So What is Data
Data is anything you or anyone else makes from a program that runs on your computer or on the Internet. Data includes email, documents you write in word processors, spread sheets and databases, presentations (as in PowerPoint), photos and graphics you create or save, music or other sound files, output from any software program, such as charts from Visio or little programs from Flash or Visual Basic or anything else you make or save that is not part of an installed program or of your operating system. This even includes your personal settings for programs, your favorites and your contact lists.
Data is stored in many different ways and formats on your computer, and the computer has a list of which programs will open which files. All of this is controlled by the file format, and the file formaton windows or DOS machines is indicated by the file extension. That is the three letters you see after the period in any filename. You say you don't always see a period or three letters after it? That is because this is usually turned off to keep from confusing people. You can turn it on in folder options if you like:
Open any folder on your computer, not in your browser, but on your computer (like My Documents or My Computer) and click the Tools link on the top menu. You can see what file type you have registered on your computer by clicking the file types tab. To make all the extensions visible, click the View tab, and go down to Hiddent Files and Folders. Deselect "Hide File Extensions for Known File Types" by taking the checkmark out of the box next to that phrase.
Ok You are reading this, because you want to know more about protecting your data, so what is the quickest way? That would be to save all your data to one or more CDs or DVDs.
Step one is to find your data, all of it. Now you know that the Your Documents holds holds a lot of data, so that is the first folder you will want to save to CD. For most of us it also contains My Pictures and My Music. But what about your email? Where is that? Well that depends upon what you use for an email program.
If you use Outlook or Outlook Express you can easily find where your email client stores your email. For Outlook 2002 or later, it is a simple matter to click on File and select Data File Management. For outlook Express, you click on Tools-->Options-->Maintenance-->Store Folder and you can see exactly where the program stores your email. In MSN your email is stored in a folder named db in this pathway: My Computer\C drive\Your Windows Logon (might be Owner)\Local Settings(if you do not see this you need to click Tools-->View-->Hidden Files and Folders and mark Show Hidden Files and Folders then close that window)\Application Data\Microsoft\MSN\db. Of course In MSN and competing products, like Google Gmail and Yahoo, most of your email is stored on the server, so it is probably safe for a while, until you set up your system properly for protecting all your data.
So use your favorite CD or DVD burning program to copy all your email to CD or DVD. If you do not have a CD or DVD writer you need to invest in one. CD writers can be purchased for less than fifty dollars now. I will cover CD purchase, installation and use in the next few blogs.
Data is stored in many different ways and formats on your computer, and the computer has a list of which programs will open which files. All of this is controlled by the file format, and the file formaton windows or DOS machines is indicated by the file extension. That is the three letters you see after the period in any filename. You say you don't always see a period or three letters after it? That is because this is usually turned off to keep from confusing people. You can turn it on in folder options if you like:
Open any folder on your computer, not in your browser, but on your computer (like My Documents or My Computer) and click the Tools link on the top menu. You can see what file type you have registered on your computer by clicking the file types tab. To make all the extensions visible, click the View tab, and go down to Hiddent Files and Folders. Deselect "Hide File Extensions for Known File Types" by taking the checkmark out of the box next to that phrase.
Ok You are reading this, because you want to know more about protecting your data, so what is the quickest way? That would be to save all your data to one or more CDs or DVDs.
Step one is to find your data, all of it. Now you know that the Your Documents holds holds a lot of data, so that is the first folder you will want to save to CD. For most of us it also contains My Pictures and My Music. But what about your email? Where is that? Well that depends upon what you use for an email program.
If you use Outlook or Outlook Express you can easily find where your email client stores your email. For Outlook 2002 or later, it is a simple matter to click on File and select Data File Management. For outlook Express, you click on Tools-->Options-->Maintenance-->Store Folder and you can see exactly where the program stores your email. In MSN your email is stored in a folder named db in this pathway: My Computer\C drive\Your Windows Logon (might be Owner)\Local Settings(if you do not see this you need to click Tools-->View-->Hidden Files and Folders and mark Show Hidden Files and Folders then close that window)\Application Data\Microsoft\MSN\db. Of course In MSN and competing products, like Google Gmail and Yahoo, most of your email is stored on the server, so it is probably safe for a while, until you set up your system properly for protecting all your data.
So use your favorite CD or DVD burning program to copy all your email to CD or DVD. If you do not have a CD or DVD writer you need to invest in one. CD writers can be purchased for less than fifty dollars now. I will cover CD purchase, installation and use in the next few blogs.
posted by Lilith | 4:25 PM
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