There is an old saying in the computer world about hard drives. They say, "It's not if the hard drive will crash, but when." This has proved to be true over and over again. It's a fact of life. Hard drives crash.

"Crash" is the common term for hard disk failure that is caused by some malfunction which makes the data stored on the disk inaccessible by ordinary means. This can happen at any age -- on a brand new computer, on a computer that is several years old, or anytime in between. There is hope for the future as manufacturers develop and test more reliable data storage methods, but in the mean time, we have to live with our crash-prone hard drives.

Perhaps you think I am leading into another article on how important it is to back up your data. While this is extremely important, today I'd like to focus on another aspect of preparation for hard drive failure. If your hard drive failed today, could you duplicate the operating system, install the drivers, and reinstall the programs you need get up and running again with a new hard drive?

A few years ago, most computers came with a set of Windows disks along with disks for the drivers that run the hardware components like sound cards and video interfaces. Today, as cost cutting measures, most manufacturers do not include these disks anymore. Yet, whether your hard drive is repairable or you have to purchase a new one, the data from the manufacturer is usually necessary to get Windows and the hardware components of the computer up and running again.

Most of the manufacturers now create a special partition on the hard drive where they store the information that you need to restore the hard disk to working order. The folly of this is obvious. It works only if the hard drive is still functioning and the restoration data is accessible. If your hard drive crashes completely, you will not be able to access this essential data.

That is why you need to take an important step in preparation for the inevitable hard drive disaster. You need to create a set of recovery disks from the data that the manufacturer stored on the hard drive or to get a copy of this data from the manufacturer for use in case of emergency.

Generally, a new computer will come with instructions for creating the disks, which are most often called "restore" or "recovery" disks. Often these instructions will be either on an insert with your computer or in the User's Guide. Unfortunately, some computers don't even come with a User's Guide. You are expected to go online and download it yourself.

Usually the process is fairly easy. It often involves clicking on Start, then All Programs, then selecting some program that will walk you through the process. HP usually lists a program called System Recovery, while Dell calls their program Dell OS Recovery CD and stores it in a folder called Dell Accessories.

Every manufacturer that I've seen has changed the way that they handle the recovery disks over the years. So if your computer is a few years old, the process may be different. Or there may be no way to create these CDs, in which case the manufacturer will send them to you upon request.

Even if you can create the disks yourself, you may not want to. In that case most manufacturers will send them to you for a fee. Some stores like CompUSA and Best Buy will also offer to make the recovery disks for you for an additional fee.

Once you have created or otherwise obtained your recovery disks, you will need several other things to make sure that you are prepared for the inevitable hard drive crash. You will need a current backup of all of your important data files, including pictures, music, financial data, and email. You will also need the original program disks for all the programs you use on your computer. So it is a good idea to store your program disks together in a safe place. If you download software, especially software that you purchase, it is always advisable to copy the program files to a CD or DVD so that you will be able to reinstall that software as well.

Whew!! That sounds like a lot of work....and perhaps it is. But when your hard drive goes down, you'll be glad that you were so organized and conscientious.