Summary
It goes without saying that backing up your data is important for peace of mind. On your computer, however, one copy of a file does not constitute a backup. People, redundancy, redundancy!
People create quadrillions of files annually, yet a great number of them neglect to take the necessary precautions to protect their data, as noted by the organizers of World Backup Day.
PC Backup Beginner’s Guide
Accidents happen, and computers may become infected, yet most of us still don’t save our data even after losing crucial papers, priceless images, or whole sets of financial information.
The most plausible explanation is that backing up requires work. According to the World Backup Day website, at least one in five individuals have never backed up their data. But it’s simpler than it used to be. Here’s a brief overview of the various backup options and the equipment you’ll need to complete the task as quickly as possible.
PC Backup Types
Copying a file from one location to another, as from a hard disk to a detachable USB flash drive, may serve as a backup. However, the kind of backup you should utilize depends on your requirements for security, access, and redundancy.
Choose Files & Folders
Use software that allows you to choose which files to save if you simply need to back up particular data. (Moving a file is not enough to backup it; you need two copies at the very least.) To be safe, periodically generate backups of whole directories to guarantee that files that are modified or newly created are backed up. A secondary drive is required for backing up data from your primary disk.
OneDrive, Microsoft’s online backup and synchronization service, is where Windows 10 and Windows 11 prefer to store backup files (more on that below). Still supported by both, however, is File History—the same backup and restore utility that has been since Windows 7. For further information, see how to back up and recover files on Windows.
Navigate to the Apple menu > System Preferences > General > Time Machine on macOS. To backup files and folders to an external device, use that service. However, the disk must be formatted for the Mac file system and not for Windows. See our detailed how-to on backing up your Mac for additional details.
Services for File-Synchronization and Cloud Storage
Synchronization software is essential for anybody using several computers or devices, since it guarantees that all of your PCs have the same data, which are often also available on mobile devices. Any changes you make to a file are instantly shared to any other PC connected to the account, regardless of the operating system. The pinnacle of redundancy is this. Many would argue that because a local file deletion is mirrored remotely, data deletions made by mistake might be replicated, making this an invalid backup.
Prominent players in the file syncing space include IDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive, which has secured an impeccable rating of five stars throughout our evaluation. Numerous others exist. All provide a few gigabytes of free online storage, usually up to 2GB; however, you may pay a monthly or annual charge to raise your storage capacity.
Internet-Based Backup Solutions
Since the cloud has entered our day, online backup—once rather specialized—has become standard practice for critical data. Straight backup solutions, in contrast to the file-sync option, tend to favor direct file transfers from a hard disk to internet or cloud storage with simple restoration choices. While some file synchronization may be included by these services, better security is the most crucial feature.
Install software for online backup on a computer, specify the files and directories it should backup, and let it do the rest in the background. You can usually access files with a browser and restore them to other computers when necessary since the storage is online.
Copying an Entire Disk Image
An complete hard disk may be backed up in a few different methods. The first is to transfer every single file from the disk to an other (bigger) drive using software, as mentioned above. In this manner, you get everything even if you don’t need it, but maintaining updates and restoring certain files when necessary is simple.
However, creating an image or clone of the disk is a superior approach. All of your data, including applications and system files, is duplicated in a clone, including all files and folders. It is an accurate copy of the drive at the backup time. The hard disk returns to its original condition when the clone is used for restoration, overwriting the original system.
An excellent method for backing up a brand-new computer is cloning. After that, you may return the drive to its factory settings if it begins functioning strangely. Though you’ve selected the point to revert to, keep in mind that this is comparable to returning to the factory settings in that the restoration will not include data gathered after the initial imaging. It is best to back up such data individually. To be clear, you ought to be running two backup sets.
The best course of action is to regularly do a complete disk-image backup, including data, using software that can read images and retrieve specific files for restoration as needed. To do this, you’ll need a sizable backup destination drive, which is usually an external hard drive or a storage choice connected to your home network.
IDrive and Acronis are two examples of third-party programs that can clone a disk; they may be used in addition to regular file backups. These days, free choices are hard to come by. Among them is Clonezilla. Others provide free trials; one is available with Macrium Reflect Home, which costs $70 after a month of free use.
