Everyone should be concerned with the most important computer system files and folders to Backup.I am not really talking about Windows system files, but the files and folders that are important to you.
I could tell you 10 different ways on how you can lose data, however I am sure everyone has experienced one or two of them.
Your hard drive can crash, there may be a power surge, or someone could simply spill a drink on the computer. This is why backup is so important!
Often when I go to restore my computer or transfer my data to another system, I have more than likely forgotten to backup at least one important file.
Sometimes it is a password or a setting, and sometimes an entire folder. By making simple mistakes, I have lost a lot of important information over the years.
However now I have vowed to religiously backup my data at least once a week. This is easy enough to perform as long as I can remember all of the files and folders I need to backup. My memory isn’t that good so I devised a list of the most important computer system files to backup from my computer hard drive.
A list of the most important computer system files and folders to Backup
My Documents
In Windows Xp the My documents folder is a vital key to everything as it includes everything in it like My pictures, My music etc. Read my article on how to organize your computer. Simply copy the entire folder. In Windows Vista and Windows seven the my pictures folder and others were taken out from the documents folder. Now it is not as easy as just copying one folder.
Photos and pictures
I guess this is one of the most important system files to backup. Even though it is not classed as a system file, but it is a folder with very important stuff. I would have to say that this is sometimes the most important thing to backup. I have had people crying to me after losing their photos and memories. You can backup your pictures onto a disc or another hard drive but just make sure you do it.
Passwords
If you use a program like Roboform to remember your passwords then make sure you back it up. Using these programs makes you very lazy with passwords as you rely on the program too much.
Email Account Settings and Contacts
Email Address Book How to backup your address book
Email Folder System (Inbox, Sent items etc) Here’s How to backup your email folders
Email Account settings like your password and username. How to Backup email account settings.
Email Message rules. What are message rules? How to backup message rules
Should I backup my online Email Accounts?Is this one of the most important computer system files?
Online email account settings and contacts lists are stored online and are almost 99% safe from disaster. However it is still good to make a backup of everything.
Favorites for Internet Explorer. Located in C:Documents and SettingsYour usernameFavorites Simply copy the folder. See importing and exporting bookmarks and favorites.
Drivers for my computer
You do not have to backup your drivers if you have a driver disc and you are using the same operating system you started out with. However if you have updated or upgraded then your drivers would have also. Without a doubt, drivers are one of the most important computer system files to backup. These are the things that can cause the most problems when you can’t find them to install. To backup your drivers manually is not easy so I recommend you use a third party program or find the ones you need on the internet, download them, and then store them safely. Find out more About Device Drivers
The most important computer system files you should backup in Windows Vista and Windows Seven?
Windows Vista and Windows Seven still have files that you need to backup, however they both have an inbuilt backup feature. This will help you safely backup the most important computer system files. If you are backing up manually then the files are just stored in different areas. For example in Windows Vista and Seven you have a username that all your files are stored under. The path to this folder is C:usersmitz This is where you will find the Documents folder, the pictures, music, and so on.
Email contacts are often forgotten and you know how annoying that is. Stop and think before doing anything drastic with your computer. Ask yourself..”Have you backed up all of the most important computer system files and folders?”
Clone your hard drive so you never have to backup
I actually like to clone my entire hard drive and replace everything the way it was. Even software I installed, old emails, and just everything! The catch is I never store saved files on my C: drive. I always save files directly onto an external hard drive which are extremely cheap now days. [easyazon-link asin="B004SH5VQ4"]3TB external hard drive[/easyazon-link] for around $120.
Anyway this means I am free to clone my computer and restore it (the entire system) anytime I wish. This process almost eliminates computer maintenance and there is no need to ever format your computer. No need to get all the discs out to reinstall Windows.
Clone ENTIRE hard disk in minutes! Never Never need to reinstall Windows and softwares!
Have you got a list of the most important computer system files and folders to Backup and what process do you use?
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This post was written by...
Mitz – who has written 731 posts on Computer Tips.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I used to hate to remember what I needed to backup before formatting my computer. Today I don’t really keep anything on the internal hard drive of my computer. All my data usually resides on my external hard drive, so I can freely reformat/upgrade my computer without losing data.
I am also taking advantage of using the cloud more and more. All my e-mailing, from multiple accounts, is done online and now I am starting to move office documents into Google docs.
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Great list and reminder what’s really the important files that needs to backup.
At one time or another we lose something important in the computer. The thing lost may be of great importance so I agree that a back up is very necessary. The list you have given is a good one and if such files are lost then it can be quite hectic from you. Some things like pictures may never be taken in the same place or manner like they were so it is important that you never lose them.
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Please,
I am a student of Awere in Asafo kumasi. But how school have a computer but the are not tell as to format a computer so we need a book of list os that we can look and format how computer in how lab.Please
Thank you
I can email you a pdf file that has instructions. Is that what you need? (about how to format the computer)
can you tell me:
to coroupt windows xp, which file we need to delete from windows folder….(name one file which is very important for windows xp)
Great post. I would add family photos to that list. I save all the photos of the kids, birthday parties and everything else.
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