Why backing up your computer is sooooo important

We’re only human and technology can be unpredictable to say the least. By backing up your computer, you can protect against human error, hardware failure, virus attacks, power failure, and whatever else life throws at you.  

What is a backup?

Just in case you’re new to the world of IT, or just cannot get your head around it, a backup is a copy of your important data on your computer that's stored in a separate safe location, usually in cloud storage or a removable external hard drive, SD card or USB stick

Crashing computers, old and faulty equipment and viruses are all part and parcel of working with computers. And like anything unexpected, you never know when it will happen.

Here are 7 reasons to create a backup:

Human error!  

One wrong key pressed or mouse clicked, and your data could be gone without a trace.  

Power surges

Having data baced up on the cloud protects your data in case of a power surge from a lightning strike or any other natural disaster.

Tax information

If you are keeping all the information for your tax return on your computer, a back-up is a must. Generally, you need to keep your tax records for five years from the date you lodge your tax return.  

Precious photos

The average person has thousands of photos stored on their computer. How would you feel if they suddenly disappeared, never to be seen again?  

Viruses

Hackers have ingenious ways of trying to access your personal data, so having a backup should a virus, malware or ransomware wipe your data or make it difficult to access, it won’t be a huge problem.  

Lost or stolen

If your laptop gets lost with your luggage or is stolen during a burglary – you won’t lose all your precious information.

Faulty or damaged equipment

With a backup of all your data, you can transfer it to any new PCs or laptops easily.  

If you use cloud storage, you can automatically create backups – if you are using external storage, remember to back up on a regular basis.  

Backing up your data is easy to do but if you feel a bit out of your depth, contact your local computer expert who can set it up for you or show you what to do, so you never lose anything again.  

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