A significant part of being organized is being prepared for when things go wrong. And when we depend on our computers, tablets, and smart phones, things can go horribly wrong. The following five scenarios illustrate why backups are such a big deal.
Hard drives go bad
The hard drive is the small piece of your computer that allows you to store all of your data and information for an extended period of time. But no hard drive in the world will last forever, and they are not kind enough to tell you when they are about to give up.
Sometimes data can be recovered from a failed hard drive, but this is a service for which you will have to pay. And there is no guarantee that those retrieving the information will be successful.
Computers, tablets, and phones get lost or stolen
Because we rely so heavily on technology to hold onto our most important moments and information, it can be devastating when these devices are lost or stolen. Stories like these seem to be everywhere. Without backups, the files on those devices are gone forever.
Devices get damaged
A passenger on US Airways Flight 1549 lost his cell phone when the plane crashed into the Hudson River in 2009. He lost countless pictures and precious videos of his 2-year-old daughter. Most of us will never be in such a terrible situation, but something as simple as dropping your phone in some water will do the same damage.
Deleting files by mistake
Backing up files can be a lifesaver when technology fails us. Whether your information disappears because of a technical glitch or because it was in the hands of a curious child, it is inconvenient and often distressing to have these files mysteriously vanish.
Computers get infected with malware
Unfortunately, there are people out there whose mission is to destroy our devices and steal our information. Their mission is often carried out by creating malware that gets into our computers and destroys valuable information. Some of these viruses can even get past scans and preventative software. There is only one way to prevent these Restore them from a backup. Otherwise, it is going to take some serious work – at someone’s expensive hourly rate.
