Computer Backup?

Question

I have never backed up my computer before and I am worried that something is going to happen and I will lose all my stuff. Can someone please tell me what I need to do step by step to back everything up?

Answer 1

The easiest (and cheapest) way, in my opinion is to back up things by burning them to a CD. What you want to back up is really up to you. Think about when you go on the computer - What programs do you use? Is there music you'd like to keep? Documents you'd like to save? Pictures? Last time I reformatted, I forgot my pictures. Don't forget to also keep anything for school/work. Open your CD burning program, and start a Data disc project. Burn all your files on to the CDs. For your convenicence, you can label them. **Note - if you have a lot of music, or big files, you will probably need more than just one CD to back up all your stuff.

As far as backing up your programs, you'd have to back up the actual INSTALL files. You can't just back up the existing program, because once your computer is reformatted, it won't be able to read the programs. However, when you are reinstalling programs, if there are any updates, you'll have to take the time to update the programs. Whenever I install something I know I'll use for a while, I make sure I keep the install file. If you don't have the install files anymore, you can probably just search for them online. For example, if you use Yahoo! Messenger, you can just re-download it from the Yahoo! Messenger site. For programs that aren't free, you will have to either install from the disc, or install it from however you originally got it before.

As far as reinstalling your OS, you'll have to have a boot disc. (I assume you know how to reformat, so I won't go into details.) If you're using Windows, you'll need your Windows install disc and your serial key.

As far as backing things up, there are usual programs that people use (Yahoo! Messenger, MSN, AIM, MS Word, Powerpoint, a burning program, a downloading program, etc) but I can't stress how that's really just up to you. You would just need to back up the programs/files that YOU need. Go through your Program Files and your Start menu, and take a look at what you have there... Look through your My Documents folder... Look on your Desktop... Look anywhere else that YOU might be storing files/folders/documents... (I tend to keep a lot of docs on my desktop for short-term things)... Good luck, and I hope you don't forget anything!!!

Answer 2

The short answer is: You need backup software and a backup device that handles removable media like a CDwriter
The windows version I'm using comes with backup software so check your system if yours does too.
If you have these 2 things you just have to run the backup software a it will guide you to do a backup.
You should do a full system backup every time you install new software. After that you backup only your datafiles. To make things easier try putting all your data files in one folder like My Documents. This way you only backup that folder if you need to make a backup of you data. If you use several folders to store you data files you will have to manually pick those folders in the backup program (which is not hard) but you can forget one folder which will never happen if you use only one folder for your data files.

Answer 3

Good question.

There are so many ways to backup, but here is the easiest if you run Windows XP.

Buy an external Harddrive.

Run Windows Backup and backup My Documents and settings to that external harddrive. Do this weekly

Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Backup

This way if you main harddrive ever crashes, you simply replace it, reinstall Windows, then run Windows backup and RESTORE all your data from your backup file on your external harddrive.

You will still have to reinstall any programs.

Another option is to use Norton Ghost instead of Windows Backup. Norton Ghost can make an exact image of your Harddrive to the external one and then you can Ghost the image back to a new harddrive if you ever crash and you will be up and running again in no time.

Answer 4

You need a software called Image for windows, you can back up the partition to CD or DVD or to other hard drive,any thing goes wrong you can restore every ting in about twenty minutes.