Once you have provided Norton 360 with your preferred backup settings, running a backup is very easy.

In fact, if you have set Norton 360 to run backups automatically, you do not need to do anything at all: Norton 360 performs automatic backups when your PC is turned on but not engaged in performing any other tasks.

Whether you have set Norton 360 to back up your PC automatically or not, you can always run a backup. You may want to run a backup, for example, if you have added or modified important files and want to be sure they are safe, or if you have finished working for the day and do not want to leave your PC on and wait for an automatic backup to occur.

You should exit all other running programs before you back up your files. Norton 360 cannot back up files that are in use by another program.

To run a backup

1. In the Norton 360 main window, click Tasks.
2. In the Tasks window, click Back Up Files Now.
3. Click Run Backup Now.
4. Follow any instructions for performing the backup that Norton 360 may provide.
For example, if you choose to back up your files to CDs, then Norton 360 asks you to insert a recordable CD.
When the backup is finished, a Results window appears.
5. In the Results window, click Close.

Changing backup settings

When you first set up Norton 360, you are asked to configure your backup settings. The settings you make stay in effect until you explicitly change them.

You might want to change your backup settings for a variety of reasons. You may have acquired a new disk drive that you want to use for backups. You may decide that a different schedule is more convenient than the one you chose. You may decide to add some special files or folders to your backup.

To change any of your backup settings
1. In the Norton 360 main window, do one of the following:
* Hover your mouse pointer over Backup, and then click Manage Backup.
* Click Settings, and then click Backup Settings.
2. In the Backup Settings window, change your settings, and then click Save Settings.

Choosing Quick or Full Backup

When Norton 360 prepares to perform a backup, it must examine your PC for files that need to be backed up, either because they have changed since the last backup, or because they have never been backed up before.

You can choose how extensive this examination is by choosing between the following two backup plans that are provided by Norton 360:

* Quick Backup (recommended)

A Quick Backup examines your Desktop, your My Documents folder, and other key file locations that belong to your Windows account. You can choose both individual files and categories of files to be included in your backup. Choose this backup plan if you keep your important files in the folders that belong to your Windows account.

* Full Backup

A Full Backup examines your entire PC for files to back up, regardless of the Windows account to which they belong. You can choose both individual files and categories of files to be included in your backup. Choose this backup plan if you store some of your important files outside of the folders assigned to your Windows account, or if your PC has several Windows accounts that you want to back up.

A Full Backup might take a long time to run depending on how many files and folders you have on your PC.

You can switch between the backup plan that you have chosen at any time. You may want to set Norton 360 to run a Quick Backup automatically, but occasionally run a Full Backup manually to protect any files that a Quick Backup might not include.

Each backup plan keeps its own list of files and file types that Norton 360 will back up. Adding or removing files or file types (such as pictures) from your Quick Backup, for example, affects the files and file types that Norton 360 backs up when performing a Full Backup.

To choose a Quick Backup

1. In the Norton 360 main window, do one of the following:
* Hover your mouse pointer over Backup, and then click Manage Backup.
* Click Settings, and then click Backup Settings.
2. In the Backup Settings window, at the right side of the selected backup plan, click Quick Backup.
3. Click Save Settings.

To choose a Full Backup

1. In the Norton 360 main window, do one of the following:
* Hover your mouse pointer over Backup, and then click Manage Backup.
* Click Settings, and then click Backup Settings.
2. In the Backup Settings window, at the right side of the selected backup plan, click Full Backup.
Norton 360 examines the PC for files to back up. This process may take several minutes, depending on the number of files that are stored on the permanent disk of your PC.
3. In the Backup Settings window, click Save Settings.

About backup file categories

When Norton 360 performs a backup, it first examines the permanent disk of your PC for files to back up and sorts them into various categories. It then backs up the files that fall into these categories.

