Backing up
Windows
98

Backing up your Windows 98 PC

This document explains how to back up files on your Windows 98 PC for routine protection against data loss, in preparation for repairs and upgrades, or in preparation for a move to another PC.

The following topics are covered:

Organize your files

  1. Find all the documents you have created using applications such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, FileMaker, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash etc. Move them all into one main folder and then organize them into subfolders. We suggest you store your files in the My Documents folder.
  2. If you use specialized academic or departmental software not provided by Information Services, do not attempt to back up the application itself; you should, however, back up any data files you have created using the application. If your computer is to undergo a software upgrade or will be replaced, please call the Faculty/Staff Computing HelpDesk at x3333 for assistance in determining whether the application will be compatible with your new system. For a complete listing of standard software provided by Information Services, see the Wellesley PC documentation.

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Prepare your back-up disks

Note: IS recommends that you make 2 backup copies. Backup media has been known to fail on occasion.

  1. Make sure you have enough new, blank disks to back up all your work. If you are using preformatted disks, choose disks that are formatted for the PC. CDs do not have to be formatted.
  2. If you are using a portable Zip drive, connect the SCSI drive or USB drive to your computer.
  3. If your disks are not preformatted for a PC, format them now.

    To format a Zip disk:

    1. Insert the disk into the Zip drive.
    2. Double-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop.
    3. In the My Computer window, click once on the icon for your Zip drive to highlight it.
    4. From the File menu, choose Format.
    5. Select Short Format.
    6. Click Start.
    7. In the new window which appears, click Start.
    8. When the format is complete, click OK.
    9. Eject the Zip disk.
  4. If your PC computer has a CD-RW drive, you can backup your files to CD.

    To check on your PC, look at the front panel of your CD drive. If the word 'ReWritable' is under the words 'disc', then you have a CD-RW drive.

There are two types of recordable CDs:

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Back up your files

Note: To check which files you should backup, please Click Here.

  1. Save your work and exit all open applications.
  2. Organizing your files will help the back up go more smoothly and quickly. After you have decided which files you will want to back up, you should create a new folder in the C: drive of your computer. You may want to use a folder called My Documents. Then you should move/copy those files into this folder. Do not copy program files or applications. Internet Explorer favorites should be exported. Eudora files, Outlook files, Netscape bookmarks, and Palm Desktop user folders should be copied. Moving these files/folders can cause your data to not appear in the application.

    You may want to create additional subfolders in your main folder to sort your files into. You may want to sort your files by subject. For example, if you had several files for one class, you can create a subfolder and name it to reflect the class name, ie CS110. Or you may want to sort your files by the time of year. For example, you can make a folder containing all your files for a semester, and then name the folder the semester and the year, ie Spring 2002. Or you may want to use a combination of these two methods. There are many ways to sort your files. You should sort your files in a way that makes the most sense to you.

  3. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk or CD into the appropriate drive.
  4. If you are backing up to CD:

    Follow this link for instructions to burn a data CD: http://www.wellesley.edu/Computing/Adaptec/easycdcreator4.html (The location of the program may be different. To search for the program, go to the Start Menu > Find > Files or Folders... Type in Easy CD Creator. Click Find Now.)

    At Step 4 in the instructions to burn a CD, drag your back up folder(s) into the Easy-CD Pro Data Track window described.

    If you use the following applications: Eudora, Outlook 97, Outlook 2002/XP, Outlook Express, Word 97, Word 2002/XP, Internet Explorer, Netscape, Dreamweaver, FirstClass and/or Palm Desktop, use the instructions for each program in the sections below to back up, except drag the files or folders into the Easy-CD Pro Data Track window.

    Then continue with the instructions to burn a CD.