Recoverable Locations
Depending on the kind of media you select as the destination location, how you backup data may change. These are a few choices.
External Disks
It doesn’t get much simpler to backup data than just connecting an external disk to your computer. Drives are available in a wide variety of sizes, forms, and combinations. Standard drives are inexpensive, but they just perform the job of sitting there; you have to do all the work. For fast transfer speeds, almost all drives now employ USB Type-A 3.0 or USB-C interfaces.
Choosing between a hard disk and an external solid-state drive (SSD), which is speedier but more costly, will be your largest choice. An SSD has no moving components, in contrast to a hard disk. That translates to outstanding performance, which is very beneficial for copying large amounts of data.
See SSD vs. HDD: What’s the Difference for further information. Read The Best M.2 Solid-State Drives and How to Copy Your Windows Installation to an SSD if you’re having trouble making a decision.
Discs—both Blu-ray and DVD—and CDs
Making a duplicate of your data on an optical disk is still the go-to backup method. The speed and capacity limitations are the drawbacks. Additionally, CD-drive-equipped PCs are becoming increasingly rare. On the other hand, plug-in models are reasonably priced. There are various USB-A 3.0 models available on Amazon for less than $30.
The greatest amount of data that CD-Recordables (CD-Rs) can store is around 700MB. With 4.7GB of storage, a DVD-R is much superior, but even 8.5GB dual-layer DVD-R discs can’t contain all of your music and picture collections. Although they may hold up to 50GB, dual-layer Blu-ray disks (BD-Rs) are not always inexpensive. A fifty-disc spindle used to cost around $25, but these days they are more like $90. When compared to fast SSDs and flash drives, backing up to discs will seem endlessly sluggish, even at that capacity. Furthermore, who wants to constantly switch out discs?
The benefits include the ability to store your data backup elsewhere and the extreme portability of discs. Your computer cannot destroy what isn’t there, even if a calamity were to wipe it out.
USB flash drives
Even as their capacity grows, tiny USB devices are almost as cheap as optical discs. Their ultraportability is a plus, but it might also be a disadvantage since they are easily misplaced and stolen. However, it is simpler to lock a single multi-gigabyte flash drive in a safe deposit box than it is to store discs or hard drives. Certain USB drives are even made to withstand the weather, which makes them a safer place for your data.
Of course, if you’re going to be imaging your whole storage drive, you should acquire the biggest capacity drive available to back up everything. For the convenience, the price is reasonable and worth it. Now, the 256GB Samsung disk mentioned above costs $26. See our compilation of the Top USB Flash Drives for further information.
Storage Connected to a Network (NAS)
A storage drive or many drives that are located on your network and are accessible to all users is known as network-attached storage, or NAS for short. It is also frequently referred to as a home server. These devices aren’t always inexpensive, and some of them don’t even come with built-in storage; disks must be bought separately. However, using NAS systems has become simpler over time.
NAS is much more than just a device for file backups. Numerous of these gadgets can do numerous computer backups in a house or workplace. Media streaming from a network attached storage (NAS) to a gaming console or smartphone, as well as file sharing across a network and the internet, are frequent uses for NASs that may also function as web servers. The majority of NAS systems come equipped with security features, FTP, online remote access, and several RAID configurations that let you choose how your data is stored on the disks—either across drives or redundantly. While most offer Wi-Fi, some include numerous Ethernet and USB connections. A few of them record footage from connected cameras. Choose wisely from the seemingly limitless possibilities available for your house or place of business.
With the capabilities and pricing of our top-rated NAS products, which are mostly Asustor and Synology, you can’t go wrong. For NAS manufacturers, the latter company frequently wins our Readers’ Choice Award.
The Sky
We have already discussed cloud storage, but it is important to reiterate that cloud storage is the backup of the future—and the present. Online storage is referred to as the cloud. Your data may sometimes be stored by a service like Google Drive. It may also be simple storage space offered by big or small businesses like IDrive, our Editors’ Choice choice, which allows you to back up multiple devices to 10GB of free cloud storage or up to 5 terabytes (5TB) for a $99.50 ($19.90) yearly cost.
