How to backup a large number of files

Make backing up easier by creating a batch file from the command: a text file that contains the command so you can run the backup by double-clicking on an icon on the Desktop without having to remember the command.

Click on the Start button, All Programs, Accessories and then notepad. Type the backup command based on xcopy “C:\Documents and Settings\myusername\My Documents\*.*” G:\*.* /S /H /R /Y /D.

Replace ‘my username’ with your user name and ‘G:\’ with the drive you want to save to. Click on File and then Save. Click on the Desktop icon to the left of the Save window.

Give the file a name ending in .bat, for example backup.bat. Click on the Save as type menu and select All files. Click on Save and the icon will appear on the Desktop. It has a cog to show that it will run a program. Double-click it to run the backup.