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Backup Your Data Using the Windows CD Writing Wizard

Note: These instructions are contingent on your computer having a CD-RW drive (a CD "burner"). To see if your CD drive can burn CDs, look at the front of the drive. It should say "Compact Disc Rewritable". If you are not able to tell by looking at the drive, see these instructions to verify if your computer has a CD burner.

If your computer has a CD burner, using the built in Windows CD writing software is an easy way to make backups of your data. The steps below could be used for any folder or data on your computer. In this example we chose to use the "My Pictures" folder. Click here for a demonstration of the instructions below.

Using the Windows CD Writing Wizard to Back Up Data

1. Locate the folder on your computer that contains the data that you want to back up. For this example, the "My Pictures" folder is located in "My Documents".
   
   

2. A typical writable CD can hold 700 megabytes of data, so you need to verify that the folder is not larger than that. To verify the folder’s size, right click on the folder and select Properties.
   
   

3. The folder's Properties window will appear. Verify that the size is not larger than 700MB.
   
   
   
   In this example, our "My Pictures" folder is 573MB. This will easily fit onto a single blank CD. Click the OK button to close the Properties window.
   
   Note: If your folder is larger than 700MB, you will need to divide the folder's contents into multiple different folders, each under the 700MB limit.

4. Right click on the folder again and choose Send to, then choose CD-RW Drive. (If your burner can also burn DVDs, it may be listed as DVD-RW Drive.)
   
   

5. A dialogue box will then appear telling you that it is copying files to the appropriate locations. When this is complete, you will see a pop-up balloon notification in the lower right-hand corner of your desktop letting you know the files are ready to be burned.
   
   

6. Click on the balloon. A new Explorer window will open showing your folder waiting to be burned to a CD. Click on the option to Write these files to CD in the menu pane on the left.
   
   

7. The CD Writing Wizard will open. You may type a name for your CD in the entry field, then click Next. (You will be prompted to insert a blank CD, if you have not already done so.)
   
   

8. The CD Writing Wizard will then begin to burn your files to a CD. A progress screen will display with an estimate of the amount of time it will take. When the CD Writing Wizard notifies you that your CD is complete, click Finish.
   
   

That's all there is to it. You have created a backup data CD of your folder using the built-in Windows XP CD Writing Wizard. This process can be repeated to back up multiple folders of data that you need to save.

Contact the ITS Help Desk at 4-HELP (4-4357) or its-helpdesk@uiowa.edu if you need assistance or have any questions.

Return to Personal Data Backup Support Center

Last Updated: 04/24/2008