Convenient HD backups with a USB flash drive

Posted on June 16, 2008
Filed Under Technology | Leave a Comment

It is well known that HD storage has been getting cheaper by the minute since the eighties to the point that for a couple of hundred dollars one can buy a hard drive with half a terabyte (or more) capacity (equally the price of a high capacity memory stick that is volatile memory for your computer has also declined sharply over the last 20 years or so.) The problem is, how to backup so much data without spending double the money for a second disc?

The obvious answer is to simply backup only the files that are important and not every application or movie file that you have downloaded over the Internet. Such files usually occupy less than 1GB (if that) on anyone’s desktop computer and can easily fit in a 1GB (or a 4GB if you want to have some extra space for comfort.) This is what I did when I had to sell my old desktop computer as I moved to another country. I simply copied all my important Word and Adobe pdf files on my USB flash drive and later transferred the files to my new workstation after moving. In addition, I keep a regular backup of important files on the same flash drive weekly. Why not? You can buy a 4GB USB flash drive for $20 these days so you have no excuse for losing your important files because of an HD failure.

Bookmark: