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Do you remember to back up your computer?

Over the years we have come to rely on our computers more and more. I rarely print photos at all. I keep all my photos on my hard drive and when my computer is idle a slide show starts. It shows my photo collection. We enjoy watching each pic in random order flash on the screen. I enjoy my photos everyday this way, not stuffed away in a book.

However, one thing is certain; you hard drive will fail at some point. Other things can happen too, some one could steal your computer, you could have a fire all sorts of things. To most of us this would be devastating. There is many ways to ensure the safety of your data. I have studied most of these methods over many years.  A couple methods I have already excluded are the external hard drive, I just don’t have the space in my RV for more components; CD Roms, they are slow and unreliable. My favorites as far as cost, ease, reliability are 1. Mozyfree back up system.

Several years ago I started using Mozy back up system that can be set to your own likings. I have it back up every 24 hours when the computer is idle for more than 1 hour. I decide which files are going to be backed up. I used this system for over 1 year before disaster struck. My hard drive was slowly dieing  and I was not able to keep it on long enough to get my data off of it. I bought a new hard drive and installed it, and windows then went to my CD’s Roms; looking on the CD’s I found nothing on them.

As I remembered I have a back up system, I contacted them right away. Soon after contact, I received an email from Mozy, it was a file named, “C drive”, it was in a zip folder. I opened it up to find my whole C drive in front of me. I had already had visions of never seeing some of my photos and documents that I had worked so hard on.

Yet with my Mozy back up system, it was all there!  Mozy is safe and secure. It is like having all your data backed up in cyberspace.

If you follow the Mozy links in this article it will take you to a Mozy sign up that is free. They also offer unlimited space for $5/mo. The space they offer for free is enough for most home computers.

Another method that has proven effective and in-expensive is the memory stick. You can get a whole lot of information/data in a very small space (important for RV’ers). There is no moving parts to fail. You just slide it into your USB port, wait a minute, and you will have another drive. You can then copy, (drag and drop) or move your files, folders, and photos to your USB drive.I have found great prices for memory sticks at Meritline

Just be sure when you are finished you turn off the USB drive before removing it. Not following this tip could cost you data or destroy the whole drive.

I prefer the passive back up by Mozy, but I also keep some things backed up on my memory sticks as well.

It’s a RV thing!