Back Up Your Computer (Before You Wish You Had)

March 15, 2026 • Computer Maintenance, Tech Tips

If your computer died right now — just stopped working, no warning — what would you lose?

Family photos? Tax documents? That novel you've been working on? Your entire client database?

Here's the thing most people don't want to hear: hard drives will fail. It's not a matter of if, it's when. They're mechanical devices with moving parts, and eventually, they wear out. Sometimes they give you warning signs. Sometimes they just... stop.

The good news? Protecting yourself is easier and cheaper than you think. Let's walk through it.

The 3-2-1 Rule

This is the gold standard for backups, and it's dead simple:

3 copies of your important files
2 different storage types (like your computer + an external drive)
1 copy stored offsite (like the cloud)

Think of it like insurance. You wouldn't keep your only copy of your homeowner's policy inside the house, right? Same idea.

Option 1: External Hard Drive

This is the simplest place to start. A good external hard drive runs about $50–80 for 1–2TB of storage. Seagate, Western Digital, and Toshiba all make solid, affordable options.

The good stuff:

One-time cost — no monthly fees
Fast backups and restores
You control it physically
Works even without internet

The not-so-good stuff:

If it's sitting next to your computer, a fire or flood takes out both
You have to remember to plug it in
Drives can fail too (though two failing at once is unlikely)

Option 2: Cloud Backup

Cloud backup means your files are stored on secure servers somewhere else — far away from whatever might happen to your house or office.

Microsoft OneDrive: 5GB free, 1TB with Microsoft 365 ($7/month)
Google Drive: 15GB free
Apple iCloud: 5GB free

The benefits are huge: your files are offsite, accessible from any device, synced automatically, and most services keep version history so you can roll back changes. The downsides? You need internet, free tiers fill up fast, that first upload can take a while, and there's an ongoing cost for larger storage.

Option 3: Both (What I Recommend)

Use both an external drive AND cloud backup. If one fails, you've still got the other. That's the 3-2-1 rule in action.

What to Back Up

Focus on the stuff you can't replace or would be painful to recreate:

Documents (taxes, financial records, personal letters)
Photos and videos
Desktop files
Email data
Browser bookmarks

Don't bother backing up program files, system files, or downloaded installers — you can always reinstall those.

For Business Owners

If you're running a business, the stakes are even higher. Think about what you'd lose:

Accounting and financial records
Client information and contacts
Active proposals and estimates
Marketing materials
HR documentation
Project files

I've seen a three-person office lose two weeks of productivity after a server failure — and they only recovered about 60% of their data. That's a nightmare you can avoid with a proper backup.

Jerry offers cloud backup starting at $69/year per desktop ($129/year for servers). Set it once, it runs on its own, and Jerry handles restores if you ever need them. Check out business cloud backup or home computer backup for details.

How to Set Up Windows Backup

Windows 10:

Connect your external drive
Open Settings (Win + I)
Go to Update & Security > Backup
Click "Add a drive" and select your external drive
Turn on automatic backups
Configure how often and which folders to back up

Windows 11:

Connect your external drive
Open Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Backup options
Select your drive under File History
Enable automatic backups

Setting Up OneDrive

Look for the cloud icon in your system tray (bottom-right of your screen)
Sign in with your Microsoft account
Choose which folders to sync — I recommend Desktop, Documents, and Pictures
Click "Start backup" and let it run

Test Your Backup!

Here's the part most people skip: a backup you've never tested is a backup you can't trust.

Open a file from your external drive. Log into your cloud service through a web browser and make sure your files are there. Do this once a month. It takes five minutes and gives you real peace of mind.

Need Help Setting This Up?

Look, we get it — this stuff can feel overwhelming. That's exactly why we're here. We can set up your backup system, show you how it works, and make sure everything's running smoothly.

Give us a call at 540.303.2410. We'd rather help you set up a backup today than try to recover lost files tomorrow.

Skits says: Want to get your files organized before you back them up? Smart move. Check out our free File Explorer Microcourse — it'll help you build a folder system that actually makes sense. And grab the Spring Checkup Checklist while you're at it!