Back ups

What's your backup plan?
Protect your precious memories and important files

You've taken the time to store it on your desktop or laptop computer. Everything that matters to you, from financial to sentimental. But you're just one system error, one spilled latte, one stolen backpack away from losing it all. Yet this unthinkable scenario is so easy to prevent. You must know by now that computers can and do fail and you usually get no warning before it's too late. Backing up your data is no longer the chore that it once was. Here are some tips to help make it easier.

Get organized.

Put all the documents you create, the pictures you take, and the music you buy in a single master folder. Divide that master folder into sub folders to keep your files organized. Backing up your data becomes much easier if you only have one folder to back up. When all your personal files are in one place, you are less likely to forget a file when you back up. Organization is the secret.

Back up regularly.

Get in the habit of backing up your files regularly. If you work on your computer daily, you should back up important files daily. Then, back up everything at least once a week. Better still, look for backup software that backs up your data automatically and instantly without manual or scheduled backups. Western Digital offers several models of external hard drives that include continuous back up software.

Be selective.

You don't have to back up your entire system. That's a time consuming task that only duplicates all the issues you've built up over time on your hard drive. Save original copies of your software programs and reinstall your operating system and a clean copy of your software if your system crashes.

Back up what's important to you.

The most important things to protect are files you create yourself. Whether they are text documents, e-mail messages, pictures, music, videos, or game saves, if you made them, you want to save them and keep them nearby. It's also helpful to back up the configuration settings for any programs you use, along with critical Windows data such as the registry. And don't forget to make a duplicate copy of anything you have stored on external storage.

Use backup software.

Use backup software to automate your backup. You can make mistakes or omit something important if you back up manually. An easy-to-use backup program creates a backup of your data reliably and automatically, keeps logs, and notifies you in case of any problem. Most WD external hard drives come with backup software. Find the drive that's right for you.

Where to backup.

You can back up to CDs or DVDs, but this is a slow, manual process. And contrary to popular belief, most CDs and DVDs are not permanent. Low-priced CDRs may not be readable at all in as little as two years.

The best backup medium is an external hard drive. High capacity external drives are very fast and allow you to keep all your backed up data in one place. For extra safety, get a two-drive external storage system and dedicate half the capacity for mirroring to automatically and instantaneously back up your backup every time. WD's extensive line of external hard drives are sleek, stylish, made for your grab-and-go lifestyle and most come with our easy-to-use backup software so...