How often do you back up?

dixiebb

every week !

Mark_Jefferson

I never create a back up unless the file is very important and losing the data it contains spells big trouble for me.

Aubs

FTR, I have a server where I have two copies of all my music and photos (on different drives), then another copy on my laptop.

I use SyncToy which is free from Microsoft (was made by a third party, but I think Microsoft liked it and bought it off them) to sync everything. It is so quick when you add files to one location (which could be your hard drive, a USB stick, removable drive, or any location where you can have a mapped drive - including some online storage).

Alise_2

Never though it should

spikedouglas

It's what you've forgotten, or what you don't know you've got that catches you out, rather than 'just important files'. I have been with people this week who have gone from seriously inconvienienced to utterly dismayed because various small utilities, printer drivers, fonts and stuff they thought they had backed up, but actually hadn't have all disappeared in an upgrade. This is despite having been told to do a full back up, they insisted on doing the important stuff. In some cases I can find duplicates. In most cases they are gone for ever.

It is definately worth paying a small amount for bit of backup software - and if you have a Mac it's a no-brainer as it's already there - and (say £60) for a large hard disk. Not only will you save your stuff in a doomsday scenario, but you will also recover the 'accidentally deleted'.

Gordon_Gecko

Having worked in IT, you can never have enough backups - and the key thing is to test them to make sure they actually work! Nothing worse than losing your data, plugging in your backup drive and realising there's nothing on there or it's corrupt. I learnt this the hard way, and now regularly test my backups to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Another useful tip I've found is to keep at least one copy of your really important information in a different location - having several backups in a drive next to your computer is fine - but what if there's a flood/fire or you suffer a break-in? Some people I know take regular backups onto a removable disk, and store it in a drawer at work which may seem excessive but if the worst did happen, then at least they haven't lost their files.

genny

I backup important files as they change daily. I backup fully weekly. I store backups in different places, including online, and carry encrypted important files with me wherever I go. It's second nature, and doesn't take more than a few minutes of my time.

BHS

I'm now using Oops!Backup by Altaro, and that monitors all my important files for changes on a user set time scale.

I can also get back to an old version of any file if need be as it's very like Apple Time Machine, but for Windows.

Their support is also very good & prompt.

I highly recommend it.

You'll have to Google for it as I wasn't allowed to post any links!

GJenkins

I use Acronis True Image to make monthly backups to an external drive and I let it run overnight with verification. Backups have saved me a couple of times, particularly the times when the 'knowitalls' want to use the computer and I find software has been replaced by an inferior brand etc!
Soon as they are gone I hit a couple of buttons, go make a cup of tea, and returned to my unharmed machine

zagubov

For online backup this website has links to dozens of online storage sites many of them (such as Dropbox) with free options - but doesn't mention Adrive with its free 50 Gb
http://www.go2web20.net/#tag:storage

And for large amounts of cheap storage on an external drive can you find anything much cheaper than 1.5Tb (£40) at aria at http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Hard+Drives/