Guy is right about hard drive installations. I run TC off of USB (my box doesn't even have a hard drive!) so I didn't think of that approach.
If you do use backup:
The /opt/.filetool.lst file is a list of directories/files that are saved by the backup. Basic TC files that you normally want to save are listed already (including everything in the home directory), but you may have to add something like /opt/backgrounds that a lot of people don't use. I assume the Chromium Downloads directory isn't under home either so in that case you would add the directory path/directory to /opt.filetool.lst also.
The backup control panel pops up when you shutdown. You can also select it from the control panel.
By the way, there's also an /opt/.xfiletool.lst that has a list of directories/files EXCLUDED from the backup. If you use persistent home and persistent opt (i.e. the home= and opt= Guy suggested) whatever is in your home and opt directories is being saved to your harddrive already, so you don't necessarily want the additional backup.
Hopefully you can get your basic setup working first and then worry later about tweaking it though.