Which drive actually suits your computer
Store shelves carry dozens of external drives at every price point, and most of them will work fine, but the right size and type depends on how much you have to store and how you plan to use it. We look at how many photos, documents, and videos you have now, and size the drive with room to grow rather than one that fills up in a year.
- A portable drive for photos, documents, and everyday files that travels easily
- A larger desktop drive if you have a big video or photo library
- A drive rated for daily use if you plan to back up automatically every day
Setting it up so backups actually happen
The most common mistake with an external drive is buying it, plugging it in once, and never connecting it again. We set your computer to back up to the drive on a schedule that fits how you use your computer, so the copy stays current without you having to remember to do it.
- Connect and format the drive correctly for your computer
- Set up automatic, scheduled backups instead of a one-time manual copy
- Confirm your photos, documents, and desktop files are all included
- Test that a file can actually be restored from the drive before we leave
Using it day to day, and keeping it safe
Beyond backup, an external drive is also handy for freeing up space on a laptop that is running low on storage, or for keeping a photo library you rarely open but never want to lose. We walk you through the basics in plain language: how to safely disconnect it, where to store it so it is not sitting next to the computer it backs up, and how often to check that backups are still running.
Call (615) 852-5565 Monday to Saturday between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM, and we will help you choose the right drive and set it up in one visit.
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