How to Backup a PC
Title: How to Backup a PC

Author: Marisa Pellegrino

Article:
Everyone thinks, ‘it won’t happen to me’. But what if it does?
All your files, pictures and documents gone, in an instant.
Sure, you can reach for the disks that came with your computer
to reinstall the applications but what about the most important
component, your data? Data backup is something too many computer
owners ignore.

There are a number of things that can bring down your computer,
some of which include a power surge, hard drive crash, careless
mistakes, viruses, a fire or theft.

If your system did not come with a recovery disc, you should
consider making a backup disc as soon as possible. This is
important should you ever need to rebuild your system to its “as
bought” condition.

How often you back up your data varies from person to person. It
depends on the volume of data input, frequency of change, and
the nature of your data. A general rule of thumb would be to
back up anything that would be difficult and time-consuming to
re-create.

How to backup data:

If you have Windows XP, it includes backup software; however, if
you’re running on Home Edition, it isn’t installed by default.
Once the software is installed, go to the Start menu and choose
“accessories”, then “system tools”, then “backup” in order to
run the backup wizard. On the final screen, you can press the
“advanced” button which will allow you to automatically schedule
recurring backups. The wizard also allows you to create a system
recovery disc which will enable you to boot and rescue your data
should Windows get damaged. At the end of this article, you will
find a list of programs and software that can do the data backup
for you.

You may think you’d like to back up everything you have in your
computer. However, there is no need to back up software and
applications since these can be reinstalled with the original
discs. Most Windows programs now have a default for storing data
within your user profile.

Backup programs:

There are a number of programs that perform data backup for you,
some of which are described here. Ghost 9.0 creates full drive
images, IBackup copies files to remote databases, and Dantz’s
Retrospect Professional 6.5 is a traditional backup tool. There
is also free software available for data backup. For instance,
Backup4 protects your data and features an easy backup wizard
that allows you to schedule backups whenever you like. Disk
Tools Image Maker is an easy-to-use disk imaging tool which
allows you to create exact images of your entire drive. It works
directly from within Windows so there is no need to boot from a
floppy. Handy Backup is another software which makes an
automatic backup of critical data to any type of storage medium.

Backup Tips:

Here are a few tips to keep in mind regarding data backup:

Don’t procrastinate. Most people decide to back up their data
only after they’ve experienced a loss!

Try to find a backup software that can hold twice as much as
your hard disk so that you’re able to schedule backups when
you’re not there.

Back up only what is necessary. However, if you’re not sure,
back it up ... better safe than sorry!

About the author:
Marisa Pellegrino is a freelance writer from Montreal and is the
head researcher and content manager for href="http://www.raidrecoveryguide.com">RAID RECOVERY (href="http://www.raidrecoveryguide.com">www.raidrecoveryguide.com
)and other sites.

- posted by J @ 12:31 PM