Options for Computer Backup

There are many means that you can use to backup your important data:

Backup Options within Microsoft Windows. The easiest solution is to use some of the backup capabilities built within the Windows operating systems. Windows XP starte with the Automated System Recovery tool, which can help recover if you system becomes corrupted. While the tools that are included with the operating systems may not be the most advanced, they are readily available.

Manual backup to external devices. This is probably one of the most popular methods of backing up data. You can easily just copy your data to a USB flash drive, external hard drive or burn the data to a CD or DVD. Because this is a manual backup process, you have to ensure that all the files are backed up, and if you have a lot of files, then files may be missed. With this method it is important to make multiple copies of your data.

Online data backup services. This is one of the newest forms of data backup. Most, if not all, online backup services provide a secure connection to ensure your data cannot be read/viewed by anyone but yourself. A backup service usually provides an executable that runs in the background and monitors your data to ensure that any changes are backed up. Using an online data backup service also has the added benefit of providing an offsite backup source, meaning your data is in a different location than your computer. If something ever happened to the building with your computer, your data is safely somewhere else.