Protecting your Data Resources – Stop 3 Lesson 2 Windows backup!
By Jim Segers, IT Coordinator – Extension AgriLife Information Technology
In last article I opened the discussion on protecting your data with backups. In that lesson I wrote about making a simple copy of your files using Windows Explorer. Making a simple copy this way is easy to do and is BIG step in the right direction, but we can do better!
Data backups have been around since day 1 and there are many software applications and services dedicated to the backup task. One application we can use is the Backup and Restore utility Microsoft includes in Windows. It has the advantage of being already installed on your computer and comes at a great price!
In this article let’s take a closer look at Windows Backup and Restore. The Windows utility is pretty basic as backup applications go, but it offers some advantages over the simple copy. You can more easily control what you backup and save the settings, you can setup automatic backup schedules and you have a means to search out and restore files, folder or an entire backup when needed.
If you have never stumbled across Windows Backup don’t be surprised, it is not exactly at the top of the menu.
To get to it:
| In Windows Vista and Windows | Start > All Programs > Maintenance > Backup and Restore It can also be found in the Control Panel |
| In Windows XP | Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup |
| In any Windows version | Use Windows search and type in “Backup” |
About Using Windows Backup and Restore
The first time you use B&R you will go through a Wizard to setup your backup destination and your initial backup. Don’t worry too much about getting it all right in the Wizard, you will be able to go back and fix it and add additional backup jobs. Here’s a demo of the initial setup with the Wizard:
In the next BLOG article we will take quick look at how to restore a Windows Backup.
Categories: Data Security and Protection, Windows
