How to Backup a Computer System
The importance of having a dependable backup solution in place for your computer system cannot be overstated. Everyone from IT professionals to personal computer users know the pain of losing all important files without having a copy somewhere on another hard drive. Given the importance of this operation, it's not surprising to learn that dozens of different programs are designed to make the backup process as painless as possible. Once you've determined which backup program is right for you, it is basically" set it and forget it" security of all your files and configurations.
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Things You'll Need
- External hard drive equal to or greater than the size of the hard drive you need to backup
- Backup program
Instructions
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Backup Computer System With Windows Built-in Tools
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Connect your external hard drive.
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Launch Windows Backup and Restore by selecting "Start," "Programs," "Accessories," "System Tools," "Backup and Restore."
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3
Select "Set up backup."
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Select the file directories you wish to back up from the list of options, and click "Next."
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Select the location you wish to save the backup, and click "Next." In this step, you will select the external hard drive as your backup destination.
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Click "Finish" to perform the initial system backup.
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Select "Turn On Schedule" to set up an automatic backup schedule to your liking. Once the schedule is set, Windows will automatically back up your files to the external hard drive in accordance with the schedule as long as the external hard drive remains connected to the computer.
Backup Computer System With Third-Party Program
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Connect your external hard drive.
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Download and install the backup program of your choice. (See Resources below.) Both free and paid versions offer a wide array of features. For a standard backup, any program will suffice and provide you with the file security you need.
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Launch the backup program.
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Select "Create new backup set."
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Select the files and directories you wish to save in the backup operation.
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Select the external hard drive as the destination location to save the backup files.
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Configure any additional options you wish to include. Many backup programs include file extension filters, incremental backups which only copy files which have been changed and other features.
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Set up a backup schedule for your third-party program so that it automatically runs the backup operation according to your needs.
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Tips & Warnings
External hard drives are the best backup media thanks to their extremely large size, easy mobility and cheap price. Backup programs built in to Windows or otherwise also allow you to save the backup sets to CDs, DVDs and other media.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit computer hard disk drive studio isolated image by dinostock from Fotolia.com
