Wouldn't it be nice if our computers would give us a warning before our computers * crashed *? * Warning, Warning, your computer will crash in three hours, stop what you are doing and perform a backup now!*

I truly believe that never has once critical instruction on a piece of equipment been so widely ignored then this, * make a backup of your information! *

Is it ignored because people don't have time, they forget, or they don't know how to perform this easy task?

Whatever reason, here are my 10 top reasons for performing a backup:

1. Your computer is giving you 'fatal' error warnings.

2. You've created and typed a lot of new documents.

3. You've changed a large file/report that contains a lot of graphic art.

4. You've been doing design work.

5. You've installed new software.

6. Your computer is noticeably slower.

7. You've completed a project.

8. It would be extremely time consuming to re-create your materials.

9. It would be a disaster if you * lost * your information.

10. Your livelihood depends on your computer and information stored on it.

When was last time you performed a backup of your computer files, folders, or (C:) Drive?

When was last time you backed-up your software? Things that can cause your hard drive to * CRASH *:

1. Viruses

2. Wear and Tear

3. Power Surges

4. Improper Ventilation

5. Dust

6. Heat

7. Human Error

According to Elisa Williams, in her article *Sooner or later, you're gonna crash *:

S Stands for SAVE those * Favorite * Websites you love to visit (like mine! )!

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser has a folder labeled * Favorites * (middle, top of screen) in which you can save/add your favorite websites you like to visit often. Saving your favorites here can minimize searching time, typing time, and old, *I wonder where that website is? * time.

Other browsers have a similar feature but might be called something like * bookmarks * in Netscape or have a red heart on a folder, as in AOL. Look around or use your Help function to locate and how to use your browsers * favorites *.

In meantime, those using Explorer, here are some how-to’s and tips for saving, adding, and organizing your favorite websites.

Explorer automatically provides you with * common * folders in which you can save/add your favorite websites to BUT did you know you can create your own folders, name them how you will remember them and STILL save/add your favorites to them?

It’s easy and FUN! Before we get started on creating your folders, stop and think AND stop and look at what you have already added to your favorites in each * common * folder.

My example is with * common * folder labeled Lifestyles. I was starting to add various websites to this folder and soon I had such a long list of different types of lifestyles websites, it was getting difficult to locate a site I wanted to visit on my list. I also noticed that many of websites were common to each other, such as websites on Feng Shui, ones on health, ones on children, ones on seniors, you get idea…

TIP: If you haven’t added any websites to your Lifestyles folder, please use a folder in you favorites that you have added websites to for this exercise.

First, open up your Favorites folder by clicking on Favorites at top of your screen. You will see a list of * common * folders and hopefully one labeled Lifestyles. Click on Lifestyles folder. See long list of websites (pretend or open another folder please). As I mentioned before, look for websites that have something in common with each other and decide what NEW folder name you would like to store those websites into.