Quote:

Should I get an external drive? Is there something built into Vista that would back up the information automatically or will I need software as well?



Accessories->System Tools->Backup on vista. You can schedule it to backup to the external drive daily at a certain time, or weekly...however you want. Also, just about any external hd you get will come with a program that does the same thing. As for brands just about any of them work alright. I don't really like the Western Digital My Book series, but a lot of people swear by them.
My Book