Norton 360 uses the following file categories:

Office Documents

This category includes, but is not limited to: Microsoft Word documents and templates (doc, .dot); Microsoft Excel Worksheet and templates (.xls, .xlt); Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation and Slideshow files (.ppt, .pps); Microsoft Project files (.mpp); Adobe Acrobat files (.pdf); Text files (.txt); PostScript files (.ps); HyperText Markup Language files .(htm, .html); Microsoft HTML documents (mht); WildTangent Branded .PNG files (.wpg); Comma-Separated Variables text files (.csv); and WordPerfect PC Suite documents (.wpd).

Email

This category includes, but is not limited to: Microsoft Outlook Personal Folder files (.pst); Microsoft Exchange Mail messages (.msg); Microsoft Outlook Express E-mail or Windows Mail (.dbx); Netscape Mail E-mail Message files (.snm); Media Stream Broadcast (.msb); Mailbox Message File (.mbx); Microsoft Outlook Rules Wizard File (.rwz); Microsoft Outlook Express Electronic Mail (.eml); First Reader Saved Message Folder (.fol); and (.MsMessageStore).

Pictures

This category includes, but is not limited to: Photographic JPEG and JIFF images (.jpg, .jpeg, .jpe, .jP2, .j2k, .j2c, .jpf); Graphic Interchange Format image files (.gif); Bitmap Graphics files (.bmp, .pct); Tagged Image Format files (.tif, .tiff); Adobe PhotoDeluxe images (.pdd); Windows Metafile (.wmf); Portable (Public) Network Graphic files (.png); Photoshop files (.psd); Macintosh Quickdraw/PICT Drawing files (.pict); Encapsulated PostScript files (.eps); MS Foxpro Screen files (.sct); Run Length Encoded Bitmap files (.rle); Device-Independent Bitmap Graphic files (.dib); Borland JBuilder Project files (.jpx); Japan Picture Format files (.jpc); Image Alchemy HSI Temporary Raw Bitmap files (.raw); Pixar Picture files (.pxr); CAD files (.vda); Pixar Picture File (.pxr); TARGA File (.tga); Adobe Illustrator Vector Graphic (.ai); Kodak Photo CD (.pcd); Kodak RAW Bitmap Image (.kdc); Adobe InDesign Document (.indd); Paint Shop Pro Image (.psp); Corel Vector Graphic Drawing (.cdr); and Targa Bitmap files (.icb, .vst).

Music

This category includes, but is not limited to: MPEG Audio Stream, Layer III files (.mp3); MPEG-4 Video files (.mp4); MPEG-4 Audio Layer files (.m4a); Apple Protected AAC files (.m4p); Real Networks RealMedia Streaming Media files (.ra); RealMedia Streaming Media files (.rm); RealMedia Metafile files (.ram); MIDI files (.rmi); MS Windows Media Audio files (.wma); MPEG-2 Advanced Audio Coding files (.aac); Monkey's Audio Lossless Audio Compression Format files (.ape); Free Lossless Audio Codec files (.flac); Waveform Audio files (.wav); MP3 Playlist files (.m3u); Musical Instrument Digital Interface MIDI Sound files (.mid; .midi); Fast Tracker 2 Extended Module files (.xm); ScreamTracker v3 Sound files (.s3m); MPEG Audio Stream, Layer I (.mp1); Windows Media Player Playlist (.wpl); Playlist (.pls); Audio Codec 3 File (.a3c); Audio Interchange File Format ( .aif, .aifc, .aiff); and MPEG Audio Stream, Layer II (.mp2).

Video

This category includes, but is not limited to: Microsoft Windows Media files (.wmv); Apple QuickTime Video Clip files (.mov); MPEG 1 System Stream files (.mpg, .mpeg); Macromedia Flash Format files (.swf); Audio Video Interleave files (.avi); MS Advanced Streaming Format files (.asf); Beijer E-Designer files (.mpa); MPEG Movie Clip files (.mpe); MPEG-4 Video files (.m4v); Digital Video File (.dv); Ogg Vorbis Compressed Video File (.ogm); Open Media Format File (.omf) MPEG-1 Video File (.m1v); MPEG-2 Program Stream Format File (.m2p); MPEG-2 Video Only File (.m2v); QuickTime Movie (.moov); MPEG-1 Video File (.mpv); QuickTime Movie (.qt); VDOScript File (.vdo); and DVD Video Movie File (.vob).

