How to Backup Data in Windows XP and Vista?

Backing up Data in Windows XP:

A backup wizard is provided with the Windows package which is very helpful to create a backup copy of your important documents.

Note: If you have Windows XP Professional, Backup utility is installed by default but in Windows XP Home it is not. However, Backup utility is provided with the CD.

Go to CD-ROM Drive:\VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP and double click Ntbackup.msi to start the Backup utility.

Follow this procedure to backup data using Backup utility:

Step 1: Click Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Backup.
Step 2: Click Next in the first page and choose ‘Back up Files and Settings’ in the second page.
Step 3: In the third page, you will be asked what to backup. If you have the habit of keeping all important files in your ‘My Documents’ folder and you want to backup only important files then choosing ‘My documents and settings’ would be more appropriate. Else if you want to manually choose the files and folders you want to backup, choose the option ‘Let me choose what to backup’.

Step 4: If you are manually choosing the folders, click all the folders you want to backup.
Step 5: On the next screen you will be asked to choose the backup type, Destination and Name. You won’t be using Tapes or Floppy Disks. You may select an external hard disk or another partition in the same hard disk. If the backup file size is small you may choose small portable pen drive such as USB hard drives.
Step 6: Windows XP does not support to write the backup file to a CD directly. So if you want to have the backup in a CD or DVD, create the backup file in the same hard disk and burn it in a CD or DVD.

If you have dedicated external hard disk for backup you can set a schedule to backup regularly. On the last page of backup utility before clicking Finish, Click Advanced -> When to Back up -> Later -> Set Schedule -> Schedule Job. Set the schedule and Click Ok.

Backing up Data in Windows Vista:

In Vista taking a backup is much easier than Windows XP. Vista allows taking backup in CD and DVD as well.

Follow this procedure to backup data using Backup utility:

Step 1: Go to Control Panel -> ‘Backup and Restore Centre’ and Choose Backup Files.
Step 2: Windows will search all possible places where you can take a backup copy and it will list it the next screen. If you want to take the backup in the network, you can browse and choose the destination for backup.
Step 3: Choose the drives you want to backup and choose the type of files you want to backup. System files, executable files won’t be backed up and backup can be done only from NTFS region.
Step 4: In the next screen choose how often you want to take backup and click ‘Save settings and start backup’.

Tips on taking Backup:

1) One can actually just write all the files he wants to have a backup copy in a DVD or an external hard disk, but why use backup utility? That’s because when you do it manually, every time you do a change in a file or folder you have to keep track of it and do the same changes in the backup copy. But when you use the backup utility, the Windows keeps track of it and does all the work for you. With its fully automated capability, it’s the easiest thing around.

2) An ideal method of using backup utility will be to take the backup of documents using the backup utility and to copy the files such as Audio files, Video files and pictures in a DVD as the capacity of DVD is increasing day by day.

3) Backup regularly or use scheduled backup facility.

4) If you are using more than one medium for backup, keep a track of what you are backing-up and where you are taking the backup.

5) Keep another copy of important files in a smaller device like pen drive, So that you can carry it around very easily. But remember to use security utilities to keep the content under lock or encrypted.

6) Lots of online storage spaces are available for free and huge volumes are available for premium. This acts not only as a backup device but also as a central system where you can access your data from anywhere.

7) As I said earlier, take a backup and backup the backup.






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