File Backup options for Mac OS 10.X

What needs to be backed up?

Your personal files. Word processing documents, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, images, and email (if you download your email from the server -POP). Note: You may also want to include the email attachments that you receive.

What doesn’t need to be backed up?

Operating system (this can be reinstalled from the CDs). Software (like Microsoft Office) that either was installed by IT or special software where you have the CD. Software available on the web. Hardware drivers are easy to download from the web.

Note: it is important that you keep a list of serial numbers for any personally owned software. This document should be backed up with the rest of your documents.

Backing up to a CD-R

Insert a blank CD-R into your CD drive. This dialog box appears.

Enter a name for the CD. If you are going to use the CD to backup documents a simple title like
Office Docs 4-12-04
might be appropriate. If you are backing up a particular document, put that documents title in the CD name along with a date.
History of Houston 3-23-04
later on, you will need to write this title on the CD itself.

Click the OK button.

This will put a CD icon on your desktop.

Select files to put on this CD and simply drag them to the iCD icon in much the same way as you would drag files to a floppy disk icon.

As you drag files and folders, you may see a dialog box like this one indicating the progress of file transfer.

How many files fit on one CD?

Because a CD can hold many, many more files than a floppy or a Zip disk, you may want to see how much storage space if left on your CD.

Check for available storage space by pressing the Apple-I while clicking on the CD icon.

Burn the CD

Although, it looks like you are actually copying files when you are dragging them to the CD icon, you need to tell the computer to actually BURN the image onto the CD.

Drag the CD icon to the trash can icon. The Trash can icon will change to a yellow and black burn icon, the words Burn Disk appear next to the yellow and black icon, and a dialog box will be displayed.

Leave the burn speed set at maximum unless you have a directive to otherwise set the speed to another setting. Click BURN

This step actually writes the files to the CD. It does NOT eject the CD. You can eject the CD once the burning process is complete.