Article by Worth Godwin Computer Training

In this article I want to explain one general method for how to back up your computer, namely “incremental backup”. There are many reasons why it is so very important that everyone back up their files on a regular basis, but the purpose of this article is not to go over why you should back up, but to give you some recommendations on methods you can use to protect yourself, including information for both Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac computers.

First off, let’s define “incremental” backups, also known as “versioned” backups. When you create an incremental backup, it is where you are backing up your files in such a way that you have multiple copies of each file, or at least multiple copies of the files that have changed.

Incremental backups can be achieved either “manually”, by burning a new disc each time you backup to CD/DVD/Blu-Ray/etc., or automatically by a backup program.

The benefit of versioned backups is that if you make unwanted changes to a file or it becomes corrupted or otherwise lost, you can go back to an earlier point and retrieve the old version.

First, use either optical disks or USB flash drives or maybe online backup (or all of the above to be extra safe) for your documents and other smaller files which are frequently changed or updated.

This incremental backup should be done on a frequent basis, once a week for the average computer, once a day in an office environment where you have files critical to running your business. This can take as little as five minutes to do and it’s well worth it!

Again, if you use optical discs such as CD or Blu-Ray, don’t use reusable discs but instead burn a fresh disc each time and keep at least the last 2-3 copies as spares. If you use USB flash drives (or flash memory cards, which are basically the same as far as this goes) you again should rotate between at least two drives so you have a spare copy.

You also don’t have to do incremental backups “manually” like this, as there are backup programs that you can set up once and then they will do this for you automatically.

On the Windows side, the built-in backup software can do this, but the problem is it is notoriously hard to set up and use for most computer users. Fortunately, there is a very simple program I’ve discovered which puts an easy to use “front end” on the Windows backup system that makes it dead simple to use.

The program is called Oops!Backup and while you do have to pay for it, it is a one-time payment (not a yearly or monthly subscription in other words) and very inexpensive. The peace of mind and insurance you get from using it are well worth the low price (under $ 40 US the last time I checked).

The program will run automatically and back up all of your critical personal files & settings either on a regular hourly basis, or automatically as soon as you plug in a backup drive. You can use either an external hard drive for this, or get a large-capacity USB flash drive or memory card.

On the Mac side there is an incredibly simple to use program called Time Machine which is so simple to set up it literally requires only one click to do with standard settings. Time Machine works the same basic was as Oops!Backup (in fact, Oops!Backup is designed to be the Windows version of Time Machine according to the company website) and lets you “go back in time” through a simple screen and grab any older version of a file and “bring it forward in time” to replace a lost or damaged file.

Note: Time Machine is not the same thing as Time Capsule. Time Capsule is an physical device which combines a wireless router and a backup (external) hard drive. Time Machine does not require a Time Capsule, even though Time Capsule was designed with Time Machine in mind (hence the similar names).

In fact, I strongly suggest that you do NOT buy a Time Capsule as they are designed to be left on all the time, which as I mention several times in this report, is a bad idea because it makes the drive less reliable.

In my opinion, I think an external USB or Firewire hard drive is about the best place you can back up your files, but ideally you should leave the drive off when not in use to reduce wear and tear. If you leave it turned on all the time, then the backup drive isn’t really any more reliable than the main drive, which kind of defeats the purpose.

Regardless of which exact method you use to create your backups, make sure you do back your computer regularly; it’s a huge mistake to do otherwise.

Worth Godwin is a computer coach with over 15 years’ experience helping computer users of all levels, and has also worked for many years “in the trenches” as a hardware and software tech, solving real-world computer problems.

Worth has also been studying the human mind, and how people learn, since the early 1990s. He draws upon all of this experience, as well as his English and writing degrees, to teach people in a unique way with explanations that really make sense.

The above article is just some of the advice he has to give on how to back up as well as how to avoid common computer mistakes as part of his easy computer training.










*DISCLAIMER* For those of you complaining about me destroying this computer please take note; I found the computer sitting next to a dumpster in the pouring rain. When I got the computer home, I checked to see if it would even turn on and it wouldn’t. The hard drive was falling out of it. The monitor didn’t even work either. It was soaked. It was complete trash. (probably why it was in the trash…) So why not completely destroy it… I do have some common sense. Thank you. =] This was done like, 2 months ago, but I finally found time to edit it. Hope you like it! I know I had fun! XD I made the music! My Twitter www.twitter.com Links in the Sidebar T-Shirt www.districtlines.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5