Back up

"WALLACE" <WALLACE RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2A9AFD68-01C4-416F-8467-0FBFBADE59E9@microsoft.com...
> Hello he can anyone help me I am new to computers I keep on hearing people
> saying you should back up your data I am running Microsoft Windows Xp home
> think you

Unfortunately no matter how careful you are problems do occur either by
inadvertent actions by you or due to external factors that are outside of
your control. Therefore, it is essential that you have a means to recover
from those events if you have anything of value on your machine. Generally,
only data requires to be backed up as your 'data' is irreplaceable.
Programs and the like can be reloaded. However, from a convenience point of
view most would agree that creating am 'image' of your drives, such that in
the event of a problem the system (OS, Programs and data) can be restored to
the condition it was when the 'image' was created. Likely the most popular
of 'imaging' programs is Acronis True Image but there are others as well as
'ntbackup' that is found on the WINXP cd. These programs allow you to
backup all data and programs onto either an external HD or to CDs and DVD
discs. You must backup to media that is external to the machine otherwise
much of the point of 'backing up' is lost.

Hope this helps.

"Edward W. Thompson" <thomeduk1.TakeThisOut@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:eNepU3J4HHA.2208@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>
> "WALLACE" <WALLACE.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:2A9AFD68-01C4-416F-8467-0FBFBADE59E9@microsoft.com...
>> Hello he can anyone help me I am new to computers I keep on hearing
>> people
>> saying you should back up your data I am running Microsoft Windows Xp
>> home
>> think you
>
> Unfortunately no matter how careful you are problems do occur either by
> inadvertent actions by you or due to external factors that are outside of
> your control. Therefore, it is essential that you have a means to recover
> from those events if you have anything of value on your machine.
> Generally, only data requires to be backed up as your 'data' is
> irreplaceable. Programs and the like can be reloaded. However, from a
> convenience point of view most would agree that creating am 'image' of
> your drives, such that in the event of a problem the system (OS, Programs
> and data) can be restored to the condition it was when the 'image' was
> created. Likely the most popular of 'imaging' programs is Acronis True
> Image but there are others as well as 'ntbackup' that is found on the
> WINXP cd. These programs allow you to backup all data and programs onto
> either an external HD or to CDs and DVD discs. You must backup to media
> that is external to the machine otherwise much of the point of 'backing
> up' is lost.
>
> Hope this helps.


I agree with the previous post. However, I would add to the comment
"Generally, only data requires to be backed up as your 'data' is
irreplaceable. Programs and the like can be reloaded." It is a
misconception that all user files are stored in 'My Documents'. Indeed I
have seen examples of people relying on copying only 'My documents' loosing
user files when the hard disk has been reformatted. Custom dictionary,
Emails, Favorites, normal.dot (Word) and Windows Address Book are prime
examples. That's why it is important to either have a complete backup of
all files or, if only user files are to be copied, to be 100% sure that the
location of ALL user files are identified.

I have a small batch file which copies key user files to another media (e.g.
USB stick). It does rely on knowing where user files are located and a bit
of 'personalising' but it does make it very easy to copy those files every
night. I am willing to share this. Please email me on
info.TakeThisOut@1001solutions.co.uk.

For more information please go to www.1001solutions.co.uk/backing-up.pdf.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:44:15 -0700, WALLACE
<WALLACE.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Hello he can anyone help me I am new to computers I keep on hearing people
> saying you should back up your data I am running Microsoft Windows Xp home
> think you


Here's my standard post on backup:

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.

Some things (photographs, for instance) can never be recreated, and
more frequent backup may be wanted for them.

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 computer
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,I alternate between the two,
and use Acronis True Image to make a complete copy of the primary
drive.

I also use a pair of 1GB thumb drives for making more frequent backups
of my most critical data (like financial information). For that I just
drag and drop.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Hi Wallace,

This is a great article on backing up for the novice user.
http://computerhaven.info/Backups.aspx

Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.org

WALLACE wrote:
> Hello he can anyone help me I am new to computers I keep on hearing people
> saying you should back up your data I am running Microsoft Windows Xp home
> think you