Computer and Web Articles

I know that you know the importance of backing up your computer’s files. (If you’ve been told once, you’ve been told a thousand times…) But I don’t know if you know which files you should be backing up.

Perhaps you’ve asked yourself, “Should I back up all of the files on my computer, or just the important ones?” And then perhaps you asked yourself, “Wait–which ones are the important ones?”

Let me help. Here are some of the more important files you should be backing up:

Documents – All the files in your Documents folder should get backed up—and frequently. Most of us change the files in this folder more often than those in any of our folders. This is where you’re most likely to lose information you just updated in case your computer crashes.

Pictures & Videos – Got gorgeous pictures of your children on your computer? What about videos from big family events or memorable moments in your life? The pictures and videos on your computer are akin to that stack of photo albums, and they’re just as crucial to keep safe. Back ‘em up.

Music – If you have a large music collection on your computer, it’s going to be pretty hard (and potentially rather expensive) to replace it. Back those files up. (If you’re an iTunes user, back up your iTunes folder.)

Emails - If you use a desktop email program such as Outlook, Mail, Thunderbird or Windows Live Mail (vs. an online-only program like Gmail or Hotmail), make sure you back up your emails! Losing important email communications can be devastating (speaking from personal experience, here). The location in which your emails are stored on your computer depends on your computer’s operating system and the email program you use. To determine where your emails and associated email program’s files exist, head over to Google and search for, “backup email TypeYourEmailProgramandVersionHere”

What don’t you need to back up? Most of your applications/programs. You’ll most likely have to re-install them if your computer is damaged, so there’s little point in having them backed up (though backing up files such as your preferences, actions, and brushes in programs like Photoshop is a great idea).