As digital scrapbookers we all know how precious our photographs and digital supplies are. If you have been doing this for any amount of time either you or someone you know has the horrible experience of a computer crash or hard drive failure that resulted in TFL (Total File Loss). We love our computers but sometimes life happens. There are many ways you can have a major issue and lose your files from theft of your computer to hard drive failure. Today’s tip is about backing up your files and the options you have to safeguard all your precious memories in case this happens to you.
It is very important to have a back up procedure in place for your files. It doesn’t matter which method you choose to back up as long as you are routinely backing up your files. I can’t tell you the number of times I have witnessed or heard someone suffer from TFL. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you can pay a crazy amount of money to get some of your files recovered. A lot of times though, the files are lost forever. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you read on to learn more about the different ways you can protect yourself from TFL.  Whatever back up plan works best for you just remember to ALWAYS back up your files and keep a good system in case the dreadful TFL happens to you!

1.  Second Hard Drive

If you are a desktop user you can create a second hard drive on your machine. Once the second drive is installed then you can save the files you want to safe keep onto both drives.
 

2. External Hard Drives

External Hard Drives or EHDs are a common piece of equipment among scrapbookers. EHD’s are inexpensive and are a great way to back up your files. There are many brands and options to choose from and they can run right off of your USB port.
 

3. DVD/CD-ROM

This may be a little more time consuming but we can always back up files the trusty old way of the good old DVD/CD-ROM (type depends on what you are backing up). If you choose this method make sure to keep the discs in a secure location
 

4. Second Computer

If you own more than one computer you can back up your files to your second computer.
 

5. Offsite/Online Backup

Backing up via an online service is becoming more popular with scrapbookers. Using this kind of service helps you to back up off site and automatically with easy restoration in case of TFL. There are several providers like Mozy, BackBlaze and Carbonite that each offer great plans. Just remember that if you use an EHD in addition to your computer the online backup service you choose also backs up EHDs.
 
Do you have a backup plan in place? If so, what is your backup procedure? Have you ever suffered from TFL? Share your experiences in the comment section!
 
A Note from Becca:
As a designer I not only have my priceless photos and digital products but I also have my design work that I would hate to lose. For my own personal backup plan I use a Western Digital EHD AND backup online via BackBlaze. I like to have two backups which makes me feel better. Online backup methods are great since they automatically backup for you which is a huge plus in my book.