Common File Locations for both Mac and Windows 7/Vista Users

This is a list of the locations and file paths for the most common places you would find personal information. It is recommended that you back up your personal information on a regular basis. How to Backup Data

Determining Your Backup Device

Its important to ensure that you have enough space on your backup device to hold all of your information. To do so, you must know how much information is to be saved. 

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Mac OS X: Hold "control" and click on the desired folder or file location. Select "Get Info". The amount of information will be displayed under "Size".

General User Data/ Personal Data

General user data is anything that you have put on the computer, including desktop icons, pictures, downloads, documents, music, movies, etc. This is commonly referred to as personal data.   If you back up the file locations below, you will backup your personal data.  Note that university-owned computers generally redirect user data to central servers rather than load it on individual computers).

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Mac OS X: Click on your desktop in any open space and verify that you see "Finder" to the right of your top left Apple symbol. You then click on the "Go" drop down and select "Computer". Here there will be folder entitled "Users". You can save all the users as a whole. Or, ppen this folder to find each individual user on the computer.

Word Processor and Office Documents

Windows 7/Vista: Follow the General User Data instructions above. Once there, click on your desired user and then click "Documents".

Mac OS X:  Click on your desktop in any open space and verify that you see "Finder" to the right of your top left Apple symbol. You then click on the "Go" drop down and select "Documents".  NOTE:  if you are saving documents from a user other than the one that you are logged in as, follow the instructions under General User Data above and select the "Documents" folder once you have selected the User folder you would like to back up from.

Itunes Library

Windows 7/Vista: Follow the General User Data instructions above. Under the desired user folder, click on "Music." There should be a folder entitled "Itunes Library".

Mac OS X: Follow the General User Data instructions above. Under the desired user folder, click on "Music." You will be backing up the folder "iTunes".

Outlook Contacts

Windows 7/Vista and Mac OS X: Microsoft has instructions on how to back up your Outlook contacts: Outlook Contacts Backup

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