After viewing the article that I wrote titled “Are you obeying new e-records rules?”, a faithful reader suggested that I write an article about how to backup ones computer files. Even though I wrote an article last July titled “Back it up before it breaks,” the subject could get a more thorough treatment. I suggest that you read both previous articles for greater perspective.
To do a proper job of backing up your files, your computer needs, at the very least, a CD “burner.” “Burner” is geek slang for a CD drive that will allow you to copy files to a “writable” CD. You can also use a DVD burner, which will write to both CDs and DVDs. DVD burners are cheap, often found on sale for $50-75. DVDs can store almost 7 times as much information as CDs, making them a good choice for backing up lots of files.
Another good backup media is the external hard drive. A large capacity external hard drive can usually be had for around $100, and is a simple way to effectively backup your files. However, it is not wise to rely on a single backup method. CDs and DVDs can fail (read my article, “The myth of the eternal CD”), as can hard drives. I always make more than one copy of my backup files to multiple CDs/DVDs and/or hard drives. With writable CDs costing 20 cents each or less, it’s cheap insurance.
There are many options for performing the actual task of transferring your files to a CD or hard drive, such as dragging and dropping files in Windows Explorer. Experience has taught me, though, that most folks who perform regular file backups are better off using a dedicated backup program. Most CD/DVD burners and external hard drives come bundled with backup software, such as Nero. I’ve always liked Nero software, and their “BackItUp” program does a good job. Nero software is also available as a separate purchase. External hard drives from Western Digital often come with “WD Backup,” which is very easy for beginners to use. Other recommended backup programs are Easy Backup from www.ajsystems.com and the highly respected Acronis True Image from www.acronis.com.
The biggest stumbling block to most backup beginners is understanding the Windows file tree structure. The easiest way overcome this problem is to open Windows Explorer (click Start/All Programs/Accessories/Windows Explorer), and start exploring. Keep in mind that your system’s main hard drive, usually called “C,” is the trunk of the tree. You’ll discover this “trunk” by clicking on the “+” symbol next to “My Computer.” This action is called “expanding the tree.” You’ll notice that the window is divided into two “panes.” When you click and highlight something in the left pane, its contents will be displayed in the right pane. Keep expanding the tree and you’ll discover the limbs (major file folders), branches (subfolders) and leaves (files) of the tree.
A basic understanding of the file tree will make using backup programs much easier. Pretty soon, you’ll be backing up your files like a pro.