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Thursday, February 24, 2011

How To Save Yourself Before Your Computer Crashes

Most people rely on their computers for important files, pictures and other documents. If you are of those people who save all files into one computer, then you need to ensure that the files are safe. Keep in mind that computers are volatile objects that can easily crash. Computers can crash due to numerous factors, including virus.

Protect yourself from a possible catastrophe of losing all your files. Maintain a solid backup so that you will be able to retrieve your files. There are several ways to backup your files so learn a few tricks for your own safety.

If you are knowledgeable in using your computer, split your hard drive to several partitions so that you are not saving your data in just one spacious drive. You can ask your computer technician to split your hard drive upon purchase. If you already have multiply partitions, it’s best to save your files in different partitions. Allot a spacious drive for your songs and images and separate a smaller partition for your documents. Depending on your data usage, the partition can vary.

* Keep an external hard drive for your backup needs. An external drive that is about half the size of your computer hard drive should be sufficient. Make a weekly or monthly schedule to back up your files. If your computer’s hard drive is full of songs, ask yourself if these are important for you to back up. In most cases, songs, videos and other media files occupy the most space in computer hard drives. Media files can be backed up using CD’s or DVD’s. Keep your media files organized, this way, you can back up easier. Sort folders according to date or artists so that you will not be required to back up everything each time.
* Burn the media files in multiple CD’s or DVD’s, depending on the quantity of the files. Use your burning software to burn the media files. Check if the copied CD is working by inserting it in your computer and opening the files. Label the CD’s properly so that you do not lose them.
* Important files are best backed-up in an external hard drive. Plug in your external hard drive and copy the important files. In most cases, files in your desktop and My Documents are the ones that need to be copied. Organize your files so that you don’t lose any of them. Keep your files in one or few folders so that back ups can be done easier. Simply copy all your files in one folder and mark it with the date of back up. To ensure that you don’t run the risk of infecting your external hard drive with any virus, always scan it with a trusted virus scanner. It is best to delete previous back ups so that you do not save too many files on the external hard drive.
* Find an online storage account. Some storage accounts require an annual fee while some are for free. The advantage of online storage accounts is that you can access the files anytime and anywhere. Plus, it’s online, which means, that any virus from your own computer will not affect it. Limit the files that you will upload on your online storage account.


Keep a well-maintained hard drive so that you can prevent your computer from crashing. Delete unnecessary files to free up storage space.

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