You shouldn't need to back up the programs, because if anything happens, you can reinstall them from the original CD. What you do need to back up is things you have created yourself (letters, spreadsheets, recipes, that sort of thing). If you have a CD rewriter drive (not just any CD drive) you can burn them to CD with the included software. If you have a USB port (roughly 10mm by 3mm) there is a more convenient answer. Get a USB memory stick which is the size of a marker pen, plug it in, open Windows Explorer where it will come up as an extra drive. Then drag the documents across to it. They will also stay on your hard drive. It will cost �10 upwards depending on capacity.