be able to restore files from Carbonite very quickly if they are huge. A file that is a few hundred megs could take hours or even days depending upon the speed of the servers. Carbonite servers can be fairly slow, but that is how they are able to offer such an affordable price. In the event of a system crash, where you lose all of your data, you may not care if it is slow so long as you get all of your files back. However, if you need to restore an important document very quickly, you may be left waiting for a bit.

Carbonite is far from perfect, but it could be the best option you have. It has its flaws yes, but for the fee they are charging, they are entitled to some. Other companies offer practically the same services, but at a price ten times higher. Plus, you won’t need to jump through hoops when you restore files from Carbonite so on the whole, you get everything you would need from an online backup service.

We know your wondering why would you use the Internet as a backup method. Well, there’s a whole bunch of reasons. First, you can use the Internet to backup your data instead of dedicated hardware or software. If you have an Internet connection, you’re ready.  Second, your files will be available to you anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection.And with good security and encryption, nobody will get your data or even realize where it is.

The Internet has thousands of pedabytes of disk space available, and there are several good services you can find that specialize in Internet backup.I pay about $4/month for over 30 Gigs of data.Now I’m using 60% of my backup space which leaves plenty of room for my future updates at a very reasonable price.

The first step is to decide which service is best for you.Most providers that do free trial periods end up being more expensive overall than the providers that don’t offer free trials.So with a little research you can join a site with superior features and an overall lower cost by avoiding free trials.It will end up saving you a significant amount of money. With all the product review sites, blogs, comparison sites, etc. it’s easy to make an informed decision.

So now, you’ve made your decision about which service you will use. Next, you need to make some judgements about what data is important and need to be backed up. The best online backup providers have software that does all the work for you. and will automatically upload files after they’ve been encrypted for security. As you can easily now see is that the best providers are also the easiest to use.And the quality services will work on all operating systems (like Linux, Windows, and Apple) with every feature.

The simple explaination is if they make it too difficult for you, you’ll just go somewhere else. Just as in any business the market is a competitive one and services who don’t have a rich feature set or are only providing services for Windows or MAC, etc. generally arn’t reliable at all and may not even be around for you in the future. So it’s important to make sure they support MacIntosh and Linux in addition to Windows.I they’re a quality provider they will. 

So, now you have a good outline of what to look for with Internet backups, here’s some basic questions you need to ask.

Do they have free software for you that will make it easy?

Does their software support MAC, Linux and Windows?

Can you keep all your systems backed up with a single user account?

What kind of Internet backup is it? How often do the backups occur?

Do they protect your files with encryption? You must require 256bit AES encryption for maximum security.

You have other issues that are important to you.But by getting the answers to these basic questions will serve you well.

There are many potential causes of data loss for all computer users ranging from the casual home user who just does a bit of occasional surfing and the odd bit of Photoshop, too the computer super users and computer aided design experts. Typically data loss can occur when a computer starts to experience boot up problems.

If you have been here before then at least you will have a vague or depending on your experience a deeper level of knowledge here, but for many potential data loss scenarios are a new computing horror to overcome, so what typically should we be looking out for?

Computer is working but simply won’t boot up properly: Often this can be overcome by starting your computer in safe mode if you know how, and going from there. But this will not always help as you may be suffering from a software issue or conflict or even possible a hardware issue such as a failing hard disk drive.

Computer starts to become slow: When we first get our new computer there is very little on it when it comes to programs and games for example, and over time the operating system due to the way it is designed becomes cluttered. Registry repair utilities can help operating system problems but data loss is always a risk. In extreme circumstances a total ODS re-install is the best option.

Viruses, trojans and malware: Unless you are sat behind the strongest firewalls known to man, or are not connected to the internet or share any files then your computer will always be at the risk of data loss due to these rogue programs. In extreme cases the only rectifiable solution is a totally fresh install.

So we come back to how we handle a problem when it arises. How do we prevent data loss when we inevitably have to reinstall our current operating system or upgrade to a new one?

The best way to avoid data loss in the first place is to follow a simple protocol. Backup your important data on a regular basis. There is simply no good excuse for not doing this as external drives and online backup centers are readily available to all.

External hard drives can be purchased in most computer shops now days and a quick search online for online backup will also give you a number of remote back up options.

So what options do you have to get your important or vital data back? If things seem really bad and saving the data is crucial, don’t take any risks and contact a data recovery specialist. They will have a whole host of solutions available to save your data and whilst it cannot be guaranteed, they do stand the best chance of success.

You can find more great advice on data recovery and in particular for businesses raid data recovery here.