Windows Vista includes additional functionality and features that Windows XP did not have. One major utility that was upgraded in Vista is the “Backup and Restore” center. There are six steps make it easy to set up and create backup copies of your entire computer and operating system.

First,turn on your computer and plug your external hard drive into your computer.
Second,Open Windows Vista “Backup and Restore” center. To do this, click “Start,” “All Programs,” “Maintenance” and “Backup and Restore Center.”
Third，Click the “Back up Computer” button on the right side of the screen. This opens the “Backup Wizard,” which walks you through the backup process step by step.
Fourth,Select the location of your Windows Vista backup copy by clicking the drop-down menu labeled “On a hard disk.” Click the “Next” button to proceed to the next step.
Five,Select the drive you want to make a copy of from the “Which disks do you want to include in the backup?” window. Choose the hard drive labeled “C” to make a copy of your entire computer. Click the “Next” button to proceed.
Six,Click the “Start Backup” button. Your entire system, including the Windows Vista operating system, will be backed up onto your external drive.