Backing Up Your Data
One very important task that is all too easily overlooked is that of backing up your files. The process of ‘backing up’ your files involves creating copies of your files and storing the copies in a separate location from where the originals are stored.
The files that should be backed up are those files that you create, modify, and store on your computer – files that would be difficult or impossible to replace, and files that you change frequently. This includes such things as photos, music, graphics, videos, documents, data files that you’ve created with any specialized application (such as tax preparation software), and so forth.
In addition to regularly backing up the data files mentioned above, you should also backup your files before making any significant system changes, such as updating drivers, adding new hardware or software, and so forth. There’s no need to back up software programs because you can use the original application disks to reinstall them.
Why is it important to back up these files? Files can be lost, accidentally overwritten, corrupted by a virus or worm, or rendered inaccessible by virtue of a software or hardware failure, or at its worst, a complete hard drive failure. If any of these situations occurs and your files are backed up, you can easily restore those files. While there are companies devoted to data recovery, the outcome is not guaranteed and the process is very expensive.
Some people back up their files by searching for known files (example: all files with a .doc extension) or by browsing through Windows Explorer and manually selecting each file and folder, and then copying those files to a flash drive, CD, or secondary hard drive. However, this hunt-and-peck method is tedious and time-consuming, and you have to remember to backup all new and modified files and folders.
A far more reliable solution is to use the Backup wizard that is incorporated into the Windows operating system. The exact name of the utility can vary from one version of Windows to another, but it can be readily found through the Control Panel. In Windows Vista, for example, the path would be Start/Control Panel/System and Maintenance/Back Up Your Computer. With the backup utility, you can backup your personal data files, as well as programs and system settings.
When using the Backup wizard, there are two approaches to backing up your files: manual backup and automatic backup. You can launch the backup utility any time at your convenience (i.e. ‘manually’), or you can configure your computer to run the utility automatically, at some interval/time that you specify.
When you use the backup wizard, Windows keeps track of which files and folders are new or have been modified. When you make a new backup, you can back up all data files on your computer or only those files that have changed since the last backup.
If you configure your computer for automatic backups, Windows will run the backup utility without your intervention (assuming your computer is turned on at the scheduled backup time). Please note that not all versions of Windows provide the option of automatic backup.
The frequency with which you backup your files depends on how many files you create and how often you create them. You can choose to have your files automatically backed up daily, weekly, or monthly. If you create files that are irreplaceable, such as photos from a wedding or other special event, you should manually run the utility and back up the files right away.
With the Backup wizard, you can back up your files to a number of different destinations, including hard drives, writeable CDs and DVDs, and if you’re on a LAN (local area network), to a network destination. If a destination is not listed, you can’t use the utility to back up to it (e.g., you can’t backup to a USB flash drive).
If you choose to backup to a hard drive, that drive can be either internal or external. If you backup to an internal hard drive, it should be a second hard drive, not the same hard drive on which your operating system is installed. Use whatever method that is the most convenient for you to use, as long as it has the storage capacity you need.
If you backup to CDs or DVDs, you may need to use several discs. Remember that in this case your computer must have a CD or DVD burner drive.
Another utility available through Control Panel provides the ability to create restore points. This allows you to restore your computer to a previous state in the event that some change that you make, such as adding new or updated drivers, causes your system to become unstable.
Your computer will automatically create a restore point at some pre-programmed interval, but you can also manually create a restore point at any time you wish. Just be sure to do it BEFORE you make any system changes to your computer.
To set a restore point in Windows Vista, go to Start > Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore Center. In the Tasks panel on the left, select ‘Create a Restore Point or Change Settings’. In the System Properties window, select the System Protection tab, and then click on the ‘Create’ button to create a restore point.