Backing up your Data - Managing your Files
Backing up your data is essential if you are doing project or assignment work. I recommend you keep a copy of your work on a floppy disk and at least one computer. A printout is also a back up. You will need to know all about organising your files on drives and folders for the ECDL File Management Module (Module 2) |
| A drive
C drive and its folders |
Contents of selected drive |
Follow these steps to back up your files: |
|
| Select the files you want to copy | If your work is
on the C drive navigate to your folder on the left pane
and select the file, files or folder that you want to
backup. You can select more than one file by holding down the CTRL key while selecting with the left mouse button. |
| Copy the selected files | Copy the selected files by choosing Copy from the menu you get when you right click on the selected files. You can also use CTRL+ C on the keyboard. |
| Go to the new location | Go to the new location which say is your A drive on the left pane of Windows Explorer |
| Paste the selected files | Paste the
selected files by choosing Paste from the menu you
get when you right click on the selected files.
You can also use CTRL+ V on the
keyboard. You could also paste copies of your files into another computer by navigating to it using Network Neighbourhood, choosing a location on this computer and choosing Paste. The computer you choose must be set to accept files from a different computer. This is done by switching on File Sharing (Select the C drive on a folder on the C drive drive of the destination computer. Choose Sharing and Full. A hand should appear on the drive or folder). The tutor muight designate a computer that could be used for backups. |
| Create new folders | You may wish to
create new folders for your work. In Windows Explorer
choose File menu - New - Folder
and type in the name you want for the folder. Right clicking on a folder and choosing Rename allows you to change the folder name. |
| Saving your work twice as you go along | If you are
working on an important document that you do not want to
loose save it every few minutes. The first save is done using File menu -- Save as... Choose a location (say C drive/yourfolder) and give it a name. Then go back to the File menu -- Save as... again, choose a different location (say a drive) and use the same name for the file. As you work through your document click on the Quick Save button (third button from the left on the Standard Toolbar) frequently. The changes you have made are then saved to the last location you visited using the Save as... dialogue box. At the end of your work session ensure all documents are saved in both locations. |
| Questions |
Most of all back-up your most important files TODAY. |