OneDrive by Microsoft, Useful for File Backup and Access Anywhere
OneDrive is a Microsoft-provided "cloud space". When you set up a free Microsoft account, you get 5 GB (gigabyte) of free file storage space using "OneDrive". If you happen to be a Microsoft Office customer, you get a full 1 TB (terrabyte).
What's it good for?
First, it's a convenient, self-maintaining back-up tool. You can copy or move valuable files to be stored on OneDrive and then you have a secure back-up in case anything happens to your computer drive, or your external floppy drive, CD or flash drive backup at home.
Second, it's a way you can access your files from almost any device or location. If your computer is malfunctioning or busy updating, you can use OneDrive on your spouse's computer or your tablet or smart phone to access a file you need. Or, if you're visiting friends or family out-of-town you can use OneDrive with an app or a browser to access your files.
Third, if you've got a family member helping you with matters that involve documents you have on your machine, or if photo-sharing is an active part of your family communication on the internet, then you can give that family member online access to specific files or folders that you select.
Of course, if you're computer use is minimal - like only for email and light web-browsing, you may not need to use OneDrive. It's not adviseable to try to remove it from your computer, but you can disable it in your startup menu if you don't need it. That can speed up your computer a bit.
However, if you're using Windows 7, 8.1 or 10, and especially if you keep documents or photo collections on your computer, it's a good tool to try out.
Letting OneDrive run in the background is perfectly compatible with other back-up tools you might be using - e.g. automatic external hard drive back-ups, or use of a commercial back-up service like Carbonite.
In brief, OneDrive enables you to store, manage or share files of your choosing on a secure remote Microsoft-administered computer space - "the cloud" - but in a way that you can handle those files the same as if they were only on your home computer.
If you've seen mention of iCloud, Google Drive or Dropbox, OneDrive is similar to these but it works more smoothly with Windows. All of them are similar in purpose.
The main thing is this - it's better to have it set up and running before you need it - like before a power problem affects the computer, or before you're unexpectedly away from home where your files are, for example.
Speaking of power problems, we just had an outage this past week that messed up a few machines I heard about, so with rain season coming plus people traveling I thought it a good time to cover this subject.
Again, basic OneDrive is free. If you need a lot of space, the deal you get for an Office is 50-70% less that the bloated price tag that annual tech support outfits charge.
OneDrive involves use of a password, but generally it will be the same one that you're using to log onto your computer or into your Office suite. Most times you access OneDrive, you would be using the same software that you use to look at your Documents or that you use to go to your web mail or facebook.
Getting OneDrive set up and running is a fast process. Once you select Some or All of the files you want to back-up or save to One-Drive, the process of uploading everything runs on its own and updates itself as files get added, deleted or edited.
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