How to Back Up an XP Personal Profile
In Windows XP, your personal profile stores many of the files that you create or modify when using the computer, including your documents and browser favorites. This is one of the most important areas of the computer to back up, as losing it could mean losing all of your most personal files. Create a backup of your Windows XP personal profile using the Backup or Restore Wizard to condense your personal profile into a single file, which can then be restored in the event of a computer crash or hard drive failure.
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Instructions
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Backing Up a Personal Profile Using the Windows XP Backup Utility
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Press the Windows logo and "R" keys simultaneously to make the "Run" dialog box appear. Type "ntbackup" without quotation marks into the dialog box, and press "Enter." The Backup or Restore Wizard appears. Click "Next."
Note: If you have Windows XP Home Edition installed, the Windows Backup Utility may not be installed by default. However, it is included on your Windows CD. Refer to Section 2.
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Click the radio button labeled "Back up files and settings," and click "Next."
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Click the radio button labeled "My documents and settings," and click "Next."
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Use the drop-down menu to define a location for your backup. By default, the available locations include devices other than your primary hard drive, such as a floppy drive or external USB storage devices. To save your backup file to the primary hard drive, click the "Browse" button.
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Give the backup file a name, then click "Next" and "Finish" to create the backup. This process may take up to 15 minutes on some computers.
Installing the Windows XP Backup Utility
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Insert the Windows XP CD into your computer. If the installation program launches automatically, close the window.
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Click "Start," then click "My Computer."
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Right-click on the CD-ROM drive, and click "Explore."
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Browse to the "ValueAdd" folder, the "Msft" folder, and the "Ntbackup" folder.
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Double-click "ntbackup.msi." The Windows XP Backup Utility is installed.
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Tips & Warnings
You can restore your backup in the future by returning to the Backup or Restore Wizard. Select the "Restore files and settings" radio button when beginning.
Using the "My documents and settings" option when running the Windows XP Backup Utility backs up only the contents of your home folder, which is the folder with your Windows user name in the "Documents and Settings" folder. If this is the only solution that you use to back up the information on your computer, make sure that any items that you wish to back up are moved to your home folder before running the backup operation.
