How to Backup a Toshiba Laptop
- 1). Plug your USB external hard drive into a USB port on your Toshiba laptop. This may launch a new hardware wizard. If so, follow any on-screen prompts to install the software that allows your computer to recognize the drive. If the wizard does not launch automatically, follow the instructions that came with your external hard drive. Some models may require installing the software before you plug in the hardware.
- 2). Open your computer's Control Panel if you use Windows 7 or Windows Vista. Select "System and Security," or the similar option on your operating system. Click "Backup and Restore" or the similar option on your version of Windows. In Windows XP, select "Start," then "Programs," "Accessories" and "System Tools," and then click "Backup."
- 3). Follow any on-screen prompts to set your backup settings. In addition to selecting your backup location (the external hard drive), you may be prompted to select which data files and folders require backup. Select to back up only files that have changed since the last backup, thus making subsequent backups go faster.
- 4). Select "Back up now," and then wait for your computer to complete the process. Depending on the size of your files, this may take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.
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