Re: The first step in learning how to backup my data from XP?

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From: R. McCarty (PcEngWork-NoSpam__at_mindspring.com)
Date: 01/16/05 

Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 11:21:41 GMT

You have several choices, All of your personal data, such as Mail, My
Documents, IE Favorites are stored in a Profile. Profiles are stored on
XP in C:\Documents and Settings\'YourLoginName'
Depending on how much content you have, you could login to another
account and simply burn that entire profile to a CD-R. You can't burn
the data while that user is logged in since XP has the files/folders open
for use. I do recommend that users do a simple backup of Personal data
in a readable format. This way if something needs to be recovered it is
simple to insert the CD/DVD and do a direct copy.
 Alternately, you can use an Imaging program to make a full system image.
This not only backs up your data, but your entire XP install. Imaging is
useful since it protects 100% of your setup. Say your disk drive fails. If
you use imaging, you could install a replacement drive and restore your
last image set to it. Process takes less than 30-minutes and you are back
up and running.
 If you wanted to take it to a more segmented level then you would want
multiple partitions. A C:\ drive with Windows and applications. A D:\
drive that only holds your personal data. Then you would simply burn a
CD/DVD of D:\ on a regular schedule. Also, use Imaging to protect the
XP install. Doing this requires re-directing your profile paths for My Docs
and other personal folders to the D:\ Drive. This can be done fairly easy
with Tweak-UI for Windows XP.
 In my own case, I use segmented data and take it a little further. Since
I have 11 Gigabytes of Music I have a dedicated drive in my system for
storing that data by itself.
 Whatever method you use - Always verify the backups/images. For a
simple CD/DVD burn eject the disk and re-insert and explore it to make
sure the data is intact and readable. For Images use the programs verify
function to not only write the Image, but make a verification pass.
Nothing is worse than thinking you have a "Valid" backup and when you
go to use it find out the data wasn't written correctly.

"Fin" <finigan@privatemail.com> wrote in message
news:csdgrn$vba$1@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Could anybody be kind enough to give me a few pointers on the first simple
> process of backing up my data on my PC? I am knowing how to burn data to a
> CD, but am wondering how others backup data both on their pc and off.
>
> Is there some simple way to backup everything on XP that allows you then
> back that up. Instead of laboriously having to backup each and every file
>
> In Summary is there a simpler way than that which I am currently doing it
> at the moment which is: Basically manually copy everything I want to a
> file labelled bakup, and burning it to a CD, is this the most simple and
> best way to backup data?
>
> Thanks in advance and any suggestions or tips appreciated
>

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