Don't Lose Your Data

The best way to approach the data stored on your PC is to consider it in the same way you do the possessions in your house. Not only do you keep your home secure with locks on the doors and windows, and maybe a burglar alarm, but you insure it, look after it and basically make sure that things don't get lost.

The data stored on your PC should be treated in the same way. All of your documents, digital photos, videos, games and other personal files are financially or sentimentally valuable, so it pays to keep them safe.

There are a several ways by which you could lose data stored on your PC. One of the most common is deleting something when you shouldn't, a mistake that's as frustrating as it is preventable. When you delete a file it ends up in the Recycle Bin on your desktop, however, so you can usually rescue it before it's gone for good by opening the Bin, finding the item in question and then restoring it.

Data can be lost due to viruses and trojans, too, which can corrupt files so that they can no longer be read and opened by their respective programs. While the file might still exist on your PC's hard drive, the data it contains is replaced with random characters or wiped altogether. In these cases it can be impossible to retrieve the data that was lost and to restore the affected files to their former, pristine state.

A hard drive failure can also cause you to lose your personal data. While a hard drive breaking down is a rare occurrence and one you're not likely to experience, it does happen. This is often the worst case scenario when it comes to your files because everything on your PC can be lost.

There are ways to ensure that your data is lost for good in any of the above scenarios, though, the primary one being to create a backup. A backup is a duplicate copy of the files and folders stored on your PC that's saved onto a different hard drive or a blank CD or DVD. By taking regular backups, you've always got a clean set of replacement files should anything go wrong.

You can create a backup using the internet, too. Some services enable you to upload personal files of any variety to a secure location online. These files are then held for you and you alone (though you can opt to share them if you want) until you need them.

So, you can see by now that creating a backup is like taking out an insurance policy on your data. Although it might seem like a needless exercise and one that you don't need, you never know what's around the corner.