back up

[zak_swan]

the more i learn the less i seem to know.
i've never bothered backing up.
so now i think i should cause some guy on tv said, "there are 2 types of ppl that use pc's, those that have lost data and those that will"
i think he was trying to sell a norton product
on the subject of back up i'm completely ignorant.
say i back up program files and my documents and pc crashes beyond repair, what happens next?
if i try to duplicate whole drive to another, does it scrub destination drive?
i've got a 250gb external hard drive i would like to use to back up c:
what's the easiest way?
i've not partitioned it coz i was ignorant of partitions too when i bought it.
it's a maxtor one button touch, sounds great, they advertised it as one button to back up lol i've touched loads of buttons/ keys and still have'nt got a clue.
even if someone can give me link that will be fine, i've googled it but could'nt find anything, maybe cause it's that easy nobody has written a guide

[Ma_Jie]

Hi Zak.

THe easiest way to backup C:\ would just be to plug in your external HDD, and copy your most important files, like My Documents or whatever, to that drive. Highlight all the files/folders, hiut ctrl+C, and then go over to your other drive, and hit ctrl+P and paste them over.

Cheers,

Jie

[zak_swan]

would that work?
i mean if i had eg nero on c: in program files and copied it to external. then if i had to format c: would i just paste nero back to c: for it to work?
why install programs then? does that not put it in registery and things?
why not have cd that just has folder rather than install program?
think i'll just buy big pc book about 1000 pages long and start to find out what pc's are all about.
as i said before the more i learn the less i seem to know.

[Ma_Jie]

No, no Zak. That only works for documents and such things.

Just keep your Nero install CD, and the key, and re-install as necessary.

- Jie