There are many different reasons you should perform a computer backup, not the least of which is the very real possibility of your hard drive simply not working one day. Computer systems, both software and hardware, eventually fail and your hard drive will likely stop working at some point, after which data recovery from the drive can be quite expensive. By backing up your data, you can make the switch to a new hard drive, when necessary, much easier. Performing a computer backup can also make your information more portable, since your data will be on an external source that can be easier to share with others or access from remote locations.
One of the biggest reasons you should perform a computer backup is because there is a very good chance that at some point your hard drive may become corrupted or simply stop working. Attacks from viruses, malware, physical mistreatment, wear from use, and numerous other factors can contribute to a hard drive crashing or dying. It can be completely unpredictable, and a hard drive that works fine today may simply be unreadable tomorrow. By performing a computer backup of the data on your hard drive, you better prepare yourself for the possibility of this type of hardware failure.
If this type of crash does occur, the data on your hard drive is likely still on the drive itself, but it may be irretrievable without the use of data retrieval software or services. These programs and companies can be very expensive, and ultimately you can save yourself money by investing in an external hard drive or similar storage device and performing a computer backup fairly regularly. Even if your hard drive does not fail or die, external storage of your data can also have other benefits. By performing a computer backup and placing your files on an external drive, you can make your data more portable or easily accessible.
Most external hard drives used in computer backup can easily be connected to another computer, turning your backed-up data into portable media. Some external devices can even be utilized on a wireless network, allowing you to use your backup system as a wireless storage device for more than one computer. There are also Internet services that will allow you to perform a computer backup by storing your data on their remote servers. This can allow you to then access your files and information from any computer with Internet access anywhere in the world.