Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Do you have recovery disks for your computer should the hard disk fail?

Recently I repaired a client's computer. The hard disk had failed meaning everything had gone. The computer itself was good and reasonably fast for a computer around 5-6 years old, so the decision was made to replace the hard disk and reinstall everything.

A new hard disk of the same size was $55 and it only takes a couple of minutes to install. Unfortunately there was no recovery disk for the operating system. It was decided to purchase a copy of Windows 8.1 which cost $123. Had the recovery disks been available this cost could have been avoided.

When you purchase a new computer you'll often find you either receive a set of disks which provide the ability to recover the computer, or there is an option where you can burn your own set of recovery disks. It is a good idea to make sure you have a set of recovery disks. If your hard disk fails, your operating system gets corrupted beyond repair, or you get a serious malware infection where it may be quicker to restore your computer than remove the malware, the recovery disks can be the fastest and cheapest ways to recover your computer.

Do you have recovery disks for your computer?

If you don't, then think about creating a set today. Think of the recovery disks as insurance for your computer. You may never need them, but if you do, you'll be glad you took the time to create them.

Once the computer had the new disk installed, and Windows 8.1 operating system installed, it was simply a matter of time to install the software the client had, set up all their applications, printer, internet and email access. The client hadn't performed a backup so their data was lost.

Do you have a current backup of your important data?

The recovery disks should enable you to recover your computer back to when it was new. However your own files you create are often more important than the computer itself. So do make sure you have a copy of your important data such as documents and photos you've created. A regular backup done based on your needs can mean the difference between losing everything, or having a copy of most things. If you don't have a backup program I wrote the MyBackup utility (www.onlineconnections.com.au/mybackup/) which enables me to create backup routines for clients and you're welcome to use the utility for your needs.

Save yourself some heartache and money, and make sure you have or create a set of restore disks and even consider performing a backup today.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support
Also www.Computer-Repairs.Melbourne.

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