Quick tip: Backup your research

We recommend making two data backups of the family history files on your computer.

One of these, you can put on an external hard drive or burn on a DVD to keep at home. If you’re running Windows 7 or Vista, just type “backup” into the Start menu’s Search box to access the built-in Backup and Restore tool; if you’re running Windows XP or earlier, choose FBackup (www.fbackup.com), which is free but doesn’t support CD/DVD, or Genie Backup Manager (www.genie-soft.com) for £34.95, which does.

You should make a second backup to store elsewhere, for added security. Burn a copy of your files to DVD and send it to someone you trust. Alternatively, try an online back-up service such as Mozy (www.mozy.com) or Buddy Backup (www.buddybackup.com).

This entry was posted on Monday, August 30th, 2010 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Software, Top starter tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.