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Essential Windows Data Files That Need Backup Copies

Every day computer users across the country and the world make backup copies of their personal data. Let's be honest, most users consider their digital photo collection to be a lot more important, than say their windows registry. While, personal data is indeed more important than system files, users will always begin to start screaming whenever one of their important system files have been corrupted, and a backup does not exist of these data files.

Microsoft Windows XP is comprised of thousands upon thousands of data files; it is essential to backup important system files.

When you install Windows, you are installing literally thousands of files. No matter how careful a computer user can be, files become corrupted. While most of the time these files are not important, there will always come a time when a corrupted file is indeed an important file. That's why users should be safe and save themselves hours of commotion by making weekly backup copies of the data and files listed below.

The Windows Registry is a mass collection of data used by the operating system to allow programs access to shared information about the system. It is essential to create a backup copy of this data to prevent serious errors from occurring due to a corrupted registry.

First off, making a backup copy of your Windows Registry is essential. The registry is a giant data collection of basically all the settings Windows and other programs use. If this file gets corrupted, then problems such as programs failing to start will become commonplace in your system.

While INI data files are not as important as they once were, users of old software produced for older versions of Microsoft Windows (mainly Microsoft Windows 3.1, 95, 98 and ME) should still consider making backup copies of the files to prevent the programs from complaining due to corrupted files.

C:\windows\win.ini is not as important a file in Windows XP as it was in previous versions of the Microsoft operating system (such as Windows 95, for example). While it used to be used as a file for Windows settings, these settings have all been moved into the larger data file known as the registry.

It is still important to backup this file if you are using any older software (mainly software designed for Windows 9x) because these software applications will write information and try to retrieve information to this file. If a specific application is searching for specific data in this file and comes up empty, then the program may crash or produce unwanted events.

C:\windows\system.ini is another file that has been made obsolete. While older versions of Microsoft Windows have system.ini files containing hundreds of lines of data, Windows XP systems will find the files nearly empty. Again if you use old software, you should still backup this file. Otherwise, if a specific application is searching for specific data in this file and comes up empty, then the program may crash or produce unwanted events.

Making backup copies of your Windows registry and important DLL files can save you from a lot of problems in the future. So next time you have a few minutes of computer time, perhaps you will make a copy of the files and save yourself hours of time in the future.