Backing up your computer is one of the most important things you can do to protect your data. Having a good backup allows you to recover from data loss, hardware failures, ransomware attacks, and other disasters. In this guide, I’ll explain everything you need to know to create a robust backup strategy for your Windows or Mac computer.
Why You Should Backup Your Computer
Here are some key reasons why backing up your computer is essential:
- Prevent Data Loss: Hardware can fail unexpectedly, deleting files forever. Backups guard against this.
- Recover from Accidents: Mistakenly deleting a file doesn’t have to be permanent with backups. I can restore from a backup.
- Protect Against Ransomware: Backups allow me to “roll back” my system before a ransomware infection.
- Migrate Data to New Hardware: I can transfer my data to a new computer if the old one fails. Backups make this easy.
- Archive Important Files: Backups let me save snapshots of important files like documents and photos over time.
Without backups, my precious photos, work documents, financial records, and other digital files are at risk. No one wants to lose years of memories or important work data. Backups give me peace of mind.
Choosing a Backup Destination
The first step in backing up is deciding where I’ll store the backup copies of my files. Here are the main options:
- External hard drives: I can plug an external HDD into my computer via USB to store backups. Choose a model with ample storage and reliability.
- NAS (Network Attached Storage): A NAS is a dedicated storage device that connects to my home network. More expensive but very versatile.
- Cloud storage: Online backup services like Backblaze offer cheap, unlimited cloud backup storage. Easy to set up.
- Removable media: Flash drives and recordable CD/DVDs allow portable backups, but aren’t reliable for full system backups.
I recommend using a combination of external hard drives and cloud storage for a “3-2-1” backup strategy:
- 3 total copies of my data (the original plus 2 backups).
- Store backups on 2 different media types (e.g. HDD and cloud).
- Keep 1 copy offsite (e.g. cloud storage).
This provides both local and offsite backups to protect against different types of data loss.
Choosing Backup Software
There are many backup applications available, ranging from built-in Windows and Mac utilities to third party software. Here are some top options:
Built-In Tools
- Time Machine (Mac): Easy automatic backups to external drives.
- File History (Windows): Straightforward Windows backup utility.
- Backup and Restore (Windows): Basic onboard backup for Windows. More manual control.
Third Party Software
- Acronis True Image: Reliable backups with lots of advanced features.
- Carbonite: Backs up to the cloud automatically.
- Veeam Agent: Feature-rich software for Windows and Mac.
- Duplicati: Open source software that can back up to cloud services.
I prefer using dedicated backup software over manual copying because it:
- Automatically runs on a schedule.
- Backs up incrementally, saving time.
- Has compression and encryption options.
- Simplifies restores.
Choosing What to Backup
At minimum, I make sure to backup:
- My personal document files (Word, Excel, PDFs, etc).
- My photos, music, and video files.
- Emails and important databases.
- Browser bookmarks/favorites.
- Program settings and configuration files.
But ideally, I do a full system backup to safely capture my entire system – including the operating system, installed programs, and all personal files.
With a full backup, I can restore my entire system to a previous state in case of system failure or drive replacement.
Backup Schedules and Rules
Doing backups manually is time-consuming, so I automate the process using backup software schedules.
Here are some best practices for backup schedules:
- Do incremental file backups daily to capture changes.
- Do a full system backup weekly or monthly.
- For files that change rarely, back up monthly.
- Verify backups to ensure they were successful.
I also set up rules like:
- Only keep daily backups for 1 month to save space.
- Keep 4-5 weekly backups.
- Keep 3-12 monthly full backups.
I adjust backup schedules and rules depending on the amount of data and how critical the files are.
Testing Your Backups
It’s important to regularly test restores from backups to verify they work properly. Here’s how I validate backups:
- Restore sample files to check integrity.
- Simulate disasters like failed drives and corrupted files.
- Scan backups for viruses to ensure reliability.
- Confirm backup software logs show successful jobs.
Testing backups takes time but ensures I can reliably restore when needed.
Offsite Cloud Backup Considerations
For offsite cloud backup, I take note of:
- Bandwidth limits: Upload caps can slow initial backup speed.
- Storage limits: Check that cloud capacity accommodates backups.
- Upload speed: Faster uplink = faster backups.
- Encryption: Must encrypt personal data before uploading.
- Restore options: Make sure restoring data from the cloud is easy.
- Retention: Avoid cloud providers that delete old backups too quickly.
Offsite cloud backup provides an extra layer of protection from threats like fires, floods, and ransomware.
Conclusion
- Backups provide invaluable insurance against data loss.
- I take a 3-2-1 approach: 3 copies, 2 media types, 1 copy offsite.
- I use backup software to automate daily/weekly/monthly jobs.
- I test restores regularly to verify my backups are working properly.
- Cloud backup adds security in case of disasters at my home or office.
With a sound backup strategy following these best practices, I can sleep easy knowing my important files are safe and recoverable.
