Saving the day
Before your computer's main hard drive fails and valuable personal data is lost, here are ways you can back up financial information, downloaded songs, pictures, etc.
Blank media
How it works: DVDs hold 4.7 gigabytes of data, enough for two hours of DVD-quality video, 1,200 songs, or thousands of jpeg photos. The DVD-R format permits only one writing session, while DVD-RWs, though more expensive, can record many times.
What's good: Discs are inexpensive, widely available, and user-friendliest.
What isn't: Storage space pales compared with other methods. Cheaper discs can fail in less than 20 years. If you don't have a DVD burner, you'll have to buy one. No automation.
What it costs: DVDs cost less than $1; a burner can cost between $40 and $300. PC Magazine recommends the BenQ DW1625 Lightscribe (top, $60) because of its label-writing technology.
Keep in mind: If you back up only once or twice a month, discs are the way to go. Discs marked ''scratch-resistent" or ''archival" are said to last significantly longer.
External hard drives
How it works: External hard drives hold up to 400 gigabytes of data and connect to your computer using one wire.
What's good: They offer the most storage space and allow users to designate easily what they want backed up and when.
What isn't: Attaching to your computer and figuring out software can be confusing; susceptible to home mishaps.
What it costs: 100-gigabyte drives begin around $100, while the PC Magazine-recommended Seagate 400-GB (above) external drive is $300.
Keep in mind: Wait a week and storage capacity is likely to go even higher.
Internet
How it works: Sign up like you would for an e-mail account, download the program, and start uploading.
What's good: You designate what you want backed up and when, and the program takes care of everything else; off-site storage safeguards against home disasters.
What isn't: If you lose Internet access or cancel your subscription, you lose access to your information; slow uploading.
What it costs: On IBackup, 5 GBs cost $10 per month, 25 GBs are $50. On Streamload, storage is unlimited, but downloads range from 1 GB for $5 to $40 for 60 GBs.
Keep in mind: The Internet is a good place to start if you've never thought to back up, but it should be part of an overall backup plan.
