Reminder: Make back up copies regularly

by Donna Huber

Today's tip is more of a reminder than anything and as such will be short. You may have seen my announcement earlier this week about my laptop dying. Because this can happen to anyone and at anytime, I want to remind you to back up your files as well as your blog on a regular basis. I wrote about backing up your blog a few months ago (read more here).

There are a number of options for storing back ups. Cloud storage is pretty popular and companies offer some free space. I use Dropbox for a lot of my file storage, not so much as a back up but to be able to access files from any computer or device. I also use Google Drive for a lot of my files. I wrote my entire ebook, Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour, on Google Docs. So I didn't lose those files. It is important to remember that when something is offered FREE it may not always be and at any time they can yank the plug on your access. While I think most companies would give you notice and allow you time to move your files, you never know. Plus a company can go bust or their servers die. So it would be wise to store back ups in multiple locations.

It is kind of funny that I have been thinking of buying an external hard drive to move copies of files to. Unfortunately my laptop died before that could happen. I know there are things that I now don't have access to. Past tax returns - I tried to save paper and only have them stored electronically, but I don't think I stored a copy anywhere else. Photos - some are on Photobucket or I've loaded them to Facebook, Instagram, or to my blog, and I think my Europe photos are still on my camera. eBooks - this is probably my most upsetting set of files that I didn't have backed up. Since I read on a Nook any ebooks I receive directly from authors/publishers have to be added via Adobe Digital Editions. This is include Netgalley ebooks and Smashwords. I know of at least one Netgalley ebook that I downloaded but did not transfer to my Nook and now it has been archived on Netgalley so I won't be able to read it. And apparently books that are free on Smashwords are only available for download during the free period after that you have to pay to download it again. So I might have a few of those ebooks that never got added to my Nook. (This is probably the biggest disadvantage to having a Nook. I wish there was a cloud version of Adobe Digital Edition so that I could add ebooks to my Nook from any computer.)

I said this was going to be short, but I sort of lost the thread in lamenting what may be lost forever (I'm taking my laptop to a computer technician to see if the files can be pulled off it at least) - Sorry!

What I wanted to do was remind you to back up your files and or blog as you never know when your computer will malfunction.