G
Guest
I am a newbie. How & what should I backup? I have a dual format burner, but
no 2nd hard drive. Thank You, WEB86
no 2nd hard drive. Thank You, WEB86
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M
Modem Ani
Excellent question. Backup is a computer user's best friend. If everyone
would backup, the level of anger and frustration in the world would drop
sharply and it would be like the Summer of Love all over again.
All methods of backing up amount to the same thing: Making a copy of what
you have, so you won't be at a loss if the originals are gone. Backup
software just makes it more convenient to do that.
You can backup by burning files and folders to a CD, using Windows' own CD
burning capability or the third party software that came with your computer,
whichever is more appealing for you. You can also use Windows' own backup
program, which is very basic, or purchase third party software for more
convenience and additional features. After you become more familiar and
experienced, you may want to try imaging software, which makes an exact copy
of an entire drive but takes a respectable amount of knowledge to use
correctly.
Start by backing up My Documents. You may also want to backup your e-mail
address book and messages, and your internet favorites or bookmarks. You may
not need to backup your music, pictures or videos if you already have copies
on CDs or DVDs. If you have purchased music or video from the internet,
you'll want to backup the licenses. If you have XP Pro and you have
encrypted folders and files with it's built-in encryption, you'll need to
backup the encryption key.
As you become more sophisticated, you may decide to backup other things,
like configuration files and other technicalia.
Modem Ani
would backup, the level of anger and frustration in the world would drop
sharply and it would be like the Summer of Love all over again.
All methods of backing up amount to the same thing: Making a copy of what
you have, so you won't be at a loss if the originals are gone. Backup
software just makes it more convenient to do that.
You can backup by burning files and folders to a CD, using Windows' own CD
burning capability or the third party software that came with your computer,
whichever is more appealing for you. You can also use Windows' own backup
program, which is very basic, or purchase third party software for more
convenience and additional features. After you become more familiar and
experienced, you may want to try imaging software, which makes an exact copy
of an entire drive but takes a respectable amount of knowledge to use
correctly.
Start by backing up My Documents. You may also want to backup your e-mail
address book and messages, and your internet favorites or bookmarks. You may
not need to backup your music, pictures or videos if you already have copies
on CDs or DVDs. If you have purchased music or video from the internet,
you'll want to backup the licenses. If you have XP Pro and you have
encrypted folders and files with it's built-in encryption, you'll need to
backup the encryption key.
As you become more sophisticated, you may decide to backup other things,
like configuration files and other technicalia.
Modem Ani
G
Guest
Thanks for your reply! This may sound stupid, but how do I access the files
that I want to back-up & do I use MS media player to make the burn & is it
better to backup on a CD or DVD? Does MS have a tutorial walking me through
the steps?
that I want to back-up & do I use MS media player to make the burn & is it
better to backup on a CD or DVD? Does MS have a tutorial walking me through
the steps?
M
Modem Ani
Not sure what you mean by "access the files". If you mean, for example, 'how
do I find the My Documents folder so I can back it up?' it's located here:
C:\Documents and Settings\<your account>\My Documents.
Windows Media Player can record CDs for music and certain types of video,
but not documents or photos. It is, after all, a media player and not a full
CD creation program.
A DVD can hold at least 4.7 GB of information, which is much more than a CD
can hold - 700 MB - so your choice of CD or DVD depends on how much data you
want to backup.
You can learn how to use Windows' own CD burning capability and backup
program in the Help and Support Center. The Microsoft web site also has good
information, for example:
"Backup Basics"
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/backup.mspx
Modem Ani
do I find the My Documents folder so I can back it up?' it's located here:
C:\Documents and Settings\<your account>\My Documents.
Windows Media Player can record CDs for music and certain types of video,
but not documents or photos. It is, after all, a media player and not a full
CD creation program.
A DVD can hold at least 4.7 GB of information, which is much more than a CD
can hold - 700 MB - so your choice of CD or DVD depends on how much data you
want to backup.
You can learn how to use Windows' own CD burning capability and backup
program in the Help and Support Center. The Microsoft web site also has good
information, for example:
"Backup Basics"
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/backup.mspx
Modem Ani
K
Ken Blake
In
First of all, almost everyone should be backing up regularly. It
is always possible that a hard drive crash, user error, nearby
lightning strike, virus attack, even theft of the computer, can
cause the loss of everything on your drive. As has often been
said, it's not a matter of whether you will have such a problem,
but when.
