Microsoft Backup
Windows XP comes with a Backup program that lets you back up entire disk drives or selected files and folders, at times and under the conditions you specify—but Microsoft doesn’t seem to want you to know about it. The Windows XP installer doesn’t give it to you. In fact, this backup program doesn’t even appear as a system component that can be added with the Add or Remove Programs program in the Control Panel.
Instead, you must install it manually from the Windows XP CD, like this:
Insert your Windows XP CD-ROM. When the welcome screen appears, click Exit.
You return to the Windows desktop.
Choose Start → My Computer. In the My Computer window, right-click your CD-ROM icon; from the shortcut menu, choose Explore.
A Windows Explorer window appears, listing the contents of the Windows XP CD-ROM.
In the list at the left side, open the VALUEADD → MSFT → NTBACKUP folder.
On the right side, you should see a file called NTBACKUP.MSI.
Double-click the NTBACKUP.MSI icon.
An installer whirls into action.
On the final screen of the wizard, click the Finish button.
When the installation is complete, choose Start→All Programs→Accessories→System Tools→Backup to launch the Backup program. You’re ready to perform your first basic backup, known as a backup job. This process creates a single file, an archive containing other files and folders.
Backup or restore?
The first wizard screen (Figure 15-12, top) wants to know whether you want to back up your files (because you’re a shrewd, ...
Get Windows XP Home Edition: The Missing Manual now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
