Many of my friends consider me lucky because I've only had one hard drive crash with my computers, and in that one I only lost about 10% of my data, none of it really critical to my operations.

I have my computer set to do automatic daily backups of just the new and changed files. On Friday, I have it set to do a ghost backup of my complete internal hard drive to an external hard drive.

Although hard drives are much more dependable than they were 20 years ago, and while you might think that a hard drive crash can't possibly happen to you, it can, and it will, probably at the most critical juncture of your involvement in that $5 million escrow where you represent both the buyer and the seller.

I have six 1-TB external hard drives, five filled with digital music files and one that is just for backup of the internal hard drive of my computer.

External hard drives are extremely inexpensive in today's world, and many of them are plug-and-play with USB 2.0 ports. You can get a 1-TB external hard drive up and running in just a few minutes, and the case design isn't half bad, although they could still use some designer colors other than black. Hmmmm. I do have some purple paint (don't ask!) in the garage.

Anyway, Fry's Electronics is currently advertising the following prices on external hard drives at our local brick-and-mortar store:

• 1 TB - $154.99
• 500 GB - $79.99

You can also get smaller hard drives if those are too big or too expensive still for your needs. I believe that every real estate professional (actually, anyone who does critical work at home, including personal work such as taxes, budgets, etc.) needs to be prepared, and prices for storage has never been lower.

If you don't have a Fry's Electronics, check online. You can find lots of bargains.

Buy one, plug it in, and sleep better tonight. I guarantee it. Well, maybe I won't guarantee that you'll sleep better tonight, but you sure will that night when your hard drive crashes and you casually say, "Oh, well, let's use the backup hard drive."

Gotta go. I'm on my way to Fry's.

MAKE EVERY FRIDAY BACKUP FRIDAY!

 

 

 

 

Some of Jim's blog posts

1. STOP THE INSANITY!
2. If you can't get to it, you can't tell how old it is
3. Your digital camera can do so much more than just take pictures
4. It's hard to believe Zoey's already been here a year
5. It's hard to believe Sophie's been gone a year
6. Is THAT the house?
7. Don't trust, do verify
8. The benefits of staging, even minimalist staging
9. Please help me identify this type of architecture. Craftsman? Victorian? Modern?
10. Southern California fire season is just around the corner
11. Welcome to my home
12. If you could easily get rid of your child, would you?
13. Wow! Nice underwear
14. There obviously is no financial crisis if Zoey has been pre-approved for a $5,000 credit card
15. Getting to cold contacts. It's all in the approach
16. Is there trash in your trash can?
17. Private, gated, fenced, coded subdivisions
18. What's in a name?
19. Location, location, location? Ha! Views, views, views
20. Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam
21. Did you put that on the disclosure form? "I didn't think I needed to."
22. If you needed to hide from someone, could you do it in today's world?
23. A home is like a child
24. Should I stay or should I go now. Remodel or move?
25. Water, water everywhere, or is it?
26. Always on the lookout....
27. Are you prepared for an emergency?
28. Four secrets to getting and keeping online customers
29. Holding an open house with fleas
30. Tuesday laugh session with the "treadmill kitty cats"