how do i backup download pictures in my picture folder to a disk in case i have to reinstall them.

Hopefully someone will be along soon to answer your question.

okay thank you very much.

Family how are you wanting to "backup" your pictures? If you have backup software, you can use that to do it. But you can also simply copy them to a flash drive or a disk. I should remember, but I don't... are you using Windows 7 or Windows 8?

window 8 and i want to burn them to a disk.

In Windows 8 they make it easy. You should be able to put a disk into your DVD drive, then right click the picture folder and select Send To. If your DVD drive is listed, then just click on it. Try it and see what happens... if that doesn't work, then let us know.

Burning pictures, (or anything else you want to keep) to a disc is a good idea. The backup is off your hard drive safe from a crash. There is a big BUT, however. I have thousands of old Kodachrome slides scanned and backed up on disc, none stay on the hard drive. The but you ask. Many times over the years I have reached for a cd or dvd to view pictures. Every so often I get a read error telling me bad disc or corrupted file. Excuse me, there is not a mark on the disc and said disc is well protected and stored. Fortunately for me, I have little to zero trust for digital stability. Each disc was backed up to a second, duplicate disk. When this occurs which is a low percentage I admit I instantly make a copy of the "good" disc bringing my collection back to at least two copies.

I strongly advise making two disc of anything you value. Blank cd and dvd media is fairly cheap. $25 will buy you a spindle of dvd's in 50-100 lots at a place like New Egg, Tiger Direct, Super Media Store or Buy Dig Cd's are even cheaper. Store them in those plastic cases or even envelopes away from electronic and magnetic areas. It wouldn't hurt to use an external usb hard drive for storage as well. There is no way replace those photos of "special moments" if a single back up fails. Always make multiple backups of the important stuff never rely on the hard drive.

Copying them to a flash drive is simple. Place the flash disc in your card reader. Connect it to the USB input on your computer. Simply copy the photos (Highlight the files in windows explorer by right clicking with your mouse and select copy.) Then while in windows explorer click on Computer. The flash drive should be the third item listed under Computer. It should show Local Disc C, then DVD Drive rw D whatever is connected to your usb port should be next such as Removable Disc E. Or a name similar to that. (Highlight the removable disc with your mouse. Double click to expand it then paste your pictures on the flash drive.) Before you remove the USB device be sure to close the connection to the device. On the bottom right of your desk top look for an icon that says "Safely remove hardware and eject media" when you sweep your mouse over it. Right click on the icon and select "Eject" the eject message will include the name of the drive your computer identified it along with the word eject. Click on it and wait for a message that says "Safe to remove hardware." Then you can unplug your USB device safely from the computer. It works that way for anything you plug into your USB ports.

thanks everybody very much i will do that, the first one worked, but i am having a problem with the second one. it is a hp pavilion never mind i have both copies now.