How to Backup Windows XP Home Edition
by: Stephen Bucaro
Your computer cost you from hundreds to thousands of dollars, but the computer itself is not the most valuable part. The data on the hard disk is the most valuable part. How many hours of work did you put into creating that data? One little event, like a power line spike from a lightning strike, and all that work could be lost. Unfortunately, backing up with Windows XP Home Edition is not as simple as it should be.
The first step is to choose a backup device. You might choose a tape drive or a DVD drive, but those devices might require drivers to be installed before you could restore from them. The simplest option is to install a second hard drive in your computer.
The second hard drive doesn’t have to be equal to your main hard drive. You can use an older, smaller hard drive as the backup device, as long as the backup drive has more กFree Spaceก than the main hard drive has กUsed Spaceก.
Install a Second Hard Drive
When installing a second hard drive in your computer, itกs important to configure the drives correctly. Your motherboard should have two ATA (sometimes called IDE) connectors. The primary connector should have a cable with two drive connectors. The end connector should go to your main hard drive, the middle connector can be used for a backup hard drive. The second motherboard ATA connector should go to your CDROM.
On the back of each hard drive is a jumper. The jumper on your main hard drive should be set to the กMasterก position. The jumper on your backup hard drive should be set to กSlaveก position. Most modern computers use กCable Selectก, so you can set both jumpers to the กCable Selectก position. Don’t forget the power connector for the second drive.
When you restart your computer, the second drive should be automatically recognized and be designated with the next drive letter available, usually E: (D: being used for the CDROM drive).
Format the Second Hard Drive
Generally, you will want to reformat the second hard drive after installation to remove any previously installed operating system and to remove any previous file access rights. To format the drive, select Start | Settings | Control Panel | Administration Tools | Computer Management. In the กComputer Managementก window, under กStorageก, click on กDisk Managementก.
Right click on the backup diskกs drive letter. In the popup menu, select All Tasks | Format… In the Warning dialog box that appears, click on the กYesก button. In the กFormatก dialog box, in the กFile systemก dropdown list, select NTFS. Click on the กOKก button. Again, in the Warning dialog box that appears, click on the กYesก button.
Install the Backup Utility
Windows XP Home Edition doesn’t install the Backup utility by default. Youกll need to install it manually from your Windows XP CDROM.
1. After inserting the CDROM, open Control Panelกs กAdd or Remove Programsก utility. In the กAdd or Remove Programsก utilityก, click on the กAdd New Programsก button, then click on the กCD or Floppyก button.
2. In the กRun Installation Programก dialog box that appears, navigate to the VALUEAD/MSFT/NTBACKUP folder on the CDROM and select the file NTBACKUP.MSI. Click on the กFinishก button. The Backup utility will be installed.
Perform a Full Backup
To perform a backup, select Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Backup to open the Backup Utility.
Note: If you don’t find Backup listed in System Tools, double click on the file name ntbackup.exe in the Windows\system32 folder.
In the กBackup or Restore Wizardก, click on the กAdvanced Modeก link. In the กBackup Utilityก dialog box, select the กBackupก tab and set the checkbox next to the drive to backup (c:) and set the checkbox next to กSystem Stateก.
In the กBackup media or file nameก text box, enter the path to the file for the backup (example E:\Backup.bkf). Click on the กStart Backupก button.
In the กBackup Job Informationก dialog box that appears, set the radio button next to ‘replace the data on the media with this backupก. Click on the กStart Backupก button. The กbackup Progressก dialog box will appear.
Even when you backup to relatively fast media like hard disk, the process can take 30 minutes or longer depending upon how much data is on the main drive.
When the backup is complete, turn off the computer and remove the data and power cables from the backup drive. It doesn’t make sense to leave the backup drive connected because if the cause of a failure is a power spike, it will take out both drives. Next time you want to backup youกll need to reinstall the cables.
How to Perform a Restore
In the unfortunate event that your computer crashes and you can’t get it back by any other means, youกll need to reinstall Windows XP from the CDROM. (Automated System Recovery is not supported in Windows XP Home Edition.) Youกll need to reinstall the Backup utility. Then youกll need to shut down the computer to install the data and power cables to the backup drive. Restart the computer and use the Backup Utility to restore Windows XP from the backup file.
When using this backup method, itกs important to be careful not to break any pins when you are removing and installing the data cable of the hard drive. And if your computer doesn’t use กcable Selectก, don’t forget to change the jumper on the main hard drive back to กSingleก.
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About The Author
Stephen Bucaro
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This article was posted on September 09, 2004
by Stephen Bucaro