How to Backup Your Windows Files and Folders

This article describes how to use Backup Utility for Windows (included with Windows XP) to back up files and folders on your computer.

The Backup tool in Windows XP helps you protect your data in case your hard disk fails or files are accidentally erased. By using Backup, you can create a duplicate copy of all of the data on your hard disk and then archive it on another storage device, such as a hard disk or a tape.

If the original data on your hard disk is accidentally erased or overwritten, or becomes inaccessible because of a hard-disk malfunction, you can easily restore the data from the disk or archived copy by using the Restore Wizard or Automated System Recovery Wizard.

Note: You must have permissions as an administrator or a backup operator on your computer to back up files and folders. Also, backup operators and administrators can back up and restore encrypted files and folders without decrypting the files or folders.

Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup. The Backup or Restore Wizard starts.

Click Advanced Mode.

Click the Backup tab.

On the Job menu, click New.

Select the check boxes for the drives that you want to back up. If you want to be more specific in your selections, expand the drive that you want, and then click the check boxes for the files or folders that you want.

Select the System State check box.

Note: If you want to back up your system settings as well as your data files, you should back up all the data on your computer plus the System State data, which includes such things as the registry, the COM+ class registration database, files under Windows File Protection, and boot files.

In the Backup destination list, click the backup destination that you want to use.

If you clicked File in the previous step, type the full path and file name that you want in the Backup media or file name box. Note that you can also specify a network share as a destination for the backup file.

Click Start Backup. The Backup Job Information dialog box appears.

Under If the media already contains backups, use one of the following steps:

If you want to append this backup to previous backups, click Append this backup to the media.

If you want to overwrite previous backups with this backup, click Replace the data on the media with this backup.

Click Advanced.

Select the Verify data after backup check box.

In the Backup Type box, click the type of backup that you want. When you click a backup type, a description of that backup type is displayed under "Description."

Click OK, and then click Start Backup. A Backup Progress dialog box appears, and the backup starts.

When the backup is complete, click Close.