How do I backup my computer programs?
Is there a way to backup programs so that I can still run them if my computer fails? Programs that I have backed up before simply became read me files. I use Windows XP, and I want to backup my programs to an external hard drive so that if my local hard drive fails I can still run the programs I need.
Comments
If you downloaded the programs, just copy what you downloaded (usually a .zip, .msi or .exe file) to the external drive. If the computer fails, you'll have to install the programs, one at a time, on the new computer. You can't "back up" the installed version - it has to BE installed on the computer it's going to be running on.
You should also back up all the files you created - music files, documents, spreadsheets, etc.
Just copy the files on the internal hard drive and paste them to the external drive. You could make it easier with a program like Karen's Replicator (free for the download). http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.a... Download the replicator - you don't need the source code unless you write VB programs. Just make jobs for whatever folders you want backed up. It'll back up anything that's been changed or added in those folders.
To achieve this is not possible with the software available to home users. The only safe method is to use a form of backup/restore sofware such as Norton Ghost, Paragon Drive Image etc. This allows you to create a mirror image which you can then restore to another drive, being your primary drive.