5 Reasons to Backup Your Computer Data Files

Someone once said, “It’s not a question if your hard drive will fail, but WHEN.”  While there is a certain amount of humor in this statement, the unfortunate reality is that hard drive failure and other similar problems are more common than many people realize.  In fact, a study conducted by Pepperdine University in 1999 found that 6% of all PCs “will suffer an episode of data loss in any given year, requiring specialized data recovery services.”  If that is not enough reason to convince you to take the time to backup files and other data on your PC or laptop, here are five more for you to consider.

Reason #1:  Destroyed Files Aren’t Always Recoverable

While a skilled computer repair specialist can recover the majority of lost files, there are times when destroyed files or deleted files simply cannot be recovered.  When you take the time to periodically backup data, you can easily bring back the files that have been lost.

Reason #2:  Your Laptop or PC Might Get Lost or Stolen

No one wants to believe they will ever be the victim of theft, but the reality is that there is always the possibility of your PC or laptop getting stolen.  In addition, if you are someone who takes your laptop everywhere you go, you might accidentally leave it behind.  What would you do if your PC or laptop was gone completely? If you backed up your files, you can take comfort in knowing that all of the information you had on your PC or laptop can be easily recovered.

Reason #3:  Temporary Storage Isn’t Meant for the Long Term

You might think it is unnecessary to backup data if you are using temporary storage devices to store your information.  While this is certainly a good short-term solution for meeting your backup needs, this type of storage media is not meant to be used for permanent data storage.  Countless people lose valuable files every year because they trusted a temporary storage device to keep their information safe.  You can prevent this from happening to you when you backup files through a professional data backup service.

Reason #4:  Power Failures and Spikes are Unpredictable

Power failures and spikes can also result in destroyed files that can be difficult to recover.  This is because power failure and spikes can completely fry your motherboard or hard drive, making it difficult and often impossible to recover destroyed files.

Reason #5:  Humans are Known to Make Mistakes

Whether you accidentally spilled coffee on your laptop’s keyboard, you failed to update your virus protection or you simply pressed the “delete” key at the wrong time, you are human and you will make mistakes on occasion.  While a computer repair specialist might be able to undelete files and recover destroyed files, you will rest a whole lot easier if you backup data before these problems ever occur.  This way, you will save yourself money and heartache when all of your files are right where you left them on your backup device or server.