Whether it’s Hurricane Irene or another storm, there is checklist to take care of so your computer is prepared for the worst. Yes, the hurricane may not even hit your home, but what if it does? Are you willing to lose all your precious pictures and documents? Can you easily replace your computer?
Here’s how to prepare your computer for a hurricane:
- Back up. Back up all your files to an external hard drive, online storage, or DVDs/CDs. If your computer is damaged from the hurricane, you want to make sure your files are safe.
- Unplug. Before the expected storm time, unplug all power cables from your computer. You should also remove power plugs from your modem and router as may storms have been known to blow out Internet connections.
- Move. Place your computer on a shelf or desk. Placing it on the floor leaves it susceptible to water flooding. If possible, wrap your computer in bubble wrap or cover it in some way to prevent any damage.
- Email. Make sure you know how to access email via webmail; your phone; or another device so you’re still connected to the outside world while your computer is turned off.
- File access. Similar to email, if you need important files, make sure you can access them. Print them out, share them on Drop Box, Google Apps, or another way to grab them from your phone.
You should follow the above 5 steps to guard against data recovery, computer issues, and Internet issues.
