You should schedule a nightly automatic backup on your computer. You can then view the scheduled task in the Task Scheduler tool:

1. Click Start. Type task, and then click Task Scheduler.
2. Expand Task Scheduler Library, Microsoft, Windows, and then click WindowsBackup.
3. In the right pane, notice the AutomaticBackup task.

Here’s the thing: The AutomaticBackup task will show The operation completed successfully even if it didn’t run. It lies. So, if you want to know if you completed a backup or not, open the Backup and Restore Center instead.

Windows Vista can automatically schedule file backups that back up your most important documents. It does not, however, give you a wizard to schedule Complete PC backups.

Complete PC backups store your entire hard disk (well, your system volume), so if your hard drive dies at some point, you can do a quick restore and be up and running again in minutes. That’s better than file backups in many ways, because all your applications will be restored, and none of your files or settings will be lost.

It’s so useful, you should schedule automatic Complete PC backups to an external hard disk. Just follow these steps:
(more…)

Your hard drive has died, or your computer has been taken over by spyware or viruses. If you’ve made a Complete PC backup, you can be up and running in less than an hour.
To restore a Complete PC backup, follow these steps:
(more…)

Update: A real tool is available to do this, and it works in 64-bit Vista, so use that instead.

Microsoft is working on a tool to simplify restoring files from backups you made with Windows XP, but it’s not ready yet. In the meantime, plan on scrapping your old backups–as soon as you get Vista running, do a Complete PC backup, and then schedule nightly backups.

If you really need to restore files from a .BKF file, this thread provides guidance. I’ll copy the steps here for reference: (more…)

When most people think about backups and restores, they think about recovering from a failed hard disk. By far the most common backup request, however, is to restore a file that has been accidentally deleted, edited, or corrupted. For example, while writing a chapter one day, the cat stepped across my keyboard, selecting all text, overwriting it, and then miraculously closing the document. I had to restore the file from a backup made the night before.

I suggest automatically backing up your computer nightly to an external hard disk. If you follow that advice, you can easily restore earlier versions of corrupted files. To restore an earlier version of a file that has been backed up, follow these steps:

(more…)

Hard disks die, and computers get stolen. You need to backup your computer regularly. Most people backup weekly, but I do it nightly, because who can stand to lose a week’s worth of work?

First, buy yourself an external USB hard disk to hold your backup. You can’t backup to your C: drive, because you won’t be able to get to your backup if it dies. Here are some well-reviewed drives in different capacities: 250 GB, 500 GB, and 750 GB. I have the 750 gigger. Be sure to get one big enough to hold all your files.

Then, follow these steps to schedule a backup (you’ll need administrative privileges):

(more…)

Windows Vista includes two types of backups:

• Files and folders. This backs up your documents. If you lose your hard disk, you can use this to restore your most important files. You’ll need to re-install Windows and all of your applications, though.
• Complete PC. This backs up your entire computer, including all of your applications and settings. This backs up your personal files, too, but it takes up so much space that you won’t want to do this on a daily basis. CompletePC backup is only available on Windows Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. It’s not part of Windows Vista Home Basic or Home Premium.

You should create a Complete PC backup when you first get your computer setup and all your applications installed. Then, schedule a files and folders backup nightly. You can run another Complete PC backup if you install new applications, or every six months.

(more…)