Backing Up Files with the Windows Vista Backup Files Wizard

With the Backup Files Wizard in Windows Vista, you can perform a manual backup of particular types of files or let the wizard perform the backup automatically. Although the Vista interface allows you to schedule a backup job to run automatically, it doesn't allow you to configure multiple jobs. Therefore, you should schedule a job that captures the types of files that you want to back up on a regular basis. For a more customized backup event, such as backing your music files to a CD or DVD, you need to run the job manually.

To perform a backup with the Backup and Restore Files Wizard in Windows Vista, follow these steps:

1. From the Backup and Restore Center interface, select Change Settings under the Back Up Files button.

2. Select the Change Backup Settings button.

3. When prompted with the Where Do You Want to Save Your Backup window, select a location.

Your choices are

• A hard disk:The hard disk can be an internal or external disk, but it cannot be a flash drive device.

• CD: Any writable CD-ROM.

• DVD:Any writable DVD-ROM.

• On a network:A network location can be a network resource or an Internet backup service.

4. After you select the appropriate backup location, click Next.

You are prompted to select the file types to be backed up. Here, you don't specify specific folders. Instead, you're prompted to provide the types of files that you want to back up, such as pictures, music, videos, e-mail, documents, TV shows, compressed files, and additional files. Microsoft describes the additional files option as being any other files that do not fit in the other categories. However, system files, program files, and temporary files will never be backed up.

If you move your cursor over each file category type, information about that particular category is displayed. Become familiar with exactly what is included in each category type. Although the utility doesn't allow you to point to a specific folder, organizing your data at the folder level continues to be important during the restore process.

5. After you select the file types that you want to back up, click Next.

You're prompted to configure how often you want to run this backup.


6. Choose Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or specify what day of the week and what time you would like it to run.

7. Execute the backup by clicking the Save Settings and Start Up Backup button.