We've all heard how important it is to backup our computers, but I have a real-world experience to demonstrate why it's important, and the advantages of using a backup system like Apple's Time Machine.
A couple months ago at work, my French Press, completely full of hot, ready-to-drink coffee, got knocked over and spilled all over my desk, splattering coffee and grounds onto my open MacBook Pro. It immediately powered off as the liquid created a short circuit. I quickly unplugged the computer and tilted it sideways to try to get the coffee and grounds off and from getting deeper into the system but I was quite sure the damage had been done.
After cleaning up I made a Genius Bar appointment for later that evening. At the Apple store, I explained the situation to the helpful Genius. I think the combination of the strong smell of coffee, the grounds that were still falling out of the USB port and inside the lid, and the liquid along the back panel convinced her that the system was likely beyond repair. She said that they could send it out to their repair location, where all the major components would likely be replaced to the cost of $1200. Given I could buy a brand new computer for that price, I thanked her for her time and left.
Since it was a work computer, they gave me an identical 17" Mac Book Pro. And this is where I finally get to the point of this blog post! Using Apple's Mountain Lion Recovery process and my Time Machine backups, I was able to copy my backup to the new system and get it to an identical state as my old computer in just a few hours. If you're interested in the details, check out Part 2 of this series on the process.
The point of this post is to show that accidents happen. Having backups can give you peace of mind that when an accident does happen, whether simply deleting the wrong file or a catastrophic event, you will be prepared. With utilities like Time Machine and iCloud, Apple has made it convenient and easy to have up-to-date backups of your Mac, iPhone, iPod or iPad. If you have one of these devices there really is no reason to not be doing backups! If you have questions on setting up Time Machine, using iCloud or enabling backups, leave a comment below or email me.
UPDATE:
After I got home from the Apple store (on the day the coffee was spilled), I removed the bottom case of the computer and let it sit overnight to dry out. About a week later, I decided to see what would happen if I tried turning it on. Amazingly, it came up! I ran a disk check and some other basic diagnostics and everything checked out fine. I used the computer for a day or so, and everything seemed fine. I thought the fan was louder than I remember, and was coming on more frequently. I also tried to load a disc in the CD/DVD player, but it never loaded. So while there may be a couple minor issues, I have to say I was surprised to see that it survived. I think computers and other devices like phones are getting better at handling moisture, if properly treated - getting it out of the water and shutting the device down immediately, removing the battery (if possible) and letting it dry for a long enough time. For phones, putting them in an airtight container filled with rice does work - leave it in the rice for at least 4 days, and hopefully when you take it out you'll have a working phone.
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