How to backup a comp?

I have an external HD and I am going to back up my computer before I reformat it. The question is, I have never done this before. Would I use a program to backup my computer onto the HD or could I just copy and paste everything onto it?

 

First thing, what are you trying to backup? Everything? If so, then formatting is useless. Or just your works?

JC

 

I guess i'm trying to back up everything. I won't put everything back on though. I just don't know what i'll want to put on later, so that's why i'm backing everything up.

 

You can just "drag & drop" most of it. That's how i did all my songs, pictures and documents onto my flash drive. Assuming they are similar. The email addresses i just printed because i couldn't quite figure that one out. Or just buy a Ghost software program. Which I'm told is just a polished up version of a shared document on your XP So your still just dragging and dropping

 

yup, just drag n drop (copy paste) all your files. As for your bookmarks and playlists (don't forget the actual mp3s, you'd have to copy paste these) you can export them into txt or xml files and store in the external hard drive and import them later. As for your program keys i suggest you make a note of your registration keys (list them all in a text file) and refer to it later when re installing the programs after a fresh installation of windows. As for contacts you can export that too.

Use ghost? I take it that it makes an exact duplicate of a HD, so if it copies a cluttered windows installation; it will recreate the same cluttered data on a freshly formatted hard drive. Kinda useless if you ask me.

 

How do I put all of my keys into a text file? Would I just have to do it by hand?

 

I always save the data I really need in My Docs. Make sub directories like my saved, etc, then I just have to drag my docs folder containing all the data I really need. I also use a notez.txt file. Every time I am on the computer and need to save some info I just paste it there.

 

copy paste. Don't forget to double check. And have the installers ready (if you lost them then download them now, store in in your external HD so that you have everything set up before connecting to the web (an anti virus program is highly recommended to be installed before connecting to the web).