If you’re prepared, it’s not a disaster

About 2 years after I got my first computer (back in the 80′s!), my hard drive crashed. It really did sound like a stack of plates crashing. I went to a computer repair shop to see if anything could be done. Nada. It was toast. Fortunately, I had just done a backup so all of my data was safe. The guy at the repair shop told me I was probably the first person he had come in that actually had a current backup. Lesson learned. I’ve been keenly aware of the need to be prepared ever since.

So, save often, create a backup routine, store backups off-site (online if you feel comfortable with that), and keep multiple backups of critical data. Use a surge suppressor. Get a UPS (battery backup). Perform routine maintenance on your computer—scan and defragment your hard drive, remove temporary files, and clean the hardware (even inside a desktop — just keep yourself grounded). A little healthy paranoia never hurt anyone.

I use a shareware program called CCleaner to clear out all those temporary files that seem to stay on your computer forever, clean out the registry, and remove programs I’m not using anymore. You can get it at www.download.com.

How prepared are you for the inevitable disaster?