What Files to Backup?

Q. What data should I back up on my computer? A. Anything considered "intellectual property,” personal settings, and your important files.

Windows Computers

It is not recommended that you back up your entire hard drive. Operating systems and application software are extremely space intensive, and backing up a computer’s contents is often time consuming. Should your computer malfunction, the re-installation of a clean operating system and application software is most often required and recommended; a complete restore from a hard drive backup is usually not performed, making a complete system backup unnecessary.

Microsoft Office documents

• Most Microsoft Office files are by default stored in this location:
  C:\Documents and Settings\ADUserID\My Documents
  Be aware that you may be storing your documents in another location; be sure to check.
• Your My Documents folder contains additional folders that are of importance, including:
  C:\Documents and Settings\ADUserID\My Documents\My Pictures
  and
  C:\Documents and Settings\ADUserID\My Documents\My eBooks

Favorites and Bookmarks

The location of the Internet Explorer Favorites folder is:

• Windows XP and 2000: C:\Documents and Settings\ADUserID\Favorites
  Windows 98 and Windows Millenium: C:\Windows\Favorites
• Netscape 7.x and Mozilla:C:\Documents and Settings\ADUserID\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles

Local E-mail and Address Books
Outlook 2000, 2002, 2003

• C:\Documents and Settings\ADUserID\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
• C:\Documents and Settings\ADUserID\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
• The Address Book should be exported as a .pab
• Windows XP Home: Microsoft stores it in the C:\Documents and Settings\ADUserID\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Netscape 7.x and Mozilla

• C:\Documents and Settings\ADUserID\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles
• Address Book should be exported as an ldif file

Netscape 4.x

• C:\Program Files\netscape\ADUserID\ (this is your profile)
• Address Book should be exported as an ldif file

Eudora
Common locations

• C:\Eudora
• C:\Documents and Settings\ADUserID\Application Data\Qualcomm\Eudora
• C:\Program Files\Qualcomm\Eudora

Special Programs

Make sure that any others application data or documents are backed up as well, for example SPSS, Matlab, SAS, Dreamweaver or AOL Instant Messenger buddy lists.

Macintosh Computers

In Macintosh OS X 10.4, the default location to house your data is the Home folder. To locate the Home folder, open the Finder and choose Go/Home. The Home folder contains the following sub-folders: Documents, Library and Pictures, etc. As a general rule, backing up your Home folder will suffice for a backup strategy.
Microsoft Office documents

• Most Microsoft Office files are by default stored in this location:
  Home:Documents
  Be aware that you may be storing your documents in another location; be sure to check.

Favorites and Bookmarks

• Internet Explorer's favorites are stored within:
  Home: Library: Preferences: Explorer: Favorites.html
• Safari's bookmarks are stored as:
  Home: Library: Safari: Booksmarks.plist

Apple Mail (OS X Mail)

• Home: Library: Mail

Apple Mail Address Book

The Apple Mail program uses a separate application called Address Book to store addresses. Address Book is included with the Macintosh OS X system. To back up your addresses:

• Open Address Book
• From the File pull down menu, select Back up Database
• Save the file
• Copy this file to your back up media

Netscape 7.x and Mozilla

• Home: Library: Mozilla
• Address Book should be exported as an ldif file

Netscape 4.x

• C:\Program Files\netscape\netID\ (this is your profile)
• Address Book should be exported as an ldif file

Eudora

• Home: Documents: Eudora Folder

Entourage

• The following folder is the default location for the Entourage folder structure:
  Home: Documents: Microsoft User Data: Office 2001 Identities: Main Identity
• The following folder is the default location for the Entourage X folder structure:
  Hard Drive: Users: Local Identity: Documents: Microsoft User Data: Office X Identities: Main Identity

Special Programs

Make sure that any other application data or documents are backed up as well, for example Dreamweaver or AOL Instant Messenger buddy lists.