This discusses backing up your files to a CD. In Windows, there are many ways to do the same thing, and many ways to configure it so that some of these processes don't happen the same way. If you have other CD-writing software install these screens may not look the same.

• the folder(s) you want to backup must fit on a CD e.g less than 700 MB., assuming the CD is completely blank
• your computer must have a CD burner (of course)

1. Close all of your open programs and file folders. And files you have open will not be written to the CD.
2. Insert a blank CD into your computer.
3. Usually, a message will pop-up asking you what to do, select "Open a writable CD folder using Windows XP." A new, empty folder should open. If not, open "My Computer" and double click on the CD to open this empty folder.
4. Copy files from "MY documents" to the CD
   • Find your "My documents" folder. It may be on the desktop, or in your startment. You can drag this folder from the desktop, from the start menu, from My computer to the CD window.
   • Alternative method: open up My documents (or any other folder) and show the files. Select all of the files you want to copy to CD (use Ctrl+A to select them All). Right click on these selected files and choose "Send to.." and from the list choose "CD Drive."
5. return the Open CD window. You should see the "My documents" folder in it (but with a very small arrow on the bottom left corner of the folder icon).
6. on the left hand side of the folder windows is a list of tasks (if you see folders instead, click the folders icon). Click the "write these files to CD" option to burn them to cd.
7. during the burn process you may be given a message about files that can't be burned complete - usually "thumbs.db" or other hidden file. Press "continue." Sometimes the message will be about a file that is open by another program. click on the program on the task bar and close it and then click "continue."
8. when it's finished it will eject the CD.

That's it! You may want to re-insert the CD to check on the files. Now label your CD and file it away.

How often should you backup? How much work would you like to re-do? If you are busy creating and modify files (spreadsheets, documents, letters, etc) then I suggest backup daily. Blank CD-Rs are cheap but your documents are not.

The suggested process is simple

• backup frequently; CD's are cheap (25 and your data is valuable.
• backup a set of folders that will fit on a CD (e.g. just part of your documents)
• save the CD as an "archive" of your files and keep. You'll then have an historical record of your files. Keep these CDs around for a year and archive them.

For files that are very old and that you don't want to backup regularly but want to keep around.

• create a folder called "archive" in mydocuments.
• move a set of old files/folder into this archive folder
• write these files to CD - twice. Burn 2 CDs so you have a backup.
• delete the old files from the archive folder.

You now have these archived files on a CD available to view when you need them but not taking up space or slowing you down. Two CDs ensures you have a "backup."

If you have so many files they won't easily fit on a CD (700MB), I suggest purchasing a DVD writing (4600 mb/dvd or 6 1/2 CDs) Additionally you should consider an external hard drive but this does not keep archival snapshots.