If you want to use a USB thumb (flash) drive for a backup perform these steps:
MAKE SURE APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED AT ALL PCs
a) Insert USB thumb drive.
b) If the drive opens close it.
c) Open "This PC" program by typing the phrase "This PC" in the bottom search box. Then click on "This PC App" icon.
d) Open the "OS (C:) or Local disk (C:) drive" or the server drive if on a network.
e) Click once on the folder to be backed up just to highlight it. Then right-click on the folder to be copied. A list of tasks should display.
f) Move mouse to "Send to". A list of devices should display.
g) Click on the USB drive option (usually identified in the range of drive E thru G).
h) The folder will begin copying to the USB immediately. However if there is already a folder on the thumb drive with the same name a screen will display prompting user to take action. Click on "Replace the files in the destination". The files should then finish copying.
i) If another folder needs to be copied go to step "e".
j) When finished, exit out of "This PC". If you would like to preserve old backups on the USB drive you can re-open "This PC" and re-open the USB drive and right-click and "rename" the folder(s) placing the backup date after it. For example the UTIL folder could be renamed to UTIL-09-30-2022 while the Court.win folder could be renamed to Court.win-09-30-2022 or something similar (do not use slashes or spaces). Then the next time you use this drive you will not get the "replace" message and old backups are preserved.
USING “THIS PC" TO COPY FOLDERS TO A CD...
The easiest way to back up to CDs is to use CD burning software (ex: Roxio, Nero, RecordNow) and set up a "project" that defines all the folders you want to back up. However if you don’t have CD Burning software an alternative way to backup (copy) files and folders to a CD would be to use the Windows program “This PC”. To do this type "This PC" in the bottom search box and click on the "This PC App" icon. Perform the following steps:
MAKE SURE APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED
a) Insert CD you are going to use. If the CD opens automatically close it. If using CD-RWs you should have a rotation of several CDs - use the oldest CD in your rotation. If using CD-Rs use a blank CD.
b) Open "This PC" .
c) If using the CD-RW type of CDs and the CD has the same files and folders as you are about to write to the CD, first erase the CD by right-clicking on the CD drive (D or E drive) and selecting “Erase this CD-RW”. If using CD-R type CDs use a blank CD.
d) With a blank CD in the drive, open (double-click) “OS (C:) or Local Disk (C:)” or a "Server" drive.
e) Left click once on the folder you want to backup just to highlight it and then right-click on the folder (ex: UTIL or BUDGET or Court.win)
f) Move mouse to “Send to”. A list of devices should display.
g) Click on CD drive (usually the D or E drive).