The only problem is, backups tend to be a lot more trouble than many people realize. Therefore, it is in everyone's best interest to have an easy backup solution. Just about anyone that has ever used a computer before has had to deal with lost data, which can be a frustrating and even a catastrophic occurrence. Backups have been a requirement for computers ever since the earliest days of them, as data loss has always proven to be a big problem for a lot of people. What is one of the most common uses for an external hard drive? For many people, the main purpose of having one is to backup all of the important data on their computer.