Okay, computers a machine, right? Okay, maybe not yours. You have this special relationship, but that a subject for another article. Machines break. Software gets fouled up. People make errors. These things happen, and for those reasons alone, you need to back up all your critical data, redundantly, in a couple of different locations.

You can do this using the tools your system provides, or a utility you buy for that purpose, but however you do it, do it! Some more things that can go wrong include disks that turn bad and erase sections of your files, power failures or surges, the aforementioned human error (one of the most frequent causes of data loss!) overheating, water or your beverage of choice, magnetic issues and last but certainly most popular, computer viruses.

How is all this accomplished, you ask? There are many ways to backup your data these days, from DVD's to CDR's to ZIP drives, to portable hard drives, as well as offsite internet backups. All have their pros and cons, but the cold hard facts are that it's becoming increasingly easier to back up your critical data.

Don't let that lull you into a false sense of security regarding your sensitive data. Either do it now, and frequently, or start preparing an epitaph for your lost files!