4. Back Up Your Windows Files

For backing up Windows files, I recommend Genie Backup Manager Home Edition (free to try, $49.95 to buy), because it is popular and easy to use. The following instructions discuss how to back up your files using Genie Backup Manager (GBM); other backup utilities for Windows use a similar method.

NOTE OTHER WINDOWS BACKUP UTILITIES

I chose Genie Backup Manager Home Edition for backing up my Windows PC because it's simple to use and powerful, but many other backup utilities work just as well. Here are a few to consider:

Retrospect 7 Professional ($119) GRBackPro ($59) Microsoft XP Backup Utility: Free, included with Microsoft XP Professional. Find it at Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup. For reasons known only to Microsoft, it's not included in the Windows XP Home installation, but can be installed from your Windows XP Home install CD. Run NTBACKUP.MSI (it might just look like Ntbackup) from the folder D:\Valueadd\msft\ntbackup where D: is the letter of your CD drive. This launches the Windows Backup Utility Installation Wizard and installs the utility automatically. When it is finished, click Finish.

Here's how to back up with GBM

When you launch GBM for the first time, choose the Easy layout, as it allows you to set up a backup in just two steps - you'll just choose where to save your backup file and what files to back up. Connect your iPod to your Windows PC. Allow iTunes to update the iPod before continuing with your backup. From the GBM Main Page, click Backup. In the Backup Filename field, if you wish, change the name of your backup file. Click the Browse button and select your iPod as the location for the backup. If you want to create a backup folder as I did in Figure 38, do so. Then select the backup folder by clicking it, and click OK.

Figure 38

In this screenshot I'm browsing the contents of my iPod, which shows up as Drive G:. I have created two folders, one called Backup and the other called My Documents Backup. I've created these folders since I may wish to back up mail, music, and photos separately.

If you wish, enter a description of the backup, or accept the default information that GBM provides. Click the Next button at the bottom of the screen. From the left side of the My Folders pane, choose the files you want to back up, and then click Next. (In Figure 39 I chose to back up the My Documents folder. As you choose files, GBM calculates how much space your backup will take on your iPod, and shows it at the lower left, in the Job Summary area.) In the resulting dialog box, choose to back up now.

Figure 39 (Click on the image for a larger version.)