Back up copies for computer?

Question

Please, how do you make backup copies for all computer programs. I have Windows xp. I have a lot of programs on my computer and I would hate to lose them. I have no idea what to buy or how to go about doing this. I appreciate your help. Thank you to all who will respond.

Answer 1

You might want to try using a commercial grade software like StompSoft's PC Backup. This will allow you to create a disaster recovery CD which when combined with a back up created by this software can fully restore a PC applications and all. Here is a quote about this process from their website:

"...Bootable Disaster Recovery CD/DVD
Backups created with the Disaster Recovery option enabled can speed recovery of your system after a hard drive crash or similar failure where your data is lost. Fully restore your system without installing any of the original software or operating system! Just boot up using the recovery disk, recover the system backup, everything is back like you like it!"

Hope this helps

Answer 2

Ghost is a good program for restoring a system after catastrofic failure. If you do not want to spend the money you can use the backup program that comes with Windows. Start the backup program and set it to make an "ASR backup". This will backup everything on your system (very large file). When your system crashes and you need it restored just boot from the Windows Install CD and you will be prompted to restore from an ASR backup before it goes thru its normal installation routine.

Answer 3

Programs you keep a copy of the installer. You may have to reinstall the program at some point. Files like mucis and pictures you can put them on another disk.

You can use Ghost of MSBackup to get the whole drive. You can restore it and that will include the programs, but you would have to put it in the same computer or go through a lot to make it work in a new one.

I personally keep the installers and my picture files on CDs and DVDs and just figure on reinstalling the programs. That is usually easiest in the long run.

Answer 4

I recommend Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image to save a disk image. If you have the time to let the first time run, make a disk image of everything just in case. Then use CCleaner to clean out your temp files and run antivirus and antispyware in Safe Mode, run chkdsk and defrag. It's unlikely these will ruin anything, but you have that first backup just in case. After all of that, make a new full image of your clean system.

Answer 5

Hi,

IF you mean you want your computer to be as it is NOW when restoring your backup, you should use (GHOST*) software, like Norton Ghost.

a Ghost software clones all the data of your hard disk into a destination you choose as it is, and so when retrieving them you don't need to install anything again.

it's recommending to create the Ghost file while your computer is working perfectly, so you wont restore a corrupted data.

Best Ghost Tools:
- Norton Ghost 10
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/overview.jsp?pcid=br&pvid=ghost10

Good Luck

Answer 6

You computer should be having facility to save your data to some external device say like a tape drive or cd/dvd writer . Then all you have to do is write all your important data onto the tape or cd or dvd as the case may be.

Answer 7

you can use the backup facility provided by windows..if you are using the windows operating systems...
to use the backup facility:
click on start - programs - accesorries - system tools - backup
you can choose to use the backup wizards if you are not familiar with these tools...the wizards will guide the steps...

Answer 8

I save all software installation CDs. I save all my downloaded program installation files in a directory then I back that up to CD. I save all my documents in one place and back that up to CD.

If my computer crashes, I reinstall Windows and other programs from their installation CDs. Then I restore all my documents.

Answer 9

save them