  5. If you are backing up to Zip disk:
    1. Drag the folders that contain your files from your hard drive onto the icon for your Zip drive in the My Computer window. When the floppy drive or Zip drive icon turns dark, release the mouse button to drop the folder onto your back-up disk.
    2. If you receive a message that the disk is full, eject your back-up disk, insert another, and click OK.
    3. Continue dragging folders onto your back-up disk, inserting new disks as needed, until you have copied all the folders containing your documents. Make sure to copy any individual files or folders stored on your desktop. Copy only folders and documents you have created; do not copy program files or shortcuts. Note: If the My Documents folder appears on your desktop, DO NOT copy it from the desktop onto your backup disk. This will only create a shortcut on your back-up disk. Instead, double-click on the My Documents folder. Go to Edit menu and choose Select All. Then drag the items over your back-up disk.
  6. When you have finished, eject your last back-up disk and close all open windows.
  7. Label each disk with your name, the date, and the contents.

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Verify that your files have been copied

  1. Insert your first back-up disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Double-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop.
  3. Double-click on the icon for your floppy drive, Zip drive or CD drive in the My Computer window.
  4. Make sure that the files and folders you have copied onto the disk appear in the Zip disk or CD window. Make sure that there isn't a little arrow in the lower left corner, because that means this is a shortcut. A shortcut isn't the actual file, but instead points to another place on your computer where the actual file is.
  5. Close the disk window and eject your disk.
  6. Repeat with each back-up disk.
  7. When you have finished, close all open windows.

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Back up your Eudora mail

If you use Eudora, you must also back up all the mail files stored on your hard drive. If you have never used Eudora, you may skip this section.

  1. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Double-click on the My Computer icon.
  3. Double-click on the C: icon.
  4. Open the Eudora folder.
  5. Drag the Attach folder, the files labeled nndbase.txt, nndbase.toc, In.mbx, In.toc, Out.mbx, and Out.toc, and any other files with the extensions .toc and .mbx from the Eudora folder onto your Zip disk.
  6. Close all open windows.

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Back up your Outlook 97 mail

If you have never used Outlook, you may skip this section.

Although Wellesley College does not recommend or support the use of Outlook or Outlook Express due to the vulnerability to Virus attacks, we provide the following instructions to assist you in the backup required to refresh your computer.

Wellesley College supports FirstClass as its primary email and online conference program. It is possible to redirect your email back into your FirstClass account. You can read and store your email in FirstClass. To learn more about FirstClass, see Getting Started With FirstClass.

  1. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Open Outlook.
  3. Go to the File Menu > Import and Export…
  4. Select Export to a personal folder file(.pst).
  5. Click Next.
  6. Select Personal Folders.
  7. Make sure that Include subfolders is checked.
  8. Click Next.
  9. You will be asked where to save the exported file. Click Browse.
  10. In the pulldown menu next to the field ‘Save in:,’ select Desktop.
  11. Click OK.
  12. Under Options, make sure that the file will be saved as backup.pst and that Replace duplicates items is exported is selected.
  13. Click Finish.
  14. Quit Outlook.
  15. Double-click on the My Computer icon.
  16. Drag the backup.pst from the desktop onto your Zip disk.
  17. Close all open windows.

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Back up your Outlook 2002/XP mail

If you have never used Outlook, you may skip this section.

Although Wellesley College does not recommend or support the use of Outlook or Outlook Express due to the vulnerability to Virus attacks, we provide the following instructions to assist you in the backup required to refresh your computer.

Wellesley College supports FirstClass as its primary email and online conference program. It is possible to redirect your email back into your FirstClass account. You can read and store your email in FirstClass. To learn more about FirstClass, see Getting Started With FirstClass.

If multiple people use this program, each user must log into Outlook and follow these instructions to save their messages, calendar, address book and other information stored in Outlook.

  1. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Open Outlook.
  3. Go to the File Menu > Import and Export…
  4. Select Export to a file.
  5. Click Next.
  6. Select Personal Folder file (PST).
  7. Click Next.
  8. Select Personal Folders.
  9. Make sure that Include subfolders is checked.
  10. Click Next.
  11. You will be asked where to save the exported file. Click Browse.
  12. In the pulldown menu next to the field ‘Save in:,’ select Desktop.
  13. Make sure that the file will be saved as backup.pst.
  14. Click OK.
  15. Click Finish.
  16. Click OK.
  17. Quit Outlook.
  18. Double-click on the My Computer icon.
  19. Drag the backup.pst from the desktop onto your Zip disk.
  20. Close all open windows.

