Installing Windows  Backup Utility

Both Windows 95 and 98 come with their own backup utility.  This can be used to backup your entire system or selected  files onto multiple 3 1/2" disks.  Windows Millennium refers to its backup as archive.  Check this website in the future for information on the Windows Me archive utility.

It is quite possible that the file or files you wish to backup will not all fit on one single floppy disk.  Remember that the capacity of a normal 3 1/2" floppy disk  is 1.44 megabytes (MB).  Considering the size of today's programs and information, this is a very small number.

Windows Backup allows you to use two or more disks to copy the information. The backup utility will continue to ask you for additional disks until the files you have selected are backed up.

These backup disks are numbered starting with disk 1 and so on. In order to truly restore or retrieve the information on the disks, the backup utility must read each disk in sequential order.

You can even copy your entire system onto multiple disks, however, the number of disks needed might be excessive.  Lose one, damage one  or get them out of order and your backup could be worthless!

This utility does serve some function for small files,  perhaps using no more than 10 disks.  However, you are strongly advised to purchase and install a more sophisticated, cost-effective and user friendly backup system to preserve all of the information in your system.  

Check to see if Windows Backup is already installed:

• Click on Start

• Programs

• Accessories

• System Tools

• If backup appears under system tools, it is already installed

If Windows Backup is not installed

• Save all work

• Close all programs

• Restart your computer

Then..

• Click on Start

• Settings

• Control Panel

• Add/Remove Programs

• Click on the tab for Windows Setup

• Scroll down the list of Windows Components until you see System Tools (Win 98) or Disk Tools (Win 95)

• Click on Details to see what components of system tools is already installed

• Put a check in the Backup Component

• Click on OK

• Click on Apply

Windows will install the Backup Utility

You may asked to insert your original Windows installation CD and identify which drive letter it is on.  Insert the CD and wait a minute for it to spin. Then click OK and continue with the installation.

Restart your computer once the installation has completed.

Now start the backup utility and follow the step by step instructions (as best you can.. its somewhat confusing until you've configured it and done a backup or two)