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HOW TO USE WINDOWS XP: BACKING UP YOUR FILES -- BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Before You Begin Open the Backup Utility Select Files and Folders Make Your First Backup Make a Weekly Backup Restore Your Backup Archive Before You Begin Windows XP comes with a Backup Utility to help you make secondary ("backup") copies of your files on a removable media source such as a Zip disk or a rewritable CD. You can set up the Backup Utility so that it will "remember" all of the files you need to back up; after that, backing up will be quick and easy. Moreover, the Backup Utility will compress files, allowing you to save more data on one Zip disk or CD.

You must log in to Windows XP with a Computer Administrator account to make backups. (If you need more information on Computer Administrator accounts, please see Creating Windows User Accounts for more information.) Before you back up your files, make sure they are well organized. Save your files in a central directory folder such as "MyFiles" or "My Documents". Avoid saving your files in program or system directories such as "Windows" or "Program Files". These folders contain files needed to run your computer and should not be tampered with. Keep at least two backup sets of important files—one in your office and one offsite in case of fire, flood, or theft. Go to Step 2, Open The Backup Utility