Essentially you should back up what you can't afford to
lose--what you can't readily recreate. What that is depends on
how you use your computer and what you use it for.
It takes time and effort to backup, but it also takes time and
effort to recreate lost data. If you back up daily, you should
never have to recreate more than one day's worth of last data. If
weekly, there's potentially a lot more to recreate. You should
assess how much pain and trouble you would have if you lost x
days of data, and then choose a backup frequency that doesn't
involve more pain and trouble than that you would have if you had
to recreate what was lost.
At one extreme is the professional user who would likely go out
of business if his data was lost. He probably needs to back up at
least daily. At the other extreme is the kid who doesn't use his
game except to play games. He probably needs no backup at all,
since worst case he can easily reinstall his games.
Most of us fall somewhere between those extremes, but nobody can
tell you where you fall; you need to determine that for yourself.
Should you back up Windows? Should you back up your applications?
Most people will tell you no, since you can always reinstall
these easily from the original media. But I don't think the
answer is so clear-cut. Many people have substantial time and
effort invested in customizing Windows and configuring their apps
to work the way they want to. Putting all of that back the way it
was can be a difficult, time-consuming effort. Whether you should
backup up Windows and apps depends, once again, on you.
How to backup? What software to use? There are many choices,
including the Windows-supplied backup program. Which choice is
best for you depends at least in part on the answers to some of
the questions above.
Finally what backup media should you choose, and how should it be
stored? There are many choices, including CDs, tape, zip drives,
and second hard drives.
I don't recommend backup to a second non-removable hard drive
because it leaves you susceptible to simultaneous loss of the
original and backup to many of the most common dangers: severe
power glitches, nearby lightning strikes, virus attacks, even
theft of the computer.
In my view, secure backup needs to be on removable media, and not
kept in the computer. For really secure backup (needed, for
example, if the life of your business depends on your data) you
should have multiple generations of backup, and at least one of
those generations should be stored off-site.
My computer isn't used for business, but my personal backup
scheme uses two identical removable hard drives, which fit into a
sleeve installed in the computer. I alternate between the two,
and use Drive Image to make a complete copy of the primary drive.
WEB86 said:I am a newbie. How & what should I backup? I have a dual format
burner, but no 2nd hard drive.
First of all, almost everyone should be backing up regularly. It
is always possible that a hard drive crash, user error, nearby
lightning strike, virus attack, even theft of the computer, can
cause the loss of everything on your drive. As has often been
said, it's not a matter of whether you will have such a problem,
but when.
Essentially you should back up what you can't afford to
lose--what you can't readily recreate. What that is depends on
how you use your computer and what you use it for.
It takes time and effort to backup, but it also takes time and
effort to recreate lost data. If you back up daily, you should
never have to recreate more than one day's worth of last data. If
weekly, there's potentially a lot more to recreate. You should
assess how much pain and trouble you would have if you lost x
days of data, and then choose a backup frequency that doesn't
involve more pain and trouble than that you would have if you had
to recreate what was lost.
At one extreme is the professional user who would likely go out
of business if his data was lost. He probably needs to back up at
least daily. At the other extreme is the kid who doesn't use his
game except to play games. He probably needs no backup at all,
since worst case he can easily reinstall his games.
Most of us fall somewhere between those extremes, but nobody can
tell you where you fall; you need to determine that for yourself.
Should you back up Windows? Should you back up your applications?
Most people will tell you no, since you can always reinstall
these easily from the original media. But I don't think the
answer is so clear-cut. Many people have substantial time and
effort invested in customizing Windows and configuring their apps
to work the way they want to. Putting all of that back the way it
was can be a difficult, time-consuming effort. Whether you should
backup up Windows and apps depends, once again, on you.
How to backup? What software to use? There are many choices,
including the Windows-supplied backup program. Which choice is
best for you depends at least in part on the answers to some of
the questions above.
Finally what backup media should you choose, and how should it be
stored? There are many choices, including CDs, tape, zip drives,
and second hard drives.
I don't recommend backup to a second non-removable hard drive
because it leaves you susceptible to simultaneous loss of the
original and backup to many of the most common dangers: severe
power glitches, nearby lightning strikes, virus attacks, even
theft of the computer.
