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Guidelines for Backing Up Your Data

A computer crash, hard drive failure or a virus can wipe out everything on your computer. Therefore, it is critical to backup your system so that you can restore your files if any disaster occurs. You should back up regularly and back up often (at least once a week).

  1. Decide what to back up. It is not necessary to back up all the files on your computer. Instead, you should back up anything you cannot replace easily. Some basic files to include are important documents, email messages, your email address book, Outlook calendar, and any favorites or bookmarks.
  2. Organize your data files. To easily back up your computer, all your files should be stored in easy-to-find locations. Windows XP makes this easier by storing all files for your user account in the Documents and Settings folder.
  3. Decide where to store your backup copies. Having copies on your hard drive is not enough. An external drive such as a zip drive or hard disk drive, CD, DVD, or USB Flash Drive is usually your best option.
  4. Set up a schedule for regular backups. The easiest way to do this is to set up an automatic backup schedule in Windows.
  5. Back up your data regularly and often.You should back up your data and documents at least once a week.
  6. If you have Windows XP, use the backup utility. If you do not have Windows XP, consider purchasing backup software that offers a scheduling option. Backup programs allow you to easily restore your data in case of disaster.
  7. Make manual backup copies of important documents while you are working on them. This helps ensure that you can save time by recovering your most recent draft and is as simply as clicking copying and pasting the file to a disk or external hard drive.
  8. Make more than one copy and keep them in separate locations. Backup media can also fail; it is a good practice to keep a second copy.
  9. For additional information, see PCWorld's Get in a Good Habit: Back Up Your Data.
  10. For step-by-step information, see Using the Windows XP Backup Wizard (PDF, 5 pages) or Backup to CD or DVD (PDF 2 pages).
  11. For other ways to protect your data, see how to Secure and Maintain Your Laptop (PDF, 19 pages).

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500 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201-1786 PHONE: (410) 706-7214 FAX: (410) 706-4045 / TDD: (410) 706-7714

Copyright © 2008, University of Maryland, School of Law. All Rights Reserved