Of course, drives come in all shapes, sizes, and configurations. It doesn't get much easier than this: Plug an external storage drive into your computer and get started. How you back up data may depend on the type of media you use as the destination site. There are plenty of free options too, such as DriveImage XML (Opens in a new window) and Macrium Relfect Free (Opens in a new window). Third-party software for imaging a drive includes IDrive and Acronis-they include cloning to supplement their normal file backup. You will need a very big backup destination drive to pull it off, typically an external hard drive or your own home network storage option. Your best option: do a full disk-image backup on a regular basis, with data included, using software that can read images and selectively pull files for restoration when necessary. (Yes, you should have two sets of backups running.) That data should be backed up separately. ![]() Keep in mind, however, that this is like going back to the factory settings-albeit your own-which means the restoration will not include data accumulated after the original imaging. Then, when it starts acting wonky (it happens) you can revert the drive back to its original settings. Imaging/cloning is a great way to back up a brand-new computer. When used for restoration, the clone/image overwrites the existing system and the hard drive reverts to the state it was in at the time of backup. An image/clone is a replica of all of your data-every file and folder, even the programs and system files-a true snapshot of the drive at the moment of backup. This means you get everything, even if you don't need it, but it is easy to keep up-to-date and restore select files from it as needed.Ī better method is to make an image or clone of the drive. The first is to use software to copy all the individual files from the drive to another (larger) drive, as described above. There are several ways to back up an entire hard drive. (Opens in a new window) See all (7 items) Windows 10 and Windows 11 can also back up files to OneDrive, Microsoft's online backup and synchronization offering (more on that below).Ĭloud Storage and File-Synchronization Services File History is easy to set up, but it's limited in scope. Then, you can restore only the version of a file you need to recover, when necessary. ![]() It lets you back up items using the file history, which offers recurring copying of files (from every 10 minutes to every day) to a secondary drive as backup. Find it via the Settings > Update & Security > Backup (Opens in a new window). There's plenty of free software to take care of this for you, including Windows's integrated feature. You need at least two copies.) To be safe, back up entire folders on a recurring basis to ensure that newly created or updated files get backed up at a later date. (Remember, simply moving a file isn't backing it up. If you only need to back up specific data, use software that will let you pick and choose which files you want to save. But what you need for redundancy, security, and access dictates what kind of backup you should use. Here's a quick look at the types of backup available, as well as the tools you'll need to pull it off, with as little work as possible.īacking up can be as simple as copying a file from one spot to another-from a hard drive to a removable USB flash drive, for example. The reason is, backing up takes some effort. Why? Computers get infected and accidents happen, but even after losing an important document, irreplaceable photo, or entire sets of financial records, some folks still don't take the time. Redundancy, people, redundancy!Īs the organizers of World Backup Day (Opens in a new window) note, people produce quadrillions of files every year but fail to take adequate steps to preserve their data. It's essential for peace of mind, but one copy of a file on your computer does not a backup make. We all know we're supposed to back up our data. How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication.How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac. ![]()
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