Episode #170


Preparing For A System Restore

I am wanting to Install my Installation recovery Discs in my Toshiba Laptop 60gb. Its that time. It is slowing up. Should I do a whole backup to Maxtor External 80gb Harddrive or just certain folders to the ext. Harddrive???? Will iTunes Restore with all
my music?

steve, Millers Point, NSW



Generally it’s enough to backup the Documents and Setting folder. This will capture all the data in every account on the computer, including your iTunes music UNLESS you’ve stored it in a location other than the My Music folder. Sometimes programs will save data in the Program Files folder - games often do this, Quicken sometimes does, so scan through that for recently created files.

Sean’s note: Backing up the entirety of the hard drive isn’t a bad option if you have a backup program that’s capable of restoring the system to its original state. The downside: you’re saving a lot of data that could also be recovered by reinstalling Windows and your applications. The upside: You don’t have to go through the hassle of locating all your install disks…and you don’t have to manually locate all your data that you want to back up.