Last Updated on 2024-07-29 — 29 July
How to Avoid Losing Your Data?
Hey there! You know that feeling you get in the bottom of your stomach, when – after searching absolutely everywhere (for what feels like an eternity) -your favorite file is completely wiped from existence on all electronic devices? We have all been there, and lets face it it’s not a nice place to be!
This data has become more valuable since we are living in an information age. Losing data could make us lose memories like photos and important documents for our job or school, it can be a nightmare. But rest assured, because in this post we are going to provide you the secret sauce that will help prevent data loss and keep your online life more secure than ever.
We will consider the most frequent reasons for losing your files and also some practical pieces of advice to protect yourself from that. All right, ready to be a data loss prevention expert – let’s dive in!
1: Mistaken Erasure
Accidental deletion is the digital equivalent of losing your keys — annoying but you do it often. This is when you hit that delete button a little too quickly and realize just moments later – oh! – I deleted something important. Be it an important work document or your favorite photo from the last vacation, you could typically lose access to it at times.
OK, then how can you actually stop accidentally deleting it and ruining your day? The secret is just to start making the backup as part of your routine no later than now. If you back up your files frequently to a separate hard drive or cloud storage system, then if any of the contents are erased by accident, they can easily be restored. An adage to say better safe than sorry!
2: Hardware Failure
For any computer user hardware failure is the pretty much equivalent of a living nightmare. Like when your trusty old laptop suddenly dies, and takes all the files you need with it. Hardware failure can be as minor – like a power surge – to major, hard drive crashes and more causing data loss.
Do not worry, there are things that we can do to reduce the risk. Buy good hardware from established brands. Yes, it is a little expensive by now but will definitely save a lot of pain later. Second of all, those backups so do not forget! With regular backups to an external hard drive or cloud storage service, you’ll have a fall-back in case your hardware gives up on storing everything. Your future self will thank you!
3: Viruses and Malware
In a way, viruses and malware are the digital equivalent of boogeymen that hide in dark corners of the internet up until their chance to jump at naive users. The malware can then infect another computer or a device – even through email attachments, shady websites, or seemingly innocent downloads. Once they enter, however, they can go to town invading your privacy by stealing personal information about you or corrupting and even deleting files.
However, in order to keep yourself safe from these online threats you need to be on the lookout and take preventive measures. Start by updating your antivirus software. Your antivirus is your first and final mode of defense from viruses, so it must always be updated with the newest definitions and patches. Secondly, set regular scans of your system to catch any threats that might be hiding before they can do anything – translate it into English And oh yeah, backups! If malware or virus infects the system, you will have a backup of all your files to restore.
4: Human Error
Human error… the bane of all computer users everywhere. Whether it’s accidentaly deleting the wrong file , overwriting a document, or spilling coffee on your laptop, we humans have a knack for making mistakes that can lead to data loss . It really is a kind of Murphy’s Law in reality!
But before you start to freak out and over-think everything, remember that there are steps you can take to change this and avoid the inevitable mistakes. For instance, take a moment to slow down and verify all alterations you are intending to perform within your files. It may seem like a bother now, but you can save yourself from a lot of regret later on if take a few more seconds to read over your actions. Two, liquids are your device’s worst enemy so keep them far away. Trust us, your laptop will also appreciate it. Then, by all means, remember backups are your best line of defense against the vagaries of human error.
5: Natural Disasters
Natural disasters… Yes, they are quite literally the ultimate in plot twists of data loss. But no matter the weather (be it a hurricane, flood, wildfire or earthquake), sometimes Mother Nature throws us curveballs when we least expect them. And, alas, so too are they as much under her thumb as anything else.
In the event of a natural disaster, your computer or external drive could be impacted rendering all this data loss permanently. That is a stark realization but one that gives credence to the notion of having an emergency plan in place.
First, how do you defend your data from the wrath of nature? One word: backups! Well, not just any backups — you should keep them somewhere safe and off-site. That means making sure to keep additional copies of your files off-site: a safety deposit box, a friend or family member’s home, and even in the case of essential documents – such as passports – scanned into an E-Storage Service safeguarded outside major natural disaster-prone locations! This way, no matter what happens you will have a clean backup of your data that is still in good shape and can be restored when the stormy weather passes.
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