This is a standard Windows utility called Microsoft BackUp: its purpose is basically to create a back up of all your important files, in case you need to restore them after a possible accidental loss.
Since Microsoft BackUp allows you to choose exactly which files you want to back up, you can take advantage of this feature to create copies of your presentation files that are automatically saved by spanning as many floppy disks as needed. We will see in detail how this tool works and its specific benefits.
To access the back up tool, go to Start >> Programs >> Accessories >> System Tools >> BackUp.
If it's not listed there, you might need to install it from the Windows CD-ROM:
1) Go to Start >> Settings >> Control Panel and double-click on the "Add/Remove Programs" icon.
2) Go to the Windows Setup tab and put a tick mark on BackUp (in Windows 95 it's under Disk Tools, in Windows 98/ME it's under Accessories)
3) Then click OK and Windows will install this tool.
Once you start the BackUp tool, you will get a few dialog boxes: the first one will explain you the basic features: just click OK.
The second one will give information about how to perform a Full System back up: we are not interested in this feature, but you need to click OK to proceed.
1) Click on the first tab, "Backup", and you will see displayed a window similar to Windows Explorer:
2) Browse the folders to locate your presentation file(s)
3) Put a tick mark in the checkbox next to your file and click "Next Step"
4) Select a device where you will copy your backup (A: drive - floppy disk), then click "Backup Now"
5) Give a name to the back up and press OK.
This utility will start backing up the file(s) and will ask you for a new floppy disk as soon as the current one is full. This way you can split any large presentation file into several floppies.
Remember to label the floppies sequentially from the first one, since you will need to insert them in reverse order when restoring the full presentation file to a different PC.
Every floppy will contain a file with a .QIC extension, that cannot be opened by other software. In order to restore your presentation from this .QIC back up file, you need to do the following:
a) Insert the last floppy disk and run the BackUp utility on the computer where you want to restore the file (see above)
b) Go to Settings >> Options >> Restore tab and select where it says: "Restore backed up files to" >> "Alternate location" and click OK
c) Go on the second tab, "Restore", and select from the list the drive A: (the floppy disk drive), then select your file
d) Click "Start Restore". You will be asked where you want to restore the file
e) Choose the desktop for simplicity or your preferred folder
f) Click OK and Windows BackUp will start restoring, asking you for all the floppies, one by one.
At the end of the process Microsoft BackUp will have restored your .ppt file to its correct size and format. You can now safely show your presentation.
!!!PROS:
- This backup utility is available on all Windows 95/98/ME computers, even though it might not be installed by default.
- It can create backup copies of all file sizes, since it splits the big files in chunks that can fit on several floppy disks.
- You can eventually save the back up chunks on your hard drive and then email them to your destination.
CONS¡¡¡:
- It slightly increases the overall file size since it saves also data required for the final restore.
- The new files created can be read, opened and restored only by the same BackUp tool in Windows 95/98/ME. There's no interchangeability with other operating systems or different versions of Windows (E.g. between Windows 98 and NT, or with a Macintosh computer)
*Hint*
- Before bringing with you your copy of a backed up presentation, be sure that you will be able and confident on how to restore it by trying out the whole procedure on your computer.
Never rely on chance, always test everything and double-check even the tiniest details.
You can read this article in the original issue of MasterView.
