External hard drive + backing up (inc itunes)?

postingalwaysposting · 8 July 2009 at 5:35PM

Hi all, wonder if you can help me? I have purchased an external 1tb hard drive, this is mostly to back up my downloaded itunes tracks onto plus some other works documents. Its a 'plug in and play' hardware and it showing under 'my computer'. So I guess with normal word documents you just make a copy and paste it into the hard drive?

However the problem is how do I back up itunes

Usually after I have downloaded tracks itunes with prompt me to backup, usually I dont as it takes over 40 cd's. I then make my own cd's where the songs are stored. I cant find anywhere on itunes where I can 'force' it to back up and I dont know any other way in which to do it? In my computer ~ my music I have three different itune folders do I just copy these and paste them across?

Also do I have to keep the hard drive pluged in even if I am not using it? I believe not and that I can use it the same as a flash pen drive? Is this correct? Also if for any reason I get a virus and my computer becomes faulty, if my hard drive was plugged in at the time is there any chance it can effect it and wipe the information stored on it? Everything that will be stored on it (except some really old songs) have also been saved on cd's or pen drives too so this wont be my only source of back up.

Thanks in advance