Why Backups Matter
A backup means having another usable copy somewhere else.
Most people know they should back up their files. The harder question is: what does “back up” actually mean?
Saving a file, copying a file, synchronizing a file, and backing up a file can all be useful—but they are not exactly the same thing.
Understanding the difference can help prevent one of the worst computer problems there is: losing files that cannot be replaced.
The goal
One problem should not be able to destroy every copy of something important.
Your filing cabinet may contain
- Family photographs
- Financial records
- Tax documents
- Business information
- Legal documents
- Church or ministry files
- Personal writing
- Scanned records
Use the Filing Cabinet Analogy
What would happen if your only filing cabinet were destroyed?
In earlier Computer 101 lessons, we compared your computer's storage to a filing cabinet.
If every important document exists only in that one cabinet, everything could be lost if the cabinet were damaged or destroyed.
A backup gives you another copy somewhere else.
Saving Is Not Backing Up
Save protects your latest changes. Backup protects the file itself.
Pressing Ctrl + S in Word or Excel saves the work you have done.
But if that file is saved only in Documents on the same computer, you may still have only one copy.
If the computer's storage drive fails, that file could be lost.
Remember
- Save = keep my changes
- Backup = keep another recoverable copy
Copying is useful when
- The second copy is on another physical drive
- The copy is stored in another secure location
- The original and copy are not exposed to the same single failure
Copying Creates Another Copy
But where you put the copy matters.
Copying a file from one folder to another creates another copy, but it may not create meaningful protection.
Two folders on the same physical drive can both disappear if that drive fails.
It is like making a photocopy of a document and putting both copies in the same filing cabinet.
External Drives
A separate external drive can provide a useful local backup.
External hard drives and external SSDs connect to the computer, usually through USB, and can hold another copy of important files.
If the computer's internal drive later fails, the external copy may still exist.
But external drives can fail, be damaged, be lost, or be stolen too.
External storage may include
- External hard drive
- External SSD
- USB flash drive
A simple home example
- Original files on the computer
- Backup on an external drive
- Another secure copy in the cloud
The 3-2-1 Idea
Important files should not depend on one device or one location.
A useful backup principle is often described as 3-2-1.
In simple terms: keep multiple copies, use more than one kind or location of storage, and keep at least one copy separate from the others.
You do not need an elaborate technical system. The key idea is simply: do not let one failure destroy everything.
Cloud Storage
Cloud storage can be part of a strong protection plan.
Cloud storage means your files are stored on computers operated by another company and accessed through the internet.
It can help you access files from multiple devices, recover files after hardware failure, and keep important information somewhere other than only on your computer.
Common cloud services
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Apple iCloud
Sync means
Keep these locations updated so they match.
Sync Is Not Always the Same as Backup
Synchronization can also synchronize mistakes.
Services such as OneDrive commonly synchronize files between your computer and the cloud.
Change a file here, and the online copy may change too. Rename it here, and the name may change there. Delete it here, and the synchronized copy may also be removed.
Cloud services often provide recycle bins or version history, but the important idea is that sync and backup are designed for slightly different purposes.
OneDrive and File Locations
Before asking whether a file is backed up, first know where it actually lives.
A file that appears to be in Documents may actually be inside a OneDrive-synchronized folder.
That can be very helpful, but it can also make file locations confusing.
Lesson 1—Where Are My Files?—matters here too.
Example location
OneDrive\Documents
The file may look familiar in File Explorer while also being synchronized online.
Automatic backups may run
- Every hour
- Once per day
- Once per week
- On another regular schedule
Automatic Backup
Automation helps because people forget repetitive maintenance tasks.
Automatic backup software regularly copies selected files without requiring you to remember to do it manually each time.
Some systems also preserve earlier versions so you may be able to recover yesterday's copy after today's file is accidentally changed.
Manual Backup
A simple manual backup can still be very useful if you do it consistently.
For example, you might connect an external drive once a week and copy important folders.
The important question is: How much recent work could I afford to lose?
