How DO you backup a Windows 10

I'm content to back up the data files, resign myself to reinstalling the system and my programs. Robocopy, executed via a batch file, and an extra internal drive makes this pretty fast and bulletproof. I have a few dvd's salted away, imported film scans for example, but I've been lagging on that.

Just type robocopy at command prompt, for further explanation. Or google.

Here's an example line from my batch file:

robocopy "C:\users\Mendel Leisk\Documents" "d:\users\Mendel Leisk\Documents" /mir /xo

 

At one point I had a backup tape drive. It had more options than anyone could figure out, but there was one slight shortcoming. Restore only worked to an exact same hard drive, with the exact same bad sectors. What a crock!

Whatever you do for backup, look into what you do for restore.

 

Unfortunately, many of the internet queries will lead you to sites wanting to hock *their* software solutions.
Back when dinasaruses roamed the earth, we (big phone) used enterprise solutions such as Symantec's 'Ghost' or Acronis.
In keeping with the dino theme....Acronis is still on the market, but Ghost went Tango-Uniform a few years back.
The problem with something like Acronis is that there/s no really clean way to prove that their product works without testing it, and since the xternal HDD cannot (easily) replace the HDD/SSD in your computer, "testing it" becomes somewhat risky.
You 'could' buy another HD/SSD for your 'puter.....get the backup software....and test it with the spare HDD/SSD....and if you're super anal about backups, that's exactly what I would do.
1. Look into Acronis.
2. Determine what kind of HDD is in your computer and get another one.
3. Make a clone of your primary HDD/SSD and swap them. If it works, then you can tell your backup software to clone the drive bi-weekly or so to the external drive, and you can burn a copy onto the 'other HDD/SSD' less frequently.
If this sounds like a 1990's solution, there's a reason for it.
It is.
However (comma!) it does work, and it satisfies the old-school "3 copies on 2 technologies" law of data preservation.
Whatever you do, avoid the temptation to backup too often, otherwise some high school dropout from Romania will hijack the data BOTH on your computer and both backups.
Back when I drove windows computers I did a weekly image backup and a monthly burn to the spare HDD.

I probably restored 3-4 images in the last 20 years or so and it all worked.
If you want to dabble in open source (free) then Clonezilla works well and there are others.....but....the bar is a little higher for integrating it into your setup.
Mac aficionados will proudly assert that they do not have to deal with all of this because of the iCloud, and they have a valid point......IF you can play in their walled garden.....and IF you're willing to pay the man for more expensive swag, Macs are the stuff on a stick!

Of course you can always ditch winders altogether and go with a Chromebook, back up your data, photos, vids, etc onto the Seagate and into the cloud and just not worry about the cost and aggravation of another HDD, backup software, Windows 11 upgrades, etc...
Your call.

If you do a lot of banking and bill paying on line, then I'd immediately get about a $250 Chromebook and use just that computer just for financials, since most of the ick that happend to computers and data comes from social media and/or email.
again....
Your call.

If THAT sounds like more money that you're willing to pay to protect your finances then, like myself, you "might" not have enough finances to protect....

 

@ETC(SS) On windows systems at least, robocopy is in there, supplied by MS. There was a predecesor by a third-party developer: XXCopy, which was MS's XCopy with a lot more capability, basically to copy trees, and "smart copy", ie: only copy files that were changed. It would also allow you to mirror source and destination, ie: if a file was deleted at source, it would be deleted at destination as well.

But with Windows 7 (IIRC), MS took over, provided RoboCopy, which is the same tool.

 

Steps to create a backup system image
1. Open the Control Panel (easiest way is to search for it or ask Cortana).

2. Click System and Security

3. Click Backup and Restore (Windows 7)


Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET
4. Click Create a system image in the left panel

5. You have options for where you want to save the backup image: external hard drive or DVDs. I suggest the former, even if your computer has a DVD-RW drive, so connect your external drive to your PC, select On a hard disk and click Next.


Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET
6. Click the Start backup button.

 

Would a "system image" save you time, vs doing a clean install? It's only for restoring the system and it's settings?

 

go to https://ninite.com/ to chose some of the most common used software. i do it for chrome, flash, steam, remote software and dropbox.

 

Well, first you put your foot firmly on the brake pedal.
Then, put the computer into reverse and slowly let up on the brake...

Seriously, Lucifer nailed the easiest, least expensive way to do this.

I tend to clone my disks, but my way takes some willingness to mess around on the inside of the computer, and I use a stand-alone cloning device. On top of that, you will need at least two identical hard drives.

Buy a duplicator like this one

Fry's Electronics |

1) Remove your HDD.
2) Insert both drives into device. Let it run.
3) Remove both drives. Put the new one into the computer, keep the old one safely in a drawer, etc.
4) Repeat monthly, alternating the drives each time.

 

Dang.
How far we've come since the 90's.


I like the duplicator.
If i still drove winders boxes, I'd hafta get one.

 

<AHEM>At least three identical hard drives. You don't want to discover a failing drive in the middle of over writing your last backup.

Bob Wilson

 

Then there are large backup hard drives like Costco sells and comes with the backup software.

https://www.costco.com/Seagate-Backup-Plus-4TB-Portable-Hard-Drive-with-Rescue-Data-Recovery-Services.product.100295697.html

I have been thinking about doing this myself.

 

Then there are large backup hard drives like Costco sells and comes with the backup software.

https://www.costco.com/Seagate-Backup-Plus-4TB-Portable-Hard-Drive-with-Rescue-Data-Recovery-Services.product.100295697.html

I have been thinking about doing this myself.

 

2nd try, why not let windows do a backup, to a flash drive, then take it and lock it in a vault in Switzerland, or any where off site, imaging the drive will only work if windows lets it, save a step.

 

Bob makes an excellent point. Using three drives makes more sense. Crap. Now I have to go to Microcenter to buy another hard drive. Bob Wilson, I'm telling my wife this is all your fault.

 

Too much for a flash drive:



My intent is not to replicate the drive, make a mirror that would have the operating system and all programs; I'm just backing up the data files.

 

How big a flash drive do you need? Here is a 5TB one.

EDIT: Not SSDs. Sorry. See post below.

Canada:

US

 

Get outa here.

Still, traditional, internal drives are dirt cheap, really fast. Not exactly portable, but meh. Most any desktop has at least one empty hard drive bay, seems strange most everyone ignores it. A few keystrokes to invoke a batch file with robocopy.

 

Sorry, whose are not flash drives. This one should work for you, especially if your backup is compressed, and you need flasf (SSD) speed.

Canada

US

 

Flash drive is fast, what about the cable?

When I run my back up, it takes a minute or two, internal hard drive with SATA cable. Typically there might be a new TV series or two, maybe an iPhone picture back up, whatever.