My Documents

The My Documents folder most likely contains the majority of your personal files. Most Windows programs will try to save files in My Documents, unless you choose an alternate location to save them. Pay special attention to files created or named by you, financial data, digital pictures, etc.

The default location of My Documents depends on which version of Windows you're running:

• C:\My Documents\ on Windows 98, ME.
• C:\Documents and Settings\<Profile name>\My Documents\ on Windows ME, 2000, XP.

Desktop

The second most location for personal files is the desktop. While many people do this for reasons of convenience, we highly recommend you consolidate your personal files into the My Documents folder. This makes the process of backing up much quicker by saving you valuable time otherwise spent scouring your entire computer for obscure files.