Windows 8 Bible

Simple File Backups

A simple way to back up items from your user account is to copy files to an external disk. You can use any of the methods described in Chapter 28, “Managing Files and Folders,” for copying files to accomplish this sort of backup. You just need to make sure that the disk to which you’re copying has enough space to store what you’re copying.

Note

This chapter focuses on using hard drives, flash drives, and similar local disks to make backups. For ways to back up to the “cloud,” read Chapter 22, “Working in the Cloud,” which covers Microsoft SkyDrive. That chapter shows you how to store files online to give you the ability to back up files to an offsite location, and use those files from anyplace you have Internet access.

To see how much stuff is in a folder in your user account, open File Explorer and then point to the folder you’re considering backing up, or right-click that folder and choose Properties. When you point, the size of the folder shows in a tooltip. When you right-click and choose Properties, the size of the folder shows up next to Size On Disk in the Properties dialog box (see Figure 31.1).

FIGURE 31.1 A folder’s size shown on the Properties dialog box

Note

Folder sizes show in tooltips only if you selected Show Pop-Up Description For Folder And Desktop Items in the Folder Options dialog box. For more information on that and other terms ...