Backing Up Your Downloaded Digital Scrapbooking Files Onto CDs

This free digital scrapbooking tutorial was created using Windows XP, but should be able to be adapted to other systems. If you have questions about how to do this, just ask on our message board!

Step-by-Step Instructions

This tutorial will teach you how to back up your Scrap Girls digital scrapbooking downloadable orders onto CDs for users of Windows XP.

Locate the folder to where you have downloaded your Scrap Girls files. They should all be zipped files. (If you have downloaded PHP files, then you had a conflict with your brower (most likely the MSN butterfly browser). Download the files again using Firefox or Internet Explorer, as the files should be mostly zipped folders.)

Put a blank CD into your computer's writable CD drive. (Note: You MUST have a writable CD drive for this to work. A playable-only drive will not burn CDs.)

You will get a dialog like this. Choose the “Open writable CD folder using Windows Explorer” option. Click “OK.”

You will then see a blank window that has the name of your CD drive listed on the top left corner of the window bar.

Resize both the zipped file window and the new blank CD window so that your downloaded ZIP file window is on top and so you can see both windows.

Select all of the files by clicking on the first one, holding down the Shift key, and clicking on the last one. Each file will be highlighted if it is selected. Now, hold down your mouse and drag the highlighted folders over to the blank CD window.

You will now see very light versions of your folders in the CD Drive window. This is because the computer is preparing to copy them. (Because the files have not been burned yet, they are not really there.) Click on the menu item that is found on the left-hand side that says, “Write these files to CD.”

You will now see a dialog box with a place where you can name your CD. Choose to name it something that will help you remember what is on the CD. For example, “SGClubOct05”. Then click “Next.”

You will now see this dialog that tells you that your CD is burning. The length of time the CD will take to burn depends on how fast your computer is. (Note: The Windows estimation of the time is usually too high.)

When the CD is finished burning, you will get a dialog box that asks you if you want to finish the process or burn another CD. This is your option, although a second copy is recommended in case something happens to the first copy.

Your CD burning process is now finished. Often your computer will open the CD burner to indicate it has completed the job.

Label your CD. (I use Neat-O labels rather than writing on the CD, as I have heard that doing so might affect how long they last. You can buy these labels at office supply stores by the hundreds!)

Store your CD in a safe place. If you have burned two copies, store them in different places, like your home and a safety deposit box, or a neighbor's house. I use a zippered, padded three-ring binder that I purchased at an office supply store.

Free computer tutorial written by Rozanne Paxman.

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