Back up your files!

Backing Up your computer Files: (these instructions pertain to users with Windows XP Professional)
Backing your files simply means copying your files to an alternate location other than the hard drive of your computer. This alternate location can be

a cd or dvd disk: any of CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW -choose according to your equipment and the amount of data you need to save.

a portable USB Drive (USB key) : these are a convenient type of removable media in that they are lightweight and easy to carry around - you could attach them to your key-chain for instance. Various capacities are available from 256MB to 1GB and more.

your account on the email servers - by transferring your files using SecureShell FTP (SSH FTP) or...

Artemis account: Barnard has a Novell file server called Artemis where you can store your files. There is a shared department account as well as an individual account. All files saved on this server are backed up by MINS.

Click on the images above to skip to the details of backing up using each method.

What files should you back-up?
Files that you would not be able to replace easily if for instance you knocked over a large cup of coffee which spilled onto your new laptop and now it won't turn on. Such files may include but are not limited to:

Word documents
Excel spreadsheets
Access database files
Special configuration files
Email addressbooks
Old email messages
Screensavers and pictures
Frontpage web files
Instant Messenger buddy list and your favorite icons
Outlook Calendar and email configuration

Are your files organized?
It helps to have been somewhat organized before the fact or you could take the opportunity now to organize your files before you move them to the back-up location. If you generally save your files in random anything goes, anywhere does, locations - it will be more time consuming to find and sort your files.

You need to put in some organized energy to counter entropy. Make up a filing system for saving your files that will make it easy to "pack and go" but that you will still find intuitive when you come back from your six-week vacation in Vanuatu. Use folder names that will give you a clue about what they contain so you don't have to waste valuable brain power memorizing them. Having said that, don't name your files and folders using sentences that carry punctuations. As tempting as the name "Minutes: Tuesday, November 2" may be - it's not a proper file or folder name and will cause problems with opening and saving the file in future.

Simplify, simplify, simplify. Use short simple file names. Avoid multiple versions of the same file or files with names that are very similar. Back up your important files regularly. Clean house - delete files that you don't need any more. If you are worried that you may come upon an unexpected situation that requires you find a file that you deleted the day before, remember that since you have been diligently backing-up, that file is on one of those back-up cds that you labelled in a manner such that you can tell in one second what the cd's contents are.

Depending on what programs you use, some files like your email address book and old mail files may be tricky to find and save to or import from a back-up location. Don't spend days laboring, just call the Help Desk at 47172.

Click the images at the top of the page to link to details of backing-up with the methods listed.

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