Avoiding Computing Horrors

One of the worst things that can happen is the loss of a computer - either through physical loss such as theft, or due to hardware failure. Are you prepared for the loss of your main computer that has all your critical data?

How do you backup your critical data? Do you perform a backup of your entire PC so that you can quickly get back to work if you lose your computer? I use a variety of tactics to ensure that I always have access to my vital information.

Here are a two tips that may save you from a terrible computing nightmare:

1. I use a file synchronization service to sync all my critical files on several different computers that are in different locations. Remote backup is critical because it doesn't help to keep all your backups with your main PC if your house/office goes up in flames (or if a thief comes and steals your computers and all your external hard drives).
   
2. I maintain at least 2 computers with critical applications such as Microsoft Office. This way, if I physically lose my main computer, then I have an immediate backup that is ready to go. I can't afford to lose a day of productivity, so it is critical for me to have a back up computer. If you don't have a backup computer, then you'll spend at least one day restoring your backup (either on your existing or new machine).

If my tips seem a bit "over kill," then you've never experienced a true computing horror. Wait until that happens and you'll have some serious regrets. At a minimum, make sure to back up your hard drive.