Who?
Only you can decide what you want to back
up, where, when, why and how.
What?
The only thing irreplacable on your computer
is content that you create, capture (for
example, pictures) or generate (for example,
financial records). Not all the items to
back up suggested below are appropriate for
all users. You may not have the need, the
skill or the inclination to back up everything.
It's up to you to make concious choices from
this list of possibilities and to add anything
else that's important to you.
documents / data / pictures / email / financial
records / ... / system / programs / ...
Where?
- Sources: logical backup categories / folders
/ chronology / ... / ?
- Physical location of backups: the same computer
/ safe deposit box / 2nd home / friend's
home / workplace / ... / ?
When?
regular / automatic / event driven / calendar
driven / ... / ?
Why?
human error / system error / device failure
/ data error / fire / flood / war / theft
/ ... /
How?
- On what backup media: hard drive / 2nd hard
drive / floppies / zip drive / CD-R / ...
/ ?
- Method: simple copy & paste / compress
(zip) / create archives (backup program)
/ ... / ?
Using the checklist above, list the items
you're going to back up, where you're going
to keep the backups, when you're going to
make the backups, how you're going to make
them, and check your plan against the reasons
you are making them in the first place.
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