Lost computer files are extremely frustrating, especially now that so much of our lives is contained in the computer—your work, your family photos, your personal documents. When it happens it can be financially and emotionally devastating if you don’t have everything backed up to a secure place in the cloud. There are a lot of things that can lead to lost files, and it’s not just the things you might think about. Here are some of the most common ways you might lose access to the important things on your computer.
1: Hard drive crashes
The vast majority of lost files (about two-thirds) is the result of a hard drive crashing or a total system failure. While that is alarming, it is also promising, because it means that you can do something to protect yourself. Everyone should be using a cloud-based backup for their data, which can protect against any system failure or hard drive issue.
2: Human errors
Hey, we’re only human, right? When you hear this phrase it’s probably because whoever said it just made a mistake. It’s certainly natural to make mistakes, and sometimes those are really big errors that we make while using our computers. When that happens it could result in a lot of data loss by deleting or overwriting files and folders that you will not be able to recover. Other tragically common errors include things like spilling food or drink on a computer, corrupting software by downloading viruses, or mistakenly formatting a hard drive. When it happens, it’s devastating and often irreversible.
3: Malware or viruses
Many people are concerned about the risks of viruses and malware, and rightly so. They are one of the main culprits for data loss. When your computer gets a virus or malware, your files could be at risk of being stolen or deleted by someone who is accessing your system remotely. They could also be taken hostage in increasingly common “ransomware” attacks where someone gains control of your personal or business computer and locks you out of the files. The only way to access them again is to pay a ransom.
4: Theft
Unfortunately even the best virus protection can’t protect you from actual thieves. When a laptop computer is stolen, all the information on that computer goes with it. If you have not backed it up, the chances of ever seeing that information again are slim. Cloud-based backups make it easy to back up your files with automated backups so you never even have to think about it.
Protect Against Data Loss with Cloud-Based Backup
Find out more about Storage Whale’s cloud storage systems for your most important files. We make it easy to automatically backup your files and store them securely in case any of these (or other risks) befall you. Learn how easy it is to get started today.