It is not a question that should need to be discussed as we all need backups. You need a backup to protect you from what WILL happen! Your hard drive will die, you will get a virus, or your will just delete some by mistake. I do lot talks and when I ask when the last time you backed up I always get Hum… Let me think about that. Ask yourself when you backup last. Yesterday, Last week, Last month, Never? Why do user never back up is it too hard, is it I do not thing about It, or I am lazy? I believe no one taught you to back up! So here you go my top 5 reason to backup.
1. Backup because it protects you
2. Saves you Time
3. Because you have document you cannot replace
4. Because you have photos you cannot replace
5. Backups will save you MONEY
Yes not having a backup will cost you lots of money and time, just think about the cost of going to a computer shop and having them rebuild your computer from scratch. What do they get an hour $ 100.00, $ 150.00 or more? How many hours would it take to rebuild your computer 3, 6, 8 hours, do you have the original disks? Some people just buy a new computer as it cheaper than the labor charge but what about the software and data, you need to have a backup process and run it regularly.
Now that I explained what backup let talk what you can do.
My solution is two steps.
Step 1 make an Image copy of your computer this means make a full copy of your computer so if you have a major issue you can rebuild your computer quickly, (Great for hard drive failure) for example there are other solution I just showing you one, that you could use.
Reflect Free – Here a solution that free and make an Image file of your computer so that if you lose your computer you can quickly re-image it and be up in running in minutes not days. You need to make updated Image every time you install new hardware or software then you can just use another backup process to back up the changed data. This is a free product, Reflect Free can be found here at www.macrium.com
Step 2 run a backup at least once a week, daily would be better. You use programs like to do this (you could use the built-in backup program that come with your operating system
Or
If you have a spare USB drive you can also use Clickfree transformer or the Monster cable version, this hardware product connects your computer to the USB drive and automatically backs up all your data files.
There is a Solution that combines Step1, and step2 into 1 process you can purchase a hardware solution that will automate the complete solution. For example Seagate Replica you buy this solution, for 1 computer or you can but a version that protects multiple computers you connect via USB and it does all the work for you ( make a backup and keep any change you make to you system backup in real time!
Do the above steps and you can sleep knowing your computer is backed up, if you do not want to do this then at least do this use a USB flash drive and copy your important files to that so if you need a copy you have them. You can also use online backup services to backup you DATA not you applications, example of these services include www.box.net, or www Idrive.com.
Do yourself a favor pick a solution, and start NOW and backup.