Contacts

This category includes, but is not limited to: Microsoft Outlook Address Book files (.wab); Microsoft Personal Address Book files (.pab); Palm Address Book files (.aba); Beijer E-Designer files (.mpa); Palm Date Book files (.tda); vCard files (.vcf); Microsoft Outlook Address Book (.oab); Microsoft Phonebook (.pbk); Palm DateBook File (.dba); and Sharp Organizer Telephone Bank (.ozp).

Financial Files

This category includes, but is not limited to: Microsoft Money files (.mny, .mn1, .mn2, .mn3, .mn4, .mn5, .mn6, .mn7, .mn8, .mn9, .mn10, .mn11, .mn12, .mn13, .mn14, .mn15, .mbf); TurboTax Tax Return files (.tax); H&R Tax Return files (.t01, .t02, .t03, .t04, .t05, .t06); TaxACT files (.ta0, .ta1, .ta2, .ta3, .ta4, .ta5, .ta8, .ta9); QuickBooks files (.qba, .qbb, .qbi, .qbw, .qbx, .qph, .qdf, .qdb, .qif, .qsd, .qel, .qph, q00, q01, .q02, .q03, .q04, .q05, .Q98); Olicom Fax files (.ofx); Quicken Data File (.qdt); Simply Accounting File (.sdb); and Open Financial Connectivity files (.ofc).

Internet Favourites

This category includes, but is not limited to: Internet Location files (.url) that appear on the Internet Explorer Favorites menu.

Other Files

This category includes those files that you specifically select to be backed up and that Norton 360 has not included in any of its other file categories.

Selecting and excluding files and folders to back up

You are not limited to backing up the files that Norton 360 automatically detects and places into its file categories. You can add files to the set of files to be backed up, and you can exclude files from being backed up as well.

Quick Backups and Full Backups each maintain their own lists of files and file types to be backed up. Adding or removing files or file types (such as pictures) from your Quick Backup, for example, does not affect the files and file types that Norton 360 backs up when it performs a Full Backup.

If you click a file category when you add or exclude files, a hierarchical folder structure appears in the left pane of the Backup File Selection window. You can click a folder and all the files of that specific category appear in the right pane of the Backup File Selection window. You can uncheck each item if you want to exclude it.

You can back up the iTunes playlists that are available on your computer if you iTunes is installed.

To include a file in a backup

1. In the Norton 360 main window, do one of the following:
* Hover your mouse pointer over Backup, and then click Manage Backup.
* Click Settings, and then click Backup Settings.
2. In the Backup Settings window, click Add a file.
3. In the file selection window that appears, navigate to file that you want to add, click to select it, and then click Open.
4. In the Backup Settings window, click Save Settings.

To include a folder in a backup

1. In the Norton 360 main window, do one of the following:
* Hover your mouse pointer over Backup, and then click Manage Backup.
* Click Settings, and then click Backup Settings.
2. In the Backup Settings window, click Add a folder.
3. In the folder selection window that appears, click to select the folder that you want to add and then click OK.
4. In the Backup Settings window, click Save Settings.

To add a file or folder to a backup in Windows Explorer

* In Windows Explorer, right-click the file or folder, point to Norton 360, and then click Add to Backup.
This option is not available in the 64-bit version of Windows Vista.

To exclude a file from a backup

1. In the Norton 360 main window, do one of the following:
* Hover your mouse pointer over Backup, and then click Manage Backup.
* Click Settings, and then click Backup Settings.
2. In the Backup Settings window, click the name of a file category.
3. In the window that appears, uncheck the files that you want to exclude.
4. Click Close.
5. In the Backup Settings window, click Save Settings.

To exclude a file from a backup in Windows Explorer

* In Windows Explorer, right-click the file, go to Norton 360, and then click Exclude from Backup.
This option is not available in the 64-bit version of Windows Vista.

To exclude a folder from a backup in Windows Explorer

* In Windows Explorer, right-click the folder, go to Norton 360, and then click Exclude from Backup.
This option is not available in the 64-bit version of Windows Vista.