Windows7How

Windows 7 – Backup and Restore

October 10, 2009

If you have used Windows Backup and Restore in any previous operating system (OS) other than Vista, you know that you had the option to select specific files or folders which Windows would automatically or manually back-up for you. Windows Vista only allowed you to select from a set of ‘file categories’ to back-up. These categories were items like Music, Videos, Documents and the like. Many users complained a great deal about this limitation, and Microsoft actually listened and has reverted to the old-style back-up features which most of us are used to.

To launch Windows Backup and Restore, you need to go to the Start Menu, access the Control Panel and choose ‘Back up your computer’ under the System and Security category . This will bring up the Backup and Restore interface with which you can start your setup. First, you will need to select a place to store your back-ups. Choose where you want to save your Windows back-ups and then move to the next screen. This will have two possible selections; one is ‘Let Windows choose’, which is the default choice and lets Windows handle the process. When you let Windows do it for you, it will automatically back-up all files contained in the Windows 7 libraries. These will include: Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos as well as the folders AppData, Contacts, Desktop, Downloads, Favorites, Links, Saved Games, and Searches. Most people will be satisfied with this, but some will want to customize their system back-up and Windows 7 can help that.

To do this, you must select ‘Let me choose’ on the page before you instead of ‘Let Windows choose’. Once you have chosen to set it up for yourself, you will be sent to a screen which displays a file tree where the default choices which Windows uses when it handles the back-up are already selected. From here, you have the ability to select which folders and even which files you wish to be backed-up when Windows 7 runs the Windows Backup process. This level of customization was not available in the Windows Vista OS, so be glad that Microsoft listened to their customers.

With the Windows 7 Windows Backup and Restore, the OS has the same customization level as previous operating systems from Microsoft and the speed and stability of the brand new Windows 7. Microsoft is listening!

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Tags: appdata, backup, control panel, restore files, restore point, system and security, vista, windows backup