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Back up your Outlook Express mail

If you have never used Outlook Express, you may skip this section.

Although Wellesley College does not recommend or support the use of Outlook or Outlook Express due to the vulnerability to virus attacks, we provide the following instructions to assist you in the backup required to refresh your computer.

Wellesley College supports FirstClass as its primary email and online conference program. It is possible to redirect your email back into your FirstClass account. You can read and store your email in FirstClass. To learn more about FirstClass, see Getting Started With FirstClass.

Outlook Express mail cannot be exported out into one file. Each message must be dragged from the program onto the hard drive to be stored.

  1. Create a folder on the desktop and name it Outlook Backup. This folder will contain all your Outlook Express mail.
  2. Open the Outlook Backup folder.
  3. Open Outlook Express.
  4. Arrange the Outlook Express window and the Outlook Backup folder window, so you can see both at the same time.
  5. Within the Outlook Backup folder, create a folder and name it Inbox.
  6. In Outlook Express, in the upper left section titled Folders, click on the Inbox folder.
  7. Click in the upper right section where your messages are located.
  8. Go to the Edit Menu > Select All.
  9. Drag the highlighted messages over the Inbox folder within the Outlook Backup folder window. When the Inbox folder darkens, release the mouse button. Now, the messages will begin copying over into that folder.
  10. If you have messages in the other folders within Outlook Express, you will need to repeat these directions from Step 5 for each of these folders. Name the new folder in the Outlook Backup folder the same name as the folder within Outlook Express. We recommend backing up the following folders: Inbox, Outbox, Sent Items, Deleted Items, Drafts and nay other folders you have created.
  11. Once you have finished copying all your messages into corresponding back up folders, exit Outlook Express.
  12. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  13. Double-click on the My Computer icon.
  14. Drag your Outlook Express back-up folder from your computer onto your Zip disk.
  15. Close all windows.

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Back up your Word 97 settings

If you have customized templates or dictionaries, then you should back up the following files.

To back up customized Word templates:

  1. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Double-click the My Computer icon.
  3. Double-click the C: icon.
  4. Double-click Program Files.
  5. Double-click MS Office.
  6. Double-click Templates.
  7. Drag Normal.dot to the disk. If you have created other templates, also drag them to the disk.
  8. Close all open windows

To back up customized Word dictionaries:

  1. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Double-click the My Computer icon.
  3. Double-click the C: icon.
  4. Double-click Windows.
  5. Double-click Msapps.
  6. If there is a Proof folder, drag it to the back-up disk.
  7. Close all open windows.

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Back up your Word 2002/XP settings

If you have customized templates or dictionaries, then you should back up the following files.

If multiple people use this computer, you follow the directions below for each user folder in Profiles.

To back up Word 2002/XP settings:

  1. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Double-click the My Computer icon.
  3. Double-click the C: icon.
  4. Double-click on Windows.
  5. Double-click on Profiles.
  6. Double-click the folder with your username.
  7. Double-click on Application Data.
  8. Double-click on Microsoft.
  9. Drag the Templates and Proof folders to the disk.
  10. Close all open windows.

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Back up your Internet Explorer Favorites

If you use Internet Explorer, you may want to back up your favorites.

  1. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Open Internet Explorer.
  3. Go to File > Import and Export...
  4. The Import/Export Wizard will open up. Click Next.
  5. Under left half of the window 'Choose an action to perform', select Export Favorites.
  6. Click Next.
  7. Select Favorites to be the folder that you will be exporting.
  8. Click Next.
  9. You will be asked for the destination of your favorites. Select Export to a File or Address.
  10. Click Browse...
  11. A Save window will open. In the pulldown menu next to Save in, select Desktop.
  12. In the field 'File name', type in Favorites.html. Make sure the save as type is selected as HTML files.
  13. Click Save.
  14. Click Next.
  15. You have finished the import/export wizard. Click Finish.
  16. You will be told that it was successfully exported. Click Ok.
  17. Quit out of Internet Explorer by going to File > Close.
  18. Drag the Favorites.html file on your desktop to your Zip disk.

