backing up all my files

[perplexed]

I have a desktop sysemax thats about 5 years old, I know computers don't last much longer or so I hear.

What is the best way to back up all my files (easiest way) do I need to do it like to CD's

I have xp and use Ie, so how do I save my favorites??

Any advice and how too's is appreciate.
Thanks

[thegreenblob]

I would suggest just getting an external hard drive.

[photolady]

The only files per se you can back up are photos, videos, music, and data/documents. And favorites of course, also emails. Saving to either cd/dvd, but as thegreenblob said an external drive would hold them all with no problems....usually. I am one of those that just don't trust external harddrives, too may problems trying to the new computer to read the drive and just like any harddrive, they can become corrupt faster, in my opinion, than cds.

[Miz]

There are two ways to save Favorites.

1. In Internet Explorer go to File>Export and Import, step through the wizard and export the Favorites to a file in the My Documents folder (since you'll probably be backing up the My Documents folder, that's a handy place to put them). To get them back, again use the Import/Export wizard to import that file back into Internet Explorer.

2. Burn the entire Favorites folder to CD. It's located in C:\Documents and Settings\your user name. To get them back, copy the entire folder back to that same location.

[perplexed]

thanks I sent the fav to CD, like this put in Cd and went to c drive and
found cd drive and found fav folder clicked it to highlite and picked send to
cd is that correct??? and it did, now do I write the files to cd??? and if so why since they are copied already, you would think I would know all this and I do basically ,
Thanks so much,

[Miz]

All the "Send to" function does is send a shortcut to the folder to the CD drive. That way, you can add more before you start writing to the CD.

Once you have everything selected you want to put on the disk, put a blank CD-R in the CD drive, open My Computer, open the CD drive and in the left-hand pane you'll see the option to "Burn to disc." Click that, step through the wizard that opens and it'll tell you when it's finished.

[perplexed]

thanks so much, can I keep adding to Cd till it is full?? Will it pick up where it left off each time??
Thanks again.
J