Windows Vista gives the provision of having many layers of backup and restoration integrated in one Backup and Restore Center, two of the main applications that Windows Vista provides. They work with each other synergistically to give the users the protection and security from hardware failure, errors and other computer problems.
With Windows Backup, you are able to backup the settings of your computer, files and applications either manually or through automatic scheduling. You are able to store copies of your files on your CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, an external hard disk, a spare hard disk on the computer or to a network computer or server. Using the automatic scheduling, you are given the choice to select the time and location of the back up of your important files and folders.
You can also have a back up of all your system files and folders or even your entire hard drive. As you back up your whole system, a full and complete image of your hard drive is created by Windows Back Up. What is the use of this backup file? When something goes wrong with your hard drive and you cannot access the files it contains, you can use your backup and restore the contents of your computer to the way it was when you backed it up, even if your hard drive is malfunctioning. Microsoft recommends creating new system image backups twice a year. Here are the steps to follow to be able to back up your files:
1. Click on the Start button.
2. Click on the Control Panel.
3. Select the Backup and Restore Center.
4. Choose which backup you want to do and follow the instructions that follow.
If this is the first time that you are going to backup your file, I would suggest that you first do a complete system backup. If you utilize several programs and its installation disks are available, install those programs first before you back up your hard drive. Windows Vista’s Backup center creates an exact and detailed image of your entire computer system which is really useful when your hard drive gives up on you. Unfortunately, if ever you are already experiencing some PC problems when you do a complete backup of your system, when you use this backup when you need to restore your computer, those PC problems will also be included upon restoration of the back-up settings.
As often as you do your regular maintenance on your computer, you should also have regular backups made of your systems, not necessarily everything but the important ones. You can also schedule your backups to occur automatically. Sadly, the automatic backup feature is not included in the Starter and Home Basic versions of Windows Vista.
If you plan to backup your important files in an external hard drive, CD or DVD, put them in a place where it is unlikely to get damaged or handled by curious people who would like to check what you keep in your files. You can also try to get your files encrypted. If you are using a beta version of Windows Vista which is for testing purposes only, you might not be able to restore those files when it expires. So, if you plan to back up your system, make sure that you can still be able to access if easily if the need presents itself in the future.
Backup Files in Windows Vista 
