Back it up? Maybe you should...

I have countless horror stories that I could share of people who have lost data when their computer "lost its mind". Some of these stories are my own...Hard Drive crashes, viruses, new computer-old technology, etc. The causes are endless. The cure is to back up your important data early and often. I'll discuss two important questions when backing up data: How should my data be backed up and where should I store it?

Question #1: How should my data be backed up? You can back up your data to the computer you're using (I don't recommend this method), to external device such as an external Hard Drive or USB Drive, or to a CD. Windows XP has a backup data utility that is part of the Opertating System and works well for saving your settings including Desktop themes, Internet Explorer Favorites, etc.

Question #2: Where should I store it? You should store your data on a portable device that you keep in a SEPARATE location from your computer. The reason that I don't recommend backing up your data to the computer that you're using is that if something happens to that computer you're toast. Always back up your data to a device that you can take with you and store/use at a different location.