How To Backup A Computer To An External Drive

Whether it’s protecting against ransomware attacks, hardware failures, or accidental deletions, having a reliable backup system in place is crucial. And an external hard drive is one of the fastest and cheapest devices to back up your computer. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to back up your computer to an external drive, ensuring that your files, documents, or photos remain safe and secure despite any incidents or disasters that may happen.

Types of computer backup

Before connecting the external hard drive to your computer, you must decide which type of backup you wish to perform.

This is a very important step as the backup type will determine the best hard drive for your purpose, as well as the process and the steps to follow.

There are three types of backups: full, image, and differential backup. Each one has a goal and specific requirements.

Full backup

In a full backup, you will back up all files and data on your computer and create a complete copy of every file on your computer’s hard drive or SSD. If your computer dies or the drive gets corrupted, you can easily restore everything from a full backup.

Image backup

An image backup copies your entire computer system to an external hard drive. This includes the operating system, programs, files, and settings. With an image backup, you can completely restore your system if it crashes. An image backup is also useful when upgrading hardware. You can transfer the backup to the new computer, keeping all your existing configurations intact.

Differential backup

Differential backup saves only the updates made since the last full backup, reducing the required backup time and storage space. It is useful to ensure any update is saved, reducing the loss in case of an incident. The frequency of differential backups will vary according to data usage. For example, if you make daily updates and can’t afford any loss, your differential backup must also be daily.

Backup Windows using built-in tools

Backups are crucial for business continuity. However, they are also important for personal users, as backups ensure memories, such as vacation photos, sentimental videos, or personal documents, are available regardless of what happens to the main storage device.

Fortunately, Windows users can use built-in tools to create their own backups.

Backup and Restore (Windows 7)

For Windows 7 users, there’s a feature called Backup and Restore. You choose what files and folders you want to back up (documents, pictures, etc.) and select an external storage device (like an external hard drive) as the destination. It also allows you to schedule the backups. It backs up folders like Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos by default. However, you can also choose specific folders or drives for backup.

By default, the Backup and Restore tool can’t directly back up the entire operating system (OS). However, you can create a system image, a complete snapshot of your entire system drive, including the OS, settings, programs, and files. This allows you to restore your whole system to a previous state if needed.

How to use Backup and Restore on Windows 7

1. Plug in your external hard drive to your computer’s USB port.
2. Open Backup and Restore and set up the backup.
3. Choose the drives or folders you want to include in the backup.
4. Review the backup settings and start the backup process.

File History (Windows 8 and 10)

File History, introduced in Windows 8 and continuing in Windows 10, is an improved version of Backup and Restore that focuses on protecting personal files. By default, File History prioritizes Libraries (Documents, Pictures, etc.), Desktop, Favorites folders, and Contacts. However, it doesn’t automatically back up the operating system or system settings.

It runs in the background, automatically creating copies of your files whenever changes are detected (usually hourly). Thanks to it, File History keeps track of different versions of your files, allowing you to revert to an earlier version if needed.

File History is ideal for accidentally deleting, modifying, or losing files due to software crashes.

How to use File History on Windows 8 and 10

1. Plug in your external hard drive.
2. Open Settings > Update & Security > Backup.
3. Choose the external hard drive and configure backup settings.
4. Start the backup process to back up selected files and folders.

How to perform system image backup on Windows 11 using File History

In Windows 11, you can use File History to create an image backup by following these steps:

1. Open Control Panel > System and Security > File History.
2. Click “System Image Backup” and choose the external drive.
3. Follow the prompts to create the system image backup.

Backup using third-party software

Third-party apps can also help you create a backup of your computer to an external hard drive. Sometimes, these software programs are faster or easier to use than the built-in tools. They are especially useful for image backups, as they are usually user-friendly, and the backup options are clear and easy to access.

SalvageData offers free data recovery software that can assist you with image backup.

1. Download the SalvageData recovery software and double-click it to execute the installer.
2. Click the option Image and Clone.                                                                                               
3. After that, click the disk you wish to create an image backup and click the CLONE THIS DRIVE button.
4. Select the drive to which you want to send the cloned files of your hard drive.
5. Review the cloning choices and confirm to start the backup process.
6. The total time for the cloning will depend on your amount of data and the hard drive’s speed.

Summary

Backing up your computer to an external drive is straightforward and can prevent potential data loss disasters. By following the steps outlined in this guide and choosing the right backup method for your needs, you can ensure that your valuable data remains safe and secure.

If you need assistance, you can contact SalvageData experts or drop your device at one of the authorized locations in Canada.