We keep so much of our lives on our computers—family photos, school projects, financial documents, work files, and personal notes. Most of us assume they’ll always be there… until something goes wrong.

What if your hard drive fails? Your laptop gets stolen? Or you get hit with ransomware?

At AS Computer Solutions here in Onoway, we see these situations far too often—and unfortunately, not everyone has a backup when disaster strikes. The result? Years of important memories and files, gone in an instant.

The good news? Setting up a backup system at home doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. With a little preparation, you can protect your data—and your peace of mind.

✅ A Simple, Reliable Strategy: The 3-2-1 Backup Rule

We recommend the 3-2-1 Rule to all our customers:

• 3 copies of your data – The original + two backups
• 2 different types of storage – For example, an external hard drive and cloud storage
• 1 offsite copy – So you’re covered even if something happens at home

Let’s walk you through each part.

🗂️ Step 1: Decide What to Back Up

Start by identifying what’s truly important to you. You don’t need to back up your entire computer—just the files you’d be heartbroken to lose.

Common examples include:

• 📄 Documents – Resumes, tax forms, PDFs, and school/work files
• 📸 Photos & Videos – Family memories, phone backups, special events
• 🎵 Music & Audio – iTunes library, downloaded music, or recorded audio
• 📧 Emails – Especially if using a desktop email client like Outlook or Thunderbird
• 🎨 Creative or Work Projects – Graphic design, code, hobby projects, etc.

ASCS Tip: Many people forget to check their Desktop and Downloads folders—don’t skip those!

💽 Step 2: Create a Local Backup (External Hard Drive)

Your first layer of protection is a physical copy stored at home.

🛠️ What You’ll Need:

• An external hard drive (look for Western Digital, Seagate, or LaCie)
• Make sure it’s at least twice the size of the data you want to back up

🔧 For Windows:

1. Plug in your external drive
2. Go to: Settings > Update & Security > Backup
3. Click “Add a drive” and select your external hard drive
4. Turn on “Automatically back up my files”
5. Use “More options” to customize what gets backed up and how often

Prefer more control? Try these free tools:

• Macrium Reflect Free – Great for full system backups
• Veeam Agent for Windows – Easy and reliable
• FreeFileSync – Ideal for syncing folders regularly

🍏 For macOS (Time Machine):

1. Plug in your external drive
2. If prompted, click “Use as Backup Disk”
3. Or go to: System Settings > General > Time Machine
4. Select your drive and let Time Machine take care of the rest

ASCS Tip: After backing up, unplug your drive and store it safely. This protects it from power surges, malware, or accidental deletion.

☁️ Step 3: Add a Cloud Backup (Offsite Protection)

If something happens to your home (fire, flood, theft), a local drive won’t help. That’s why cloud backups are essential.

🧩 Recommended Cloud Services:

• Google Drive – 15GB free, seamless on Android & Chrome users
• OneDrive – 5GB free, integrates smoothly with Windows
• Dropbox – 2GB free, good for syncing
• Sync.com – Canadian-based and privacy-focused (5GB free)
• Backblaze or Carbonite – Affordable unlimited backup plans (starting around $7/month)

📥 How to Set It Up:

1. Create an account and install their desktop app
2. Select the folders you want to back up
3. Let the app run quietly in the background

ASCS Tip: If you’re backing up sensitive files (financial docs, ID scans), consider encrypting them first with a tool like VeraCrypt. Most cloud providers encrypt in transit and at rest—but an extra layer never hurts.

🔁 Step 4: Automate Everything (Then Occasionally Check)

Your backup system should run quietly in the background without constant micromanagement.

🔄 Set It and Forget It:

• 📆 Schedule regular backups – Daily or weekly is ideal
• 🧪 Test your backups – Every couple of months, try restoring a file to be sure it’s working
• 🔌 Unplug your external drive after backing up to keep it safe

🧰 Need Help Setting It Up?

If this still feels a bit overwhelming—or you’d rather leave it to the pros—we’re here for you.

At AS Computer Solutions, we can:

✅ Set up your external and cloud backups✅ Recommend the best drive or plan for your needs✅ Show you how to check, test, or restore files✅ Help recover data if you’ve already lost something

💬 Locally Trusted. Always Here When You Need Us.

We’ve helped many people in Onoway and the surrounding areas set up simple, effective backup systems—and we’d love to help you too.

Don’t wait until you’ve lost everything. Back up your files today.

📞 Call us anytime: (780) 967 0215🌐 Visit us: www.ascomputersolutions.ca📍 Location: Onoway, Alberta