Online Backup Guide

Does your OS provide any backup service? Nearly all of the currently available operating systems provide an easy method to backup your data. Sometimes, the features available may not be as extensive as those available in commercial backup software but backups can be taken without paying extra money the commercial programs.

Let’s consider how backup works in Windows XP. You should first assemble all your data in one convenient location. You can use sub folders to manage your data. The idea is that you do not forget to take backups of some files which may be forgotten in some other location.

Next, verify that the Backup utility is available in Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools ->Backup. If this program is not available, then you can install it from your Windows XP installation CD. Open the CD in windows explorer and double-click the ValueAdd folder, then Msft, and then Ntbackup. Then double-click Ntbackup.msi to install the Backup utility.

Once the Backup utility is installed, you need to choose which files to backup. There is an option to backup every file; however, this in not suitable for most of the people since it copies software files also which can be easily re-installed if needed. Choose ‘My Documents and Setting’ to backup or ‘Everyone’s Documents and Setting’ if there are more than one active users. On the next page, select the backup location where you want to backup your data and the name you’d like to give to the backup. The location can be floppy disk, your hard disk or network drives, etc. On the next page, choose the backup type

1. Normal: It backs up all files and marks them as backed up.
2. Copy: It backs up all files but does not mark any files as backed up.
3. Incremental: Backs up only those files which were created or modified after the last backup.
4. Differential: Similar as incremental backup, but does not marks the files as backed up.
5. Daily: Backs up only those files which were created today.

After selecting any of the above backup methods, you can select whether to verify the backups or not. Next, you can also select whether to set a schedule to take regular backups. There’s a nice schedule management feature where the schedules can be created as per individual preferences. Like all other backup activities you have seen so far, the important thing to note is that the backups should be separately stored from the original hard disk otherwise there is no use of taking backups. Also, from time to time, you must verify that the backups taken can be restored by you.

Backups can be taken similarly on other Windows operating systems. However, you must note that the backups taken on one version of Windows OS may not work on other version. For example, Windows XP backups are restorable in Windows 9x.