Back Up

I hope you have a back up plan and are using it.  As they say….it’s not if, but when.  I have had a hard drive crash on a new computer only 3 months old.  Computers come with a mirror of the original  setup, so if you ever need to reformat, you may (check your own machine info) be able to restore it to the original with just a few key strokes.  When the new hard drive was installed, it did not have that original set up info. I was on my own to call tech support to get help with downloading and installing the drivers needed to operate, and of course reloading  all the programs,  and any info I had backed up ( which was hardly any).

There are many programs available.  Windows comes with one.  It (and many others) put all the files into one file, and you need the same program to restore them.  Karen Replicator ( a free program)  www.karenware.com  is a little  different as it copies the files so they look just like on your computer.  I like that.

Other choices are an annual subscription to an online service such as Mozy or Carbonite.  It is a backup program, and not an archive.  If you remove them from your hard drive, after a designated period of time, they will be removed from the online server.  For an extra fee, Carbonite will backup an external drive.

The most important thing is to at least back up your photos and documents.  Don’t bother with programs.  If you just copy a program, it will not work, because part of the install process it to write files to your registry which allows it to function.

Be SURE to keep up with all your original program disks  as well as the ones that came with your computer so you will not have to look  for them if needed.   Now would be a good time to do that.

Picasa has a backup feature from the Tools menu for your photos.

Woulda,Coulda, Shoulda  is a really sick and desperate feeling for something so simple that could be prevented.