In my view, secure backup needs to be on removable media, and not
kept in the computer. For really secure backup (needed, for
example, if the life of your business depends on your data) you
should have multiple generations of backup, and at least one of
those generations should be stored off-site.
My computer isn't used for business, but my personal backup
scheme uses two identical removable hard drives, which fit into a
sleeve installed in the computer. I alternate between the two,
and use Drive Image to make a complete copy of the primary drive.
G
Guest
Ken, thanks for your help. Can you tell me how I access my files & folders
to back up? Also, I have a multi-format CD/DVD burner. How would I back up to
that?
Thanks, WEB86
to back up? Also, I have a multi-format CD/DVD burner. How would I back up to
that?
Thanks, WEB86
G
Guest
Thanks Modem Ani! I appreciate your help...
Modem Ani said:Not sure what you mean by "access the files". If you mean, for example, 'how
do I find the My Documents folder so I can back it up?' it's located here:
C:\Documents and Settings\<your account>\My Documents.
Windows Media Player can record CDs for music and certain types of video,
but not documents or photos. It is, after all, a media player and not a full
CD creation program.
A DVD can hold at least 4.7 GB of information, which is much more than a CD
can hold - 700 MB - so your choice of CD or DVD depends on how much data you
want to backup.
You can learn how to use Windows' own CD burning capability and backup
program in the Help and Support Center. The Microsoft web site also has good
information, for example:
"Backup Basics"
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/backup.mspx
Modem Ani
K
Ken Blake
In
You're welcome. Glad to help.
If all you want to do is write particular files to CD or DVD, you
can do this easily through your CD-burning software.
What CD/DVD-burning software do you use?
WEB86 said:Ken, thanks for your help. Can you tell me how I access my
files &
folders to back up?
You're welcome. Glad to help.
If all you want to do is write particular files to CD or DVD, you
can do this easily through your CD-burning software.
Also, I have a multi-format CD/DVD burner. How
would I back up to that?
What CD/DVD-burning software do you use?
H
Harry Ohrn
Basically there are 2 types of backups
1) Copy of individual files or folders:
You can use XP's built in CD writing capabilities to simply copy files or
whole directories to CD-R. Keep in mind that XP cannot burn to DVD without
additional software. To learn how to burn files to CD with XP take this link
http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWSXP/expertzone/columns/bridgman/august13.asp
If you want to burn to DVD then this freeware app will work very nicely for
that http://www.cdburnerxp.se/
If you want to compress the data, to save space, before it is burned then
you can use commercial archiving software. Some apps will enable you to
write the files directly to CD/DVD and some will involve a 2 step process
whereby you create the compressed files first and then copy them to disc.
2) Full System Backup
Rather than selecting individual files or directories a Full System Backup
creates an "image" or an exact copy of an entire partition or hard drive and
saves this in a special file that can be restored later. This involves
purchasing third party software. Do not let anyone tell you that this can be
accomplished with XP's built in Backup software. You need third party
software. Common imaging software includes Ghost, Acronis TrueImage and
BootIt NG. With imaging software you can easily restore your entire system
setup in minutes rather than hours.
There are a few programs that offer the best of both worlds. Backup MyPC
works well for saving individual files and folders or creating a full system
backup and will burn directly to CD/DVD.
1) Copy of individual files or folders:
You can use XP's built in CD writing capabilities to simply copy files or
whole directories to CD-R. Keep in mind that XP cannot burn to DVD without
additional software. To learn how to burn files to CD with XP take this link
http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWSXP/expertzone/columns/bridgman/august13.asp
If you want to burn to DVD then this freeware app will work very nicely for
that http://www.cdburnerxp.se/
If you want to compress the data, to save space, before it is burned then
you can use commercial archiving software. Some apps will enable you to
write the files directly to CD/DVD and some will involve a 2 step process
whereby you create the compressed files first and then copy them to disc.
2) Full System Backup
Rather than selecting individual files or directories a Full System Backup
creates an "image" or an exact copy of an entire partition or hard drive and
saves this in a special file that can be restored later. This involves
purchasing third party software. Do not let anyone tell you that this can be
accomplished with XP's built in Backup software. You need third party
software. Common imaging software includes Ghost, Acronis TrueImage and
BootIt NG. With imaging software you can easily restore your entire system
setup in minutes rather than hours.
There are a few programs that offer the best of both worlds. Backup MyPC
works well for saving individual files and folders or creating a full system
backup and will burn directly to CD/DVD.
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