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Back up your Netscape bookmarks

You should also back up your Netscape bookmark file.

To back up bookmarks in Netscape Navigator 2.02 or 3.04:

  1. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Double-click on the My Computer icon.
  3. In the My Computer window, double-click on the C: icon.
  4. Open the Program Files folder.
  5. Open the Netscape folder.
  6. Open the Navigator folder.
  7. Drag the bookmark.htm icon onto your Zip disk.
  8. Close all open windows.

To back up bookmarks in Netscape Communicator 4.05 or higher:

  1. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Double-click on the My Computer icon.
  3. In the My Computer window, double-click on the C: icon.
  4. Open the Program Files folder.
  5. Open the Netscape folder.
  6. Open the Users folder.
  7. Open the folder for your user profile (usually labeled with your user name or "default").
  8. Drag the bookmark.htm icon onto your Zip disk.
  9. Close all open windows.

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Back up your Dreamweaver configuration folder

If you have customized Dreamweaver, such as site definitions or additional extensions, you will need to back up the Dreamweaver configuration folder to preserve these custom changes.

  1. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. On your desktop, double-click the My Computer icon.
  3. In the My Computer window, double-click the C: icon.
  4. Open the Program Files folder.
  5. Open the Macromedia folder
  6. Open the Dreamweaver 3 folder.
  7. Drag the Configuration folder onto your Zip disk.
  8. Close all open windows.

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Back up your FirstClass downloads

You must also back up the folder containing all the FirstClass attachments you have downloaded to your hard drive. Mail and conference messages are stored on the server and do not need to be backed up.

  1. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Double-click on the My Computer icon.
  3. In the My Computer window, double-click on the C: icon.
  4. Open the Program Files folder.
  5. Open the FirstClass folder.
  6. Drag the Download folder onto your Zip disk. [If you have set FirstClass to download attachments into a different folder, skip steps 4 - 6 and drag this folder to your Zip disk instead. To find where FirstClass is set to download attachments, log into FirstClass. Go to Edit > Preferences > General Tab. You will see the name and location of the download folder that you have selected. Copy this folder to your backup disc.]
  7. Close all open windows and eject your back-up disk.

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Back up your Palm Desktop user folder

If you have a Palm and sync it with your computer, you may want to consider backing up your user folder if you have archives of data not on your Palm or to protect against losing all data on your computer and Palm at the same time. If you sync with Meeting Maker, you may want to only back up programs and other items that you do not sync with Meeting Maker.

  1. Sync your Palm with your computer.
  2. Insert a properly formatted Zip disk into the appropriate drive.
  3. Double-click on the My Computer icon.
  4. In the My Computer window, double-click on the C: icon.
  5. Open the Palm folder.
  6. Drag, onto your Zip disk, the folders that are not titled: Add-on, Helpnote, Template, Themes, Update. [Palm Desktop uses the user name to title the user folder. The title usually begins with the second word of the user name and then the first letter of the first word.]
  7. If you sync with Meeting Maker, you will need to delete the Meeting Maker configurations to prevent duplicates when you restore your palm user folder.
    1. In the My Computer window, double-click on the icon for your floppy drive, Zip drive or CD drive to view the contents of your back-up disk.
    2. Open the user folder.
    3. Delete the mmcond folder.
    4. Double-click on the Backup folder.
    5. Delete the following files if they exist:
      • mmcaddr.pdb
      • mmctodo.pdb
      • mmcdate.pdb
  8. Close all open windows and eject your back-up disk.

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Re-verify that your files have been copied

When you have finished backing up your files, take your backup disks to adifferentcomputer to confirm that all your files have been copied correctly.
  1. Insert your first back-up disk into the appropriate drive.
  2. Double-click on the My Computer icon on the desktop.
  3. Double-click on the icon for your Zip drive in the My Computer window.
  4. Make sure that the files and folders you have copied onto the disk appear in the Zip disk window. Be sure to check for your Eudora files, Netscape bookmarks, and FirstClass download folder.
  5. Close the disk window and eject your disk.
  6. Repeat with each back-up disk.
  7. When you have finished, close all open windows.

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Your files are now safely backed up.

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