If you don't back up your computer routinely, you're not alone. A recent survey shows about half of us don't back up our files as often as we should.
At the office, Wensley McKenney routinely backs up his computer data.
"We back up on-site and off-site every single night."
However, he didn't take the same steps at home and is now paying the price.
"I lost pictures. I lost all kinds of contacts out of outlook," Wensley admits.
Kish Melwani, a computer repair technician, is all too familiar with this scenario.
"People don't learn until it actually happens to them and how serious it is."
Consumer Reports' Rich Fisco just checked out several backup systems and there's good news.
"A couple of backup drives we tested are easier to use. With just a couple of clicks you can get all of your backup chores done," he explains.
For example - the 'click free' automatic backup drive. You plug the drive into the computer and the drive gets recognized by the PC.
It doesn't take long before the 'click free' drive searches for files and automatically backs up photos, music, e-mail files, text documents, and other key files.
Click free comes in many sizes starting at around $130. So what size should you buy -160 gigabytes, 320 or 500?
"I'd go with one that is a little bit bigger than what you have. So if you have a 250 gigabyte hard drive, go with a 320," recommends Lesley Cullingworth of London Drugs.
And if something went wrong with your hard drive how hard is it to get the data off the click free?
"It's really as easy as it is backing it up. Just re-install the operating system click restore and it will restore everything to where it was. And you can even do that to transfer your data to another computer if you want to share your photos or anything like that," she says.
Consumer Reports also evaluated network hard drives. With these you need to be a little more tech savvy. First you plug the network cable into a router, then install the software to each computer. A pop-up screen walks you through the install.
So with today's systems, it has never been easier to back up your computer. And as Wensley McKenney knows, it is well worth it.
"You don't know how much you need the data until it's gone."
You can also back up important files by burning them to DVD or CD -- but you have to remember to do it.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
