Today, most of the people store all the data such as music, data files, projects, and so on, in a single place such as a PC or laptop. But, sometimes events such as an accidental delete or the loss of the computer can destroy all your data. So, it is necessary to have a proper backup plan.

Computer backup means an exact copy of whatever you have stored in your computer. This means that you have two copies of the same data stored in different devices. One way of backing up is storing the data in a thumb drive. But, the problem with it is that it has less storage space and the small device can be lost easily. Take a look at some of the ways of backing up your data.

A Bootable Backup

A clone or a bootable backup is like the extra tire of a car. It is the exact copy of your computer’s boot drive or the primary hard drive. If this boot drive dies suddenly, you can reboot the system using the clone. This will enable you to access all the important files and software including the settings you are using. But, this clone is not as good as the original drive. The computer will run slower and other problems will follow. Still, a clone is a useful option. Remember to update it regularly.

External Backup Drive

An external backup drive again contains the complete copy of the hard drive but, it is not a bootable backup. It makes incremental backup, meaning it gets updated as you go on working with the files. External drive is usually used to back up the personal and irreplaceable files. This stores certain folders only, not the entire data in the drive. So, if the files on the primary drive get deleted, you can recover them from the external backup drive. If the PC stops working, connect this external drive in a different computer and access the files.

Cloud Backup

Cloud backup stores your data in a different location not near you. So, it is not prone to theft or other disasters. This kind of backup is easier to make and maintain. First, create an account, download the software and run it once to enter the account information. You can set any preferences you like. When this set up is done, your computer will be backed up automatically every time it is connected to the internet. The advantage of using cloud backup is that before storing the files, they are encrypted so that no one can access it. These are then copied to many different drives.

Choosing the best option:

• A bootable backup is really useful but if the PC stops working due to some problem unrelated to the hard drive, this option is not very helpful.
• If you have a desktop computer, a local external drive backup is good if the drive is kept connected and running all the time. If you use a laptop, remember to plug in the backup drive or have a wireless backup system.
• Online backup works fine if you are connected to the internet. Wait for the initial upload to be done and then the update will automatically be done when you are using the computer. There is no need to buy an external hardware for this.

It is important to backup the data because you have spent a lot of time downloading and sharing files. You must understand that hard drives fail at one time or another. The thing is if you are prepared for it or not.