Someone who creates important files every day may need more frequent protection than someone who uses a computer only occasionally.
Backup frequency depends on
- How often files change
- How valuable they are
- How difficult they would be to recreate
- How much recent work you could afford to lose
Protect anything you cannot easily replace
- Family photos and videos
- Tax and financial records
- Business files
- Legal documents
- Important correspondence
- Genealogy records
- Personal writing
- Scanned documents
What Should You Back Up?
Programs are often replaceable. Personal data may not be.
You can usually reinstall Microsoft Word.
You may not be able to recreate twenty years of family photographs or years of business records.
Start with anything you would be upset or unable to replace.
Do Not Forget Downloads and Desktop
Important files can live outside the folders you normally think about.
People often download something important and leave it in Downloads, or save files directly on the Desktop.
If those files matter, move them into an organized location and make sure that location is included in your backup plan.
Before designing a backup, check
- Documents
- Desktop
- Downloads
- Pictures
- Videos
- OneDrive
- Other special folders you use
Important attachments may include
- Signed contracts
- Insurance documents
- Tax forms
- Receipts
- Statements
- Other records you need to keep
Email Attachments
Do not rely forever on finding an important attachment inside an old email.
Hosted email services normally keep mail on their servers, but an important attachment may deserve its own organized copy.
Save records you need to keep into your document system and include them in your backup plan.
Phones Need Protection Too
If your photographs exist only on your phone, you still have only one copy.
Phones are computers with storage, and they can be lost, damaged, or stolen.
Photo services can provide additional protection, but understand whether the service is synchronizing, backing up, or both.
Common photo services
- iCloud Photos
- Google Photos
- OneDrive photo backup
Separate protection helps against
- Hardware failure
- Accidental deletion
- Corruption
- Theft
- Physical damage
- Malicious software
Ransomware and Other Failures
A backup that is always connected may share some of the same risks.
Malicious software can sometimes damage or encrypt files, including files on connected storage.
Keeping an additional copy separate from the computer can provide another layer of protection.
Verify Your Backup
A backup is only useful if you can actually recover the files.
Do not assume everything is protected simply because backup software is installed.
Every so often, open your backup location and confirm that important files are really there.
Better yet, occasionally restore a test file.
Problems people discover too late
- The external drive stopped working
- Backup software stopped running
- The wrong folders were selected
- A cloud account stopped synchronizing
- Important files were never included
Before retiring an old computer
- Identify important files.
- Confirm where they are stored.
- Back them up.
- Verify the backup.
- Transfer what is needed.
- Confirm the new computer has everything.
- Only then consider wiping the old computer.
Replacing an Old Computer
Do not erase or dispose of the old computer until the important data is confirmed.
Many people assume everything important is in Documents, but files may also be on the Desktop, in Downloads, Pictures, OneDrive, or application-specific folders.
Ask One Simple Question
If this computer disappeared tonight, what would I lose?
If the answer includes something important that exists nowhere else, that information needs better protection.
You should be able to say:
“The computer could fail, and I could still recover the files that matter.”
That is what a backup is supposed to accomplish.
Four Words to Remember
Save, Copy, Sync, and Backup
- Save — Keep the changes to the file
- Copy — Make another copy somewhere else
- Sync — Keep locations updated so they match
- Backup — Keep a recoverable safety copy
Computer 101
Remember the safety copy.
Our office analogy now becomes:
Windows = the office
Processor = the worker
RAM = the desk
Storage = the filing cabinet
Files = the documents
Programs = the tools
Backup = another safe copy of the important documents somewhere else
A good backup can turn a disaster into an inconvenience instead of a permanent loss.
Need Help Protecting Your Files?
Know where your files are, where the backup is, and how you would recover them.
Beach Solutions LLC provides practical, on-site computer assistance throughout the Mid-Cities. We can help identify where files are stored, organize important documents, configure practical backup options, transfer files to a new computer, and verify that important information is actually protected.
$99 On-Site Diagnostic & First Hour