| Considering the increased amounts of data | | | | storage it has in store for you. Now think |
| that you save to your computer each day, more | | | | how many floppy diskettes it will require to |
| and more users embark on a quest for the most | | | | back up 30GB of critical information! |
| effective and reliable backup solution. | | | | |
| However, very few know that Windows XP has | | | | A standard program allows backing up your |
| its own backup utility. | | | | data to virtually any known type of removable |
| | | | media including CD, DVD, HD-DVD, Blu-ray, USB |
| You may sigh with relief because this means | | | | flash and external drives, as well as remote |
| you don't have to buy special backup | | | | locations such as LAN, FTP, SFTP, remote |
| software, though you should know that such | | | | online server. |
| software gives you a number of important | | | | |
| advantages above those that the operating | | | | WXBT offers five types of backup: normal, |
| system offers. In this article we will | | | | copy, daily, differential, and incremental. |
| compare a standard functionality backup | | | | To be honest, this abundance of backup types |
| program with the Windows XP backup tool | | | | causes nothing, but confusion especially if |
| (WXBT). | | | | this is your first time backup. |
| | | | |
| The WXBT allows backing up all user files in | | | | Most backup programs offer two most common |
| just one task. If you select the option of | | | | types of backup: full and incremental. These |
| the My Documents backup, it will copy the | | | | two types should be enough to meet all your |
| entire contents of the Documents and Settings | | | | requirements and cause no user confusion as |
| folder including MS Outlook/Outlook Express | | | | the definition of the two types is very |
| messages and settings as well as your profile | | | | clearly stated in the program. |
| settings. | | | | |
| | | | WXBT allows backing up the System state data |
| However, in most situations full backup is | | | | that include Registry, Boot files, COM + |
| not necessary. In all likelihood the My | | | | Class Registration database. However, you |
| Documents folder of your computer will be | | | | cannot include or exclude specific |
| large in size and contain a lot of irrelevant | | | | components. |
| information. If this is the case, WXBT | | | | |
| suggests that you manually specify files that | | | | A professional backup program allows creating |
| you want to include or exclude from the | | | | a hard drive image including the operating |
| backup set. | | | | system and all system settings. It also has |
| | | | the option of copying Windows Registry and |
| A standard backup program has the option of | | | | even allows backing up specific Registry |
| file filtering so you don't have to manually | | | | components such as user keys, configuration |
| specify each file, but rather specify file | | | | keys etc. |
| extensions of the needed files. For example, | | | | |
| if you want to back up only the MS Word | | | | Conclusions |
| documents, you only have to specify the doc. | | | | |
| file extension and the program will | | | | Having considered the pros and cons of |
| automatically find and copy all Word files. | | | | Windows XP backup tool, as compared to a |
| | | | standard backup program, we can say that WXBT |
| Besides, it allows doing target backup of | | | | is a viable solution for home computers, |
| data from specific applications such as Adobe | | | | however the major fault with it is that it |
| Photoshop, Windows Media Player, ICQ etc. | | | | cannot back up to optical disks and allows |
| This means that you only have to specify the | | | | recording your data only to a floppy disk |
| program whose data you are going to back up. | | | | which is outdated and does not meet today |
| | | | storage requirements. |
| When you do a backup, it is extremely | | | | |
| important where you keep the resulting files. | | | | The main advantage of a professional backup |
| It is recommended to keep such files as far | | | | program is that it can record your data to |
| as possible from the local computer. | | | | any type of optical disk, even the new |
| | | | generation disks such as Blu-ray and HD-DVD. |
| The farthest location WXBT suggests is a | | | | Besides that such a program offers flexible |
| network drive or an external drive. By | | | | file filters to simplify the process of data |
| default, it will even offer you to back up to | | | | files selection. |
| a floppy drive, and that's the only removable | | | | |