How to Back Up and Restore Files with Microsoft Backup (152563)

MORE INFORMATION

To back up files, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.
   
   NOTE: For information about how to install Backup, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   152561 How to Install Microsoft Backup

2. Click the Backup tab.
3. Create a backup set. A backup set is an index of the files you plan to back up. The first time you run Backup, a Full System Backup Set is created. This set includes every file on your hard disk.
   
   NOTE: If you have the original installation disks for the programs you use, it is usually not necessary to back up your programs. Instead, back up only the documents you have created.
   
   To create a smaller set of selected files, use the Select Files To Backup window. In this window, each drive, folder, and file has a check box next to it. If a check appears in a check box, the file, the contents of the folder, or the contents of the drive will be backed up. If a check appears in a check box with a dark background, some items, but not everything, in the folder or drive will be backed up.
4. Click Next Step.
5. In the "Select a destination for the backup" window, click the destination for the backup.
   
   If you have a supported tape backup drive that is detected by Backup, it appears at the bottom of the "Select a destination for the backup" window. If you do not have a tape drive, or your tape drive is not supported or detected, you can select a floppy disk drive or a location on your hard disk.
   
   NOTE: You can also back up your files to a network drive. The easiest way to accomplish this is to map a drive letter to the network destination to which you want to back up your files. If you have mapped a drive letter to a network drive, Backup displays it in the "Select a destination for the backup" window.
6. Click Start Backup. If you have created a new backup set, you are prompted to name the new backup set. Backup informs you when the backup operation is finished.

To restore files, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.
2. Click the Restore tab.
3. In the Restore From window, click the drive or folder where the backup is stored.
4. In the Backup Set window, click the backup set you want to restore, and then click Next Step.
5. Click the check boxes of the files you want to restore so that a check appears in the check box. Clear the check boxes for files you do not want to restore.
6. Click Start Restore. Backup informs you when the backup operation is finished.

NOTE: If you receive an error message while you are restoring files, Backup displays a log showing where the error occurred. For information about how to troubleshoot this problem, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: