Backups for Beginners

The Nine-Step Program

Now that you've decided what you're going to back up, we'll step you through the process with the software provided with Windows 98. (A backup application was provided with Windows 95, but it's rather different and not all that good, so these specific instructions won't be very helpful.)

1. To launch Backup, click the Start button and choose Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Backup. (If Backup does not appear, you need to install it from the Windows Setup tab within Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs application.)
   
   
2. When you start Microsoft Backup for the first time, a dialog box may ask whether you want to install a backup device on your computer. (It's looking for a tape drive--if one exists, it should be recognized.) If you have a tape drive, click Yes to run the Add New Hardware Wizard. Otherwise, click No.
   
   
3. A dialog box welcomes you to Microsoft Backup and offers three choices. By default, the radio button for "Create a new backup job" is selected. Click OK.
   
   
4. The next dialog box tells you that you can either back up everything on your computer or specific files, folders, and drives. Selecting the "Back up My Computer" radio button will back up all files and folders on all your computer's local drives. If you are backing up only data files, select "Back up selected files, folders and drives" and click OK.
   
   
5. If you selected the latter option in the previous dialog box, you'll now see an Explorer-like window. In the left pane, check the box next to any folder you want to back up. Expand the folder (by clicking the plus sign next to it) to select subfolders, or get really picky and check individual files that appear in the right pane. Continue browsing around your computer and selecting files. When you're satisfied with your file selections, click Next.
   
   
6. The next dialog box wants to know exactly how many files to back up, offering choices for "All selected files" or "New and changed files." The second option produces an incremental backup, which you should do only if you've backed up before. (An incremental backup saves only altered or new files, so it doesn't crowd your backup disk or tape, and it saves tons of time, as the process doesn't need to start at square one). I'm assuming this is your first time through this process, so select "All selected files" and click Next.
   
   
7. Now you need to specify where the files should go. If you have a tape drive, it will appear in the drop-down list. Select it. Otherwise, choose File and click the button with a folder icon to select the drive (and, if necessary, the folder) where you'd like to save your backup. The default location is the root folder of your C: drive--not a great place, as your backup will be useless if the drive crashes. Back up to removable media. If you are connected to a network, ask the system administrator to provide a shared folder on the server to which you can back up. On a home or small-office network, you could access the hard drive of another machine on the network and place a backup there, space allowing. Having chosen where to send your data, click Next.
   
   
8. The next dialog box asks you how you want to back up. You can "Compare original files" to verify that data was successfully backed up--a good precaution, though it does lengthen the process. You can also "Compress the data to save space." I suggest you check both boxes. Click Next.
   
   
9. Now you need to give this job a name. Do so, and then click Start. If your files fill more than one removable disk or tape, Backup will prompt you when it needs a new one. There is one exception: Backup doesn't know how to span CD-RWs, so if you're using this form of storage, you're limited to 650MB. The program will give each disk the same job name, so be sure to physically label the set clearly ("disk 2 of 5," and so on).
   
   

When you've completed the process, put your disks or tapes someplace safe. Some folks keep a second copy off-site as a precaution against natural disasters.