[henrymonga]

I don't back up my files, and what will happen to my computer then? Will it get any problems? And why do I need to back up?

Edited by henrymonga, 08 October 2010 - 10:59 AM.

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backing up your data doesn't prevent problems, but it makes sure that if/when (more likely when) you have problems that you don't lose your important data (like family pictures, giant music collection, tax information, etc...)

if you don't have anything on the computer that you're particularly concerned about losing, then you don't specifically need to back anything up

[dsenette]

backing up your data doesn't prevent problems, but it makes sure that if/when (more likely when) you have problems that you don't lose your important data (like family pictures, giant music collection, tax information, etc...)

if you don't have anything on the computer that you're particularly concerned about losing, then you don't specifically need to back anything up

[Incoming]

Well if you back up your programs/files, it won't effect your computer, because it won't be on the computer. Backups usually either backup remotely or locally to an external hard drive or some sort of device.

Before you backup files, however, you should make sure you aren't infected. If you're concerned that you're infected and that is what is bothering you if you backup, the reason being is that if you backup all of the infected files; nothing is going to chance once you re-upload everything back onto the computer after you reformat, buy a new computer, etc.

The importance in backing up is so if you ever need to hit a reformat, or you buy a new computer, it saves you the time of losing files, having to upload every file one by one, because you've been doing it all along. Some computers now prompt you to back it up before you start installing programs, and will continue to prompt you until you do so.

If you'd like to know if your computer is infected before backing it up, you should visit the Virus, Spyware, Malware Removal Section. If you choose to do so, I suggest reading the Malware and Spyware Cleaning Guide.

Edited by Incoming, 08 October 2010 - 01:06 PM.

[Neil Jones]

I don't back up my files, and what will happen to my computer then? Will it get any problems? And why do I need to back up?

In order:

1) Nothing.
2) Eventually, yes.
3) You'll find out when you have a drive crash and lose everything and then find out you need something that you haven't backed up.

Back ups are not compulsory. They offer piece of mind for when something does go wrong. I've seen many businesses and individuals who simply do not back anything up whatsoever, then the hard drive packs up and they have to spend a fortune and then some more on data recovery software to get back the stuff they need to run a business, which usually more than the cost of a simple external HDD was in the first place.