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SAVE AND BACK-UP YOUR DATA FILES

What You Should Know About Your Windows Operating System

SCENARIO: You’ve worked on that report, PowerPoint presentation, or graphic design project for hours, when your computer suddenly freezes. Then you receive a message that Windows is shutting down. Windows shuts down, and closes the application software and the file that you were working on. Chances are, when you open the file, unless you saved your work while working in the file, your report, presentation or graphic design project will not be on the page.

Why does this happen?

For those who own a P.C. with a Microsoft Windows Operating System (OS), including Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows 98 or Windows 95, there are times when the operating systems will get “buggy”. Depending on which OS you use, the cause could be from any number of factors, such as:

Limited RAM (Random Access Memory - the part of the computer that processes information), too many software applications loaded on your computer, or not enough RAM to handle a software application.
- SOLUTION: Add more RAM to your computer. Visit the website at http://www.cyberwalker.com/article/41 “How To Add RAM”, for step-by-step instructions on identifying the type of RAM you will need for your computer.
Too many windows, e-mail, browsers, and software applications open at the same time.
- SOLUTION: It is recommended that you only have the window open that you are working in, so the software is not competing with other software programs for RAM.
Too many commands sent too quickly while working on your project.
- SOLUTION: The computer process information as you input the data using the keyboard. If you notice the process slowing down and hesitating, wait a few minutes before sending additional commands to give the CPU (Central Processing Unit) time to process the commands. This is also an indicator of low RAM which many times will cause your computer to “crash”.

Save Your Work!

To avoid losing your work (data), remember to do the following:

Name the file as soon as you begin your project and “Save” the file to a folder to your computer hard drive. “My Documents” or “Documents” is a standard folder for saving your files to in Microsoft Windows.
As you work on your project, be sure to regularly click on the “Save” (floppy disk icon), or “Save” in the dropdown menu “File” (Windows XP and earlier); and in Windows Vista click on the Office Button (upper left corner) and click “Save”.

DON’T FORGET TO BACK-UP YOUR FILES

Reprinted from the Microsoft website at http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/data/what.mspx

There are many ways you can unintentionally lose information on a computer. A child playing the keyboard like a piano, a power surge, lightning, floods. And sometimes equipment just fails.

If you regularly make backup copies of your files and keep them in a separate place, you can get some, if not all, of your information back in the event something happens to the originals on your computer.

Deciding what to back up is highly personal. Anything you cannot replace easily should be at the top of your list. Before you get started, make a checklist of files to back up. This will help you determine what to back up, and also give you a reference list in the event you need to retrieve a backed-up file. Here are some file suggestions to get you started:

•	Bank records and other financial information
•	Digital photographs
•	Software you purchased and downloaded from the Internet
•	Music you purchased and downloaded from the Internet
•	Personal projects
•	Your e-mail address book
•	Your Microsoft Outlook calendar
•	Your Internet Explorer bookmarks

If you haven't already decided where you want to store your backup copies—external hard disk drive, CDs, DVDs, or some other storage format—and you want to know more about your options, you can read about the types of external storage available.

Storage Type	What It Is
External drives	A Zip drive is a disk drive that uses removable Zip disks to store hundreds of megabytes of data.
CD-RW* *You need a CD-RW drive to burn files onto CDs.	A CD-RW is a compact disc onto which you can burn information if you have a CD-RW drive. (RW stands for "read-write.")
DVD-RW* *You need a DVD-RW drive to burn files onto DVDs.	A DVD-RW is a DVD onto which you can burn information if you have a DVD-RW drive. (RW stands for "read-write.")
USB flash drive	A USB flash drive is like a small hard drive, about 2-3 inches long, that plugs into your computer through a USB port. You can download information onto it for storage.
Online backup and storage	An online storage service lets you save files online. If you have Internet access, you can get your files from the online storage site whenever you need them.

After you've decided what you want to back up and where you're going to back up, you're ready to learn how to back up.

WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM BACKUP PROCEDURES

Windows Vista: Backup and Restore Center

Depending on the version of Windows Vista you have, there are two approaches you can take to back up files: Automatic Backup, which backs up just your files and data; or Complete PC Backup, which backs up everything on your computer, including the operating system and applications.

To access the Backup and Restore Center:

1.	Click Start, and point to Control Panel.
2.	Click System and Maintenance and then click Back up your computer.

Windows XP Professional: Use the built-in Backup utility

If you use Windows XP Professional, you can use the built-in Backup utility to help you make copies of files, settings, or everything on your computer. You can even use the utility to back up certain files on a schedule that you specify. Here's how to start using the Backup utility:

1.	Click Start, and point to All Programs.
2.	Point to Accessories, and then point to System Tools.
3.	Click Backup.

If you've never used the Backup utility, the first screen you will see is the Backup or Restore Wizard welcome window. Click Next and follow the instructions on the wizard.

Windows XP Home Edition: Add the Backup utility

If you're using Windows XP Home Edition and you want to install the Backup utility, you must locate your original Windows XP CD first. Add the Backup utility manually to your computer from the CD by following these steps:

1.	Insert your Windows XP CD into the drive and, if necessary, in My Computer, double-click the CD icon to display the Welcome screen.
2.	On the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen, click Perform Additional Tasks.
3.	Click Browse this CD.
4.	In Windows Explorer, double-click the ValueAdd folder, then Msft, and then Ntbackup.
5.	Double-click Ntbackup.msi to install the Backup utility.

Note: If you bought a computer with Windows XP Home Edition and you don't have the original Windows XP CD, contact the computer's manufacturer or visit the manufacturer's Web site for more information.

Making backup copies manually

Regardless of what version of Windows you use, you can manually make a backup copy of any file or folder by following these steps:

1.	Right-click the file or folder that you want to back up, and then click Copy from the menu.
2.	Now, in My Computer, you can right-click the disk or external hard drive where you want to store the backup copy, and then click Paste from the menu.

That's it. After you've copied all the information you want to back up onto your chosen storage format, don't forget to keep it protected.