You can call Patch-Tuesday Eve today. The day before Windows machines offer updates from Microsoft. What should you prepare?
It depends on what kind of computer user you are.
If your file is stored in the cloud
You keep everything in the cloud, you use a Microsoft account, you don’t mind reinstalling your OS if necessary. Your data is protected by a username and a password, and if you’re aware, your data is protected by two-factor authentication.
Before Patch Tuesday, you may decide that you do not need to back up your computer system because you know that something could happen to your computer, you can reinstall the operating system and just reconnect to your various online storage services. You’ve double-checked that all cloud services you use have file versions enabled, so if you need to go back to a previous version of a file, you can.
After Patch Tuesday, if you move on to problematic updates that affect access to your files, click Start, Settings, Updates, and Security, view update history, and click “Uninstall Updates.” Reboot and block updates. (If the computer cannot be unbooted, you need to reboot Windows by booting from a flash drive with an ISO of the Windows you are using.) You will then use your username and password to reconnect with your data files. You also need to know how to track the required hardware drivers. Ideally, you should check this process ahead of time and find out where to track a lost driver on a seller’s website.
If you are such a user, your biggest concern will be the lost internet connection. Most companies have invested in a backup internet connection and a firewall that can automatically shut down if there is a problem. (If you’re a home user, you can use Hotspot on your phone to access the Internet.)
If your computer is a complete failure, you can use a few other devices, such as a phone or tablet, to access your files, emails, or other data that is dependent on you, with a pinch.
If your files are stored locally on your computer
So, you save everything on your computer? You do not use a Microsoft account or Google Drive. Before the patch Tuesday (like today), your local computer should be backed up; That way, if you need to restore, restore or even reinstall the operating system, you can restore access to your data.
If you encounter side effects on the patch Tuesday, as mentioned above, you can uninstall the update, reboot your device, and block the update. Alternatively, if you cannot boot your system, you should know how to do it using the backup software recovery process and start a full recovery from a backup. (Ideally you should have a full backup of the system before installing any updates.)
In this case, the most important thing to think about is the health of your hard drive. You need to make sure you have an image backup and a process that creates multiple backups using an external hard drive on a rotating basis. If something goes wrong, you will be able to restore your system. (You may want to consider removing an additional SSD, so if something happens to your hard drive, you can easily replace it and restore it from your backup.)
As mentioned earlier, if your computer fails completely, you can use a phone or tablet to access email. But to get your files, you first have to wait until the recovery process is complete Alternatively, you can use another computer to mount your backup images and save the files you need to a flash drive – then use that other computer until your main PC is fully recovered.
If you save files in the cloud and locally
If you are a user of this type of hybrid computer, as many of us do, a backup is still important. The most important thing to worry about is knowing where your sensitive information is stored, where the backup locations are, and then documenting the best way to recover.
If something happens to your computer and you need to reinstall your OS – or you decide to buy a completely new computer – document your options so you can get your data as soon as possible. Generally, in the short term, you will be able to access files remotely, rebuild your computer and sync your files on a regular basis.
The bottom line here is that in each of these situations, having a current backup – whether stored in the cloud or on a local drive – gives you options in case of problems. And it ensures that you no longer have to worry about patch issues Tuesday; You may read the difficulty, yes, but you will not be completely out of commission. Your data will always be there for you.
Copyright © 2022 IDG Communications, Inc.