Windows Backup Guide

Why to back up?

The first thing a new or experienced computer user should learn is the importance of backing up. Are you still not backing up your data? You should know this by now: computers can and do fail. The problem is that you usually get no warning before it's too late. This has happened to many people. In extreme cases, it has put companies out of business. If you don't back up your computer system regularly, you are playing Russian roulette with your data. Backups are really a necessity, and you are responsible for making backups of your files.

What to back up?

1. Backing up your important documents and folders.
2. Back up your Outlook folders and settings.
3. Backing up e-mail and news folders for Outlook Express, Mozilla, Netscape, and more.
4. Back up your AIM, Yahoo!, MSN and ICQ messenger data.
5. Back up the core system files and desktop configuration folders.

How to back up?

• Back up regularly, back up often. It is important that you get into the habit of backing up your files on a regular basis. Just having things stored on your hard drive is not enough. A computer crash, a virus, or a hard drive failure can wipe out everything. Back up everything at least once a week. Daily is better.
• Keep several backup copies. Never back up over a prior backup copy - keep several copies over time so that you can back up more than one version if necessary.
• Be selective. You don't have to do a total system backup. Just back up your important files. Backing up the entire hard drive is time-consuming, not practical, and should not be done. A backup of specific data files is the way to go.
• Know what's really important. The most important things to copy are files you create yourself. Be they text documents, e-mail messages, pictures, or game saves, if you made them, be sure to keep their current backup handy.
• Organize your folders. Backing up is easy if you set your folder structure properly. It's faster and easier to back up if all your files and subfolders are in a single folder, rather than having your documents scattered across the hard drive.
• Use backup software to automate your everyday backup tasks. You don't have to copy your files manually. A decent backup program creates the backup of your data reliably and automatically, and it will notify you in case of any problem, and will log the backup activity in detail.

To know more about Windows backup freeware: EaseUS Todo Backup Free