How to Avoid Disaster with Computer Backup

Nevermind that computer backup is a major part of my multi-step recommendations on disaster recovery avoidance... it is just simply too easy and too affordable these days for you to ignore.

Notice I said "disaster recovery avoidance." As I've said before, data recovery is an activity that you plan for, but hope you never have to execute on. As I've also said before, the time you spend acquiring your data can never be recovered, so you should treat your data like the gold that it is.

Over the years, I have interviewed many small business owners who boldly claim that one single day without their computer would cost them thousands of dollars (US). Many of those same people have no disater recovery plan, and no backup strategy in place!

But it's not the computer that is most important to them... it is the data that it holds. They would risk losing thousands of dollars rather than spend a few hundred and several hours to put a backup strategy into place.

Don't be like them.

I've also talked to countless individuals who have digital pictures, emails, and personal bank account data on their home or business computers that they have no where else. They would probably be lost in more ways than one without that data. Yet these people also put themselves at risk by not using a computer backup solution of some sort.

Don't be like them either. Backup! If you ignore your data, it may just go away.

Remember, you only need two things to be able to backup your computer... backup software, and a piece of hardware. I'll describe how you can use both the right software and the right hardware in order to save yourself time, money, and aggravation.

Before we talk about any of the details of computer backup solutions, we should know what types of files we should back up.

Types of Computer Backup

When we talk about computer backup, there can be some confusion as to what that means. To make it simple, I want you to assume that there are two types of backup...

full system backup, and data only backup.

1. Full system backup
   For the purposes of our discussion, this type of computer backup means making a replica of the entire system and all of its hard drives. The intent here is to be able to do what is known as a "bare metal restore."

   This is the kind of backup that you need when your hard drive fails completely and needs to be replaced.

   If you purchase a backup solution that has this feature, it usually allows you to create a bootable CD, which restores your entire hard drive to the way it was when it was last backed up... operating system, programs, data, and all.

   To achieve a similar result without this type of backup, you would have to reinstall the operating system from the system restore CD's, install all the applications, and then restore your data. A bare metal restore is a much faster, cleaner, and in many ways easier way to go.

   Be aware that not all computer backup software programs are capable of doing bare metal restores.

   A hybrid method that some backup software packages may require is that you use the system restore CD's to get the operating system installed, and then install the backup software. You then run the restore and that brings the system to the proper state.

2. Data only backup
   As opposed to backing up everything on your hard drives, this involves backup up only the data files. With respect to laptops and personal computers, when we say data backup, we usually mean making a copy of the critical data that is on your hard drive to another type of media, such as CD ROM or tape.

Most of the rest of this discussion involves data only backups, and not the bare metal restore type described above.

Before we discuss the details of what data to backup, let's start by talking about what you should not backup.

Don't try to backup programs. Why?

Most programs, such as Microsoft Office or Photoshop, need to be reinstalled from the original media (CD) in order work properly. For example, you can't just copy a folder that says "Photoshop" to your hard drive and have the program work.

Since programs usually come on some form of original media, such as CD, you already have the source software to reinstall. It is a waste of backup time and space to also back that up.

Don't try to back up your operating system (OS) either. The original "System Recovery" or "System Restore" CD that came with your computer, or the original CD's with the OS on them can be used for that if needed. The applications that came with your computer will be the same way.

So, what should you back up?

You'll want to back up any information that you consider essential. Can't live without the letters you write to your friends? Back those up. Email? Back that up too. Pictures that your cousin sends you? Those are a biggie. That video you spent a week editing? Save that too.

Many people keep personal or business financial data on their computers as well. Quicken is a popular program that has a backup feature. Use Quicken's backup feature to create the files on your hard drive, then back those up with your backup solution.

Don't forget to back up things like your address book, and any information that you transfer between your cell phone or your pda and your computer too. Often, you will need to follow the instructions specific to the software that you use. For example, if you are using Microsoft Outlook, you'll want to follow the instructions to first export the data, then back it up.