<page xmlns="http://projectmallard.org/1.0/"
      type="topic" style="task"
      id="backup-how">

  <info>
    <link type="guide" xref="backup-why"/>
    <desc>Use Déjà Dup (or some other backup application) to make copies of your
    valuable files and settings to protect against loss.</desc>
    <revision pkgversion="3.2" date="2011-10-01" status="candidate"/>
    <credit type="author">
      <name>Tiffany Antopolski</name>
      <email>tiffany.antopolski@gmail.com</email>
    </credit>
    <credit>
      <name>GNOME Documentation Project</name>
      <email>gnome-doc-list@gnome.org</email>
    </credit>
    <include href="legal.xml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"/>
  </info>

<title>How to back up</title>

  <p>The easiest way of backing up your files and settings is to let a backup
 application manage the backup process for you. A number of different backup
 applications are available, for example <app>Déjà Dup</app>.</p>

  <p>The help for your chosen backup application will walk you through setting
 your preferences for the backup, as well as how to restore your data.</p>

  <p>An alternative option is to <link xref="files-copy">copy your files</link>
 to a safe location, such as an external hard drive, another computer on the
 network, or a USB drive. Your <link xref="backup-thinkabout">personal files</link>
 and settings are usually in your Home folder, so you can copy them from there.</p>
   
  <p>The amount of data you can back up is limited by the size of the storage
 device. If you have the room on your backup device, it is best to back up the
 entire Home folder with the following exceptions:</p>

<list>
 <item><p>Files that are already backed-up somewhere else, such as to a CD, DVD,
 or other removable media.</p></item>
 <item><p>Files that you can recreate easily. For example, if you are a
 programmer, you don't have to back up the files that get produced when you
 compile your programs. Instead, just make sure that you back up the original
 source files.</p></item>
 <item><p>Any files in the Trash folder. Your Trash folder can be found in
 <cmd>~/.local/share/Trash</cmd>.</p></item>
</list>

</page>
