Many computer users put too much trust in the infallibility of computers. Computer crashes, bombs, and loss of data are inevitable.
Murphy's Law of Backup: If there is a time that you need to get that syllabus, term paper, or proposal printed immediately, or your boss needs you to email an attached file asap, and you don't have a backup, that will be the ONE time the hard drive fails, a file gets corrupted, or whatever media your files are stored on, is damaged!
Having a backup is also part of safe computing if your hard disk should succumb to a computer virus. We suggest that you regularly backup all of your data files. It is not always necessary to backup applications because they can easily be re-installed. In making your backup, you will need to make three decisions. The first is what files to backup. The second is what program to use to create the backup. And finally, where (what media) to store the backup.
The intention of this document is to instruct you on how to backup the most important data you have on your Macinotsh. Therefore, instructions for a full and complete backup are beyond the scope of this document. However, if you have an iBook or PowerBook, and would like to perform a complete backup, the easiest method would be for you to utilize one of the Macintosh Backup Stations available in the Computer Workroom, MLS, first floor, room 120. CD-R's and DVD-R's are available for sale in the vending machines in Stager and the College Center.
If your computer must go to the Help Desk, you can perform a backup at one of two backup stations at a Computing Services Information Desk.
For a maximal backup, which guarantees that all of your files are backed up, you want to save the entire <user> folder to your backup medium (replace <user> with the name you chose when you set your computer up). This folder is located within the MACINTOSH HD, USERS folder.
An important part of the decision, though, is the size of the files you want to backup. If only a CD writer is available to you, you can store only about 700MB of data. Unfortunately, the entire <user> folder can become much larger. You can check the exact size by highlighting the folder when viewing it from the MACINTOSH HD, USERS folder (by a single click of its icon), then selecting the FILE menu's GET INFO command.
If the <user> folder is too large for one CD-R, you can try saving the DOCUMENTS folder, which likely has most of your papers, projects, and the like. If your papers and other documents are elsewhere, hopefully you have kept track of the important ones. If again the DOCUMENTS folder is too big (which can be checked by the same FILE menu, GET INFO command), save groups of files onto several CD-Rs.
Of course, file size is a far less significant problem if you have a DVD burner. You can most likely stick with the maximal <user> folder.
Once again, it is usually not necessary to make your own backup of the Applications folder, as they can be restored from their original medium.
Backing up with CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, or even iPods can be done through the Finder's drag-and-drop features.
CD-R, DVD-R - Insert the disc into the drive. Most newer computers display an icon representing the disc's contents, called something like "Untitled CD". Depending on the version of your computer's OS, you might see a window that asks you to give the disc folder a name; do so, and click OK.
Open the disc volume by double-clicking its icon on the Desktop. Next, locate and simply drag the data you want to backup from its parent location to the disc volume window.
When you have the data you want ready to be written to the disc, click the radiation warning icon next to the name of the disc in the Finder window. If you have an older computer, it is necessary to use the FILE menu's BURN... command. A confirmation window appears. Click the OK button to complete your burning process. Within a few minutes your data should be backed up onto your disc.
iPod - Plug the iPod into the appropriate jack on the computer. By default, iTunes opens automatically. Select the iPod's playlist in the playlist window. Then, note the set of four icons in the bottom right corner of the iTunes window.
Click once on the left-most of these four to open the iPod Options window.
If the ENABLE DISK USE check box inside the Options window is not checked, check it. Click once on the OK button; an icon for your iPod appears on the Desktop, indicating that it is ready to store your files.
Double-click the iPod icon to open a window for it, much like a CD or any other folder. Drag and drop any files you wish to backup into the iPod window. When you are finished, return to iTunes and click once on the "eject" button (to the right of the iPod's name in the playlist window). Unplug the iPod from the computer, and your files are safe.
As with CDs and DVDs, it is wise to check the available disk space on the iPod against the size of the files you wish to store. This can be checked either by the FILE menu's GET INFO command applied to the iPod's folder, or by using the iPod's main menu to choose SETTINGS, then ABOUT.
Again, the medium you choose depends both on what writer is available to your computer, as well as the amount of data you want to backup. Here is a summary guideline:
- data < 700MB : use a CD
- 700MB < data < 10GB : use a DVD or iPod
- data > 10GB : use multiple DVDs or certain iPods
Make certain to store CDs and DVDs in a place where you will remember. Label them clearly for when that fateful crash eventually comes.
Written by: Teresa Hagan and Jordan McDonnell '07.