How to Backup Your Computer Data

Routinely backing up our important data is something we should all do. Unfortunately, we don't realize this until we're scrambling to recover data on a hard drive that has just gone south. Family photos, MP3s, that spreadsheet you've been doing for work--all gone. You can avoid this traumatic experience by using the backup utility that comes with Windows. This article outlines a few simple techniques you can use to make sure your computer data is safe.

Storage locations

Get a CD burner and occasionally drag and drop your files onto a disk using the software that came with the device (Usually something like Roxio Easy CD Creator or Nero). A flaw in this technique is that you will inevitably forget to do this, and before you realize it, it's been a year since your last backup.
If you're determined to use this method, we suggest weekly backups as well as monthly backups, where you physically remove the backed up data from your home or office and store it at another location. A house fire or other disaster could destroy both your PC and your backup sitting beside it on the desk. So you'll increase your odds if you keep a monthly copy in a safe deposit box, at work, or at a family member's home.

Windows Backup

Windows has a backup program ready to go on your system. Navigate to START, PROGRAMS, ACCESSORIES, then SYSTEM TOOLS and you'll find the backup utility. While older versions of this utility will differ slightly from XP Professional's, you'll be able to follow the Wizard when backing up.
You can backup the entire system, which isn't a great idea. Windows and other programs can be reinstalled. So you're probably better off keeping your data in a centralized location, such as your My Documents folder. You can add folders within that directory by opening My Documents and right-clicking an empty space. Name the new folders whatever you want and organize your data. Then use the Windows backup utility to create a backup of your data. Put this file on another hard drive, burn it to disk, or copy it over to another computer on your network.
Also, take a moment to schedule backups. The Windows backup utility will give you a chance to schedule backups automatically. This is normally located under the advanced tab at the end of the backup process. Take a moment to set this up.

Use online storage
If you're having a problem with finding media to backup to, take advantage of free Yahoo Mail, Google Gmail accounts and other free email providers. You can get up to 2 Gigabytes of storage space on these accounts. What does this mean? You can email yourself attachments containing data. So you essentially have an invisible hard drive Out There on the Internet. This is great for temporary or redundant storage, but do not rely on it for the long term.

External disk

Another way to back up your document is to get an external hard disk and always back up to this disk at least once every week

Finally

No matter how you backup, make sure you never rely on a single source. Rotate your backups out of the home, Email them to yourself or place them on a separate partition on your hard drive. Take advantage of the backup utility in Windows and use the scheduler feature to automate things. Be proactive with your data, and you will be better off when your system fails....and it will fail eventually.

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How to change windows start up and log off sound.

May be you don’t know, but am very sure that you are tiered of hearing same windows sound when ever your computer starts up just that you dont know how to change it or you dont know that it can be changed. You can change the default windows start up and logoff sound. I believe that you know what am talking about, if you don’t know just shut down or logof your computer, you will hear the sound.
I just stumbled into this some time ago when I was troubleshooting my audio driver so I decided to share it with you. what it means is that you can configure your windows xp computer to sing your favourite song each time it boots and each time you shut down instead of the normal windows sound.

Configuration

open control panel. To open control panel click on start you will find control panel on the right middle of the pop menu. When it opens double click on sounds and audio devices, a dialog box will open with volume tab, click the sounds tab, it looks like this under program events scroll to exit windows and click on it, you will see under sounds windows XP shutdown. You can click on the play button to hear the sound . click on browse to and locate the music file that you want to change to.
Note: the music file must be in WAV format.

We have succeded in changing windows xp logoff sound. For start up stound, still in program events scroll down to start windows , to be sure its start windows click the play button beside windows xp start up. Click on browse to locate the music file that you want to use. Also make sure that the musci file is in WAV format.
If you follow through these simple steps click on apply and ok. Now restart your computer and hear the sound . if the sound its what you changed clap for your self you have successfully change windows xp default start up and logoff sound to your own music.

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