Vista provides many layers of backup and restore protection in a single, integrated Backup and Restore Center. Two of the main applications included are Windows Restore and Windows Backup. Together, these applications provide users protection from hardware failure, user error, or other issues.
Windows Backup.
Using Windows Backup u can back up ur PC settings, files and applications manually or by using automated scheduling. U van back up to CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, external hard disk, to another hard disk on your PC, or to a network PC or server. With automatic scheduling, u can choose when and where u want the back up to take place. U also have a choice of backing up ur systems files and folders or ur entire hard drive.
When backing up ur entire system, Windows Back Up creates a complete image of you hard drive. U can use this backup to restore ur PC contents in the even your hard disk fails. MS recommend creating a new system image backup every six months. Here’s how:
1. Open the Control Panel and click “Backup and Restore Center”.
2. Choose the type of restore u want to create and follow the instructions.
If this ur first backup, I suggest you do a complete PC backup. If u use a lot of programs and have those programs available, installed those programs before backing up ur hard drive. Vista will create an image of the entire PC, which u can later use to restore ur PC in case of a PC failure or if replacing ur hard drive.
Note that if u restore ur PC from a backup image, u won’t be able to choose individual files or folders to restore, and all of ur current files and programs will completely replaced. Also, do not choose a complete back up if u r experiencing problems with ur current settings, if u do, chances are that u’ll have those same problems when u restore ur PC.
3. U should backup ur files in a regular basis, or schedule automatic backups...Follow steps 1 and 2 above. Note that automatic backup will not be available in Windows Vista Starter or Home Basic versions.
If u backup important files in an external hard drive, DVD, or CD, keep them in a secure place to prevent other people from accessing ur files, or better yet, have ur files encrypted. Also, remember that u r currently using a Vista beta...For testing only. If u use this beta to back up ur important files, u might not be able to restore those files when the beta expired.
Happy computing!