Perform a Backup on Windows XP

Considering the increased amounts of data that you save to your computer each day, more and more users embark on a quest for the most effective and reliable backup solution. However, very few know that Windows XP has its own backup utility.

Steps

  1. To use the built in Windows XP backup tool, follow the instructions.
  2. Click the Start button > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup.
  3. The Windows XP backup tool allows backing up all user files in just one task. If you select the option of the My Documents backup, it will copy the entire contents of the Documents and Settings folder including MS Outlook/Outlook Express messages and settings as well as your profile settings.
  4. However, in most situations full backup is not necessary. In all likelihood the My Documents folder of your computer will be large in size and contain a lot of irrelevant information. If this is the case, Windows XP backup tool suggests that you manually specify files that you want to include or exclude from the backup set.
  5. Lastly, don't forget to backup your Internet Explorer favourites from within IE. You can export them from the Menu.
  6. And, for really important backups, nothing beats writing down names, phone numbers, email addresses and bank account details.

Tips

  • The farthest location Windows XP backup tool suggests is a network drive or an external drive. By default, it will even offer you to back up to a floppy drive, and that's the only removable storage it has in store for you. Now think how many floppy diskettes it will require to back up 30GB of critical information!
  • In additions Window XP backup tool allows backing up the System state data that include Registry, Boot files, COM + Class Registration database. However, you cannot include or exclude specific components.
  • Windows XP backup tool offers five types of backup: normal, copy, daily, differential, and incremental. To be honest, this abundance of backup types causes nothing, but confusion especially if this is your first time backup.
  • There can be different backup types among which you can choose depending on your needs. The most common being full, incremental and differential.
  • When you do a backup, it is extremely important where you keep the resulting files. It is recommended to keep such files as far as possible from the local computer.

Warnings

  • Back ups should be stored on an external drive, not an internal hard drive. If the internal drive fails (and all drives eventually fail) you will lose your original files AND your backups.

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Sources and Citations

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