The Complete backup guide for Windows XP and older editions.

This does not include off site backup solutions, or more expensive automatic NAS solutions which I hope to cover both in a later article as well as how to back up Windows Vista and Windows 7 machines.

For a PDF with images of this article, download it here!

To back up the registry go to Start | Run and type in regedit in the Run box, then press the Enter key.

When the registry opens go to the top left corner and click on File | Export.

Now choose the location to backup to (I strongly suggest the root folder which is just C:, that way if there is an issue it is easier to access).

Select Open, which is located n the lower right of the windows to go into the folder.

Make sure that under Export Range the All button is selected.

Select “OK”, that is all there is to it!

Until we meet again have a virus free week!

There are several benefits to using a Windows Home Server in your house or small business (10 or less computers). First are the backup capabilities, if all your data is on one PC and you have a backup plan then you know it was backed up. Let’s say you have an external NAS (Network Attached Storage), you will backup the home server to the NAS. Windows Home Server is itself a backup device. You can backup from your desktop computers to the Home Server (ok, from now on WHS = Windows Home Server). WHS comes with the software and you can schedule what to backup. So we have your local computers backup to the WHS and then redundantly you backup the WHS to a NAS (or off site location such as Mozy.com).

What else can WHS server do for you? In my home, I have ripped not only all CD‘s, moved all family home videos and pictures but I have also ripped my favorite DVD’s to the home server. Now any computer in the house can play any of the movies at any time, no searching for the DVD. At the same time, in another room music can be played from the WHS to the computer in that room while on a 3^rd computer the photos are being edited for scrapbooking. Keep in mind that I have a gigabit network in place BUT the WHS only has a 10/100 NIC so data streaming could be limited but thus far has not. I can play 2 movies at once without issue but 3 movies are choppy, this could be the network cards limit of 100MB or the hard drives data streaming limit.

One of the many features that I like about WHS is the ability to add hard drives if, no when, I run out of space. The naming convention is different but basically every drive I add is an extension to drive D:. There is not trying to remember what data is on what drive in which folder, it is all just there.

Another fun but seldom used feature is web site hosting. No, I don’t mean a web site for the world but rather one for your small office, an internal web site. All of the capabilities are there.

Moving on to the “issues” I have encountered with WHS. My only current (Windows updates and patches have solved all the others I previously experienced) issues are watching ripped media content. It seems that only XP Media Center and Vista Ultimate (I have not tried with Windows 7 Ultimate) have a listing called “DVD Library”. My Vista Home Premium machine and XP machines don’t display or play them quite so easily. Yes, they can be played, I just have to select the video files of the movie first, not the DVD title like I can with the Ultimate and Media Center versions of Windows). This issue however should be attributed to the other operating systems and not directly to WHS and this has little effect on businesses but can be frustrating for the home user at first.

I have installed WHS in several businesses as a backup solution and once properly implemented, it has proven time and time again an excellent backup and recovery strategy.

Overall I give 2 thumbs up to the WHS. If you are interested in one, you can have one built but IFix Computers or some major manufactures have prebuilt machines. More information is available at Microsoft.

Until we meet again, have a virus free week.

I started to write just an article on what to do but then I wanted to add screen shots. This ended up way to long so I made it another FREE downloadable PDF for you.

Backing up Outlook Express

Today let’s go over backing up your information that is in Microsoft Outlook.

Basically all you do is open Outlook and go to File | Import/Export.

Then new menu that appears allows you to Export to a File and then select Next.

On the next screen choose Personal Folder File (.pst) and then select Next again.

The new page will allow you to select what part of your email to backup, select Personal Folders and make sure that there is a check mark next to Include Subfolders and once again choose Next.

On the next window select Browse and navigate to where you want to backup such as a thumb drive, another computer on the network or an external hard drive.

Now select a name for the backup (located at the bottom of the window) and then select OK.

Once there double check your Options and then select Finish.

You will have another window appear that will allow you to password protect the file if you desire, after making your decision select OK.

Yet another window will appear and when the backup is complete you will be back at the normal Outlook screen where you read your email.

That is all there is to backing up your Outlook data.

Until we meet again, have a virus free week!