From Pics To Bank Records: Protecting Heirloom Data (NAPSA)—According to a recent survey, 91 percent of computer users store “heirloom data” on their computers. Heirloom data includes those priceless memories that have personal meaning, such as videos and photos of weddings, baby’s first steps, graduations, birthdays and holidays. It also includes impor- tant record-keeping documents such as tax returns, bank statements and personal contact infor- mation—much of which is now stored in electronic files on local harddrives. The survey also revealed that 43 percent of those who store per- It’s important to back up family photos and other “heirloom data.” Interactive. “But many people do not take adequate measures to sonal information on their computers do not take any measures to back up the data, so it’s no sur- protect their digital treasures.” Heirloom data does not need to be lost forever. consumers havelost personal data can do to safeguard important prise that as many as onein four stored on their computer in the past six months. Most often, data loss is a result of a computer system crash orfail- ure. You also risk losing vital digi- tal data if your personal or laptop computeris lost or stolen. Sometimes, heirloom data can be lost as a result of unavoidable causes outside your control, such as a natural disaster, floodingorfire. Even events that seem trivial— like a power outage—can compromise data stored on computers. Imagine this—you can be your own cause of data loss through accidental deletion of electronic documents andfiles! “Home computer users, especially families, store a wide range of important information on their PCs,” said Jon Kies, senior prod- uct marketing manager from Symantec, a leading Internet security company and the group that commissioned the survey, which was conducted by Harris The most important thing you files stored on your computer is to use a backup software solution—it’s like insurance for your digital valuables. Norton Save & Restore, one of the leading programs available today, offers quick and simple ways to save those files using such technology as predefined backups of common folders and file types. The software also performs scheduled, on-demand or event-driven back- ups to a wide range of media. It even gives you the option to create an exact image of your entire hard drive without leaving the operating system or rebooting. Finding a backup solution that meets your needs can be easy. Check out online editorial reviews of various software programs or visit the software section of an area retailer to get answers to your spe- cific questions andto find a product that works for you. For more tips on protecting your heirloom data, visit www.symantec.com.
