backups Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Why you shouldn’t leave your backup drive plugged into your computer

Posted on August 30, 2026

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Regular readers of this blog know I’m always mentioning how important it is to create regular backups of your computer’s hard drive or SSD.

After all, always having a recent backup on hand is the very best “insurance” you can have against a catastrophic drive failure or a crippling virus infection.

But there’s one important point that I probably don’t stress nearly as much as I should…

[Read more…]

Q&A: Should I replace a 3 year old SSD just to be safe?

Posted on April 1, 2026

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Question from Kendra: Hi, Rick. I really love your blog, especially the section where you answer questions from your readers.

If you don’t mind I’d like to ask a question of my own.

Back in March of 2023 the tech guy I used at the time installed a Crucial 500GB SSD in my Acer laptop and it really made it run a lot faster. [Read more…]

Tips for creating and storing your computer’s backups

Posted on January 19, 2026

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Modern computer hardware is generally more reliable than what we had back in the early days of personal computing, but users still frequently lose irreplaceable data due to hardware failures.

There are many reasons for data loss that range all the way from the simple failure of a hard drive to catastrophic events such as lightning strikes or fire damage. [Read more…]

How to fully protect your irreplaceable photos and documents

Posted on December 18, 2025

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I’m sure you’re aware that fires and other disasters destroy numerous homes and businesses across the country every year.

The total amount of property damage caused by these catastrophes boggles the mind, but in most cases insurance coverage helps the people affected at least rebuild their homes and businesses so they can move on with their lives.

Unfortunately, many families lose things that are even more precious to them than the structures they live and work in: All of their precious family photos and other irreplaceable documents. [Read more…]

Q&A: What’s the difference between a ‘System Image’ and a regular backup?

Posted on November 10, 2025

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Question from Phillip: I’ve been reading your blog for a while now and you often mention creating “System Image” backups.

Are these just regular backups or is there something different about them?

[Read more…]