Direct PC backup over the cloud is nothing new. For years, companies like Carbonite have been offering immediate online backup of your computer information, generally in the background.
Go with Google Drive if you have a Google/Gmail account and only a few tiny files to save. As long as the file is less than 250 MB, you may upload any kind of file to the service. All of your Google services begin with 15GB of free storage; the next tier, known as Google One, is 100GB for $1.99 a month or $19.99 a year and includes several extras like VPN support and dark-web surveillance. Install Google Drive on your desktop to configure all of the sync and backup options.
What to Support (Besides the Clearly Visible)
It may seem enough to just direct your backup program to the folders containing your documents, images, movies, and music and watch it work. And it can be, provided you’re careful to organize your data on your disks in the proper locations. Still, there are other kinds of data that you need to think about protecting.
Web browsers
Save your well-cultivated browser favorites and bookmarks. There is built-in backup for popular browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge—as long as you have accounts with Mozilla, Google, or Microsoft. Browser backups include bookmarks, history, add-ons, and sometimes even active tabs, which are subsequently synchronized across machines and browsers.
In Firefox, enter about:preferences#sync; in Chrome, use chrome://settings/syncSetup; in Edge, type edge://settings/profiles to access the sync settings.
Send an email
Considering that web-based email clients like Gmail and Outlook.com store all of their data in the cloud and are managed by large corporations, backing up your email may not seem like a huge deal. How might anything go wrong? Yes, even large corporations experience hacking or downtime. Ask Facebook, please. If the communications you send are vital to the objective, you should periodically make backups.
You may use Google Takeout for Gmail. Outlook.com does not allow exporting, but you may access Gmail and Outlook.com as well as do auto-backups using a third-party software package like eM Client (free for home use, $59.95 for pro).
Although Outlook with Microsoft Office 365 is a client program that you may find more convenient, the backup scenario becomes more complex. A file known as the PST (Personal Storage Table) has to be backed up. Microsoft offers comprehensive guidance.
Using Outlook with a service that keeps your emails on the server is maybe your best bet. That may be Gmail or Outlook.com from Microsoft, or it could be an IMAP or Exchange Server work account. Next, in addition to being saved in the cloud, your communications are also saved as an OST (Offline Outlook Data File), which you may backup individually.
Operators
Drivers are the programs that enable your computer to communicate with hardware peripherals like as printers, scanners, graphics cards, and other devices. Use a program like the free Double Driver to at least make a backup of your existing drivers if you haven’t created a disk image. If not, you may have to go through manufacturer websites for drivers in order to repair your PC—which, to be honest, could be a better option. The most recent drivers will then be available to you, all digitally signed and from the right source. While it takes longer, there may be long-term benefits for both you and your PC.
Social Media
Although backing up information you no longer need on your hard drive can sound strange, do you really think Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, and other sites won’t experience a catastrophic data loss? Get ready. Although backups aren’t precisely a viable solution for bringing these platforms back up, it’s still preferable to have a redundant copy for your records and deteriorating memory than to run the risk of losing everything.
Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy > Your Facebook Information > Download profile information on the desktop to get your Facebook data. To request a download, click. The file may not be available right away. When it does, it will show up in the center of the page under the Available Copies heading.
Similar to Twitter/X, open your account settings on your desktop browser. Click Download an Archive of Your Data under Your Account. A link to the whole file with all of your tweets and submitted photos will be sent to you via email. This is limited to once per 30 days.
To download or transfer information from Instagram, go to your profile on a mobile device, hit the hamburger menu located in the upper right corner, and choose Your activity > Download your information. After that, Instagram will give you a link to a file including pictures, comments, details about your profile, and more. (The app notes that depending on how much stuff you have on your account, this might take up to 30 days.)
Click Profile in the mobile app, then use the three-line hamburger menu to get to Settings and Privacy (on the desktop, click your avatar and pick Settings), Account > Download your data, and finally, all of your TikTok videos. When you have a lot of videos on the service, this might take days to process. You also only have four days to download anything that is made accessible for download (in the same section of the app).
WHICH FILES SHOULD YOU BACK UP?
When you are backing up your information, it is essential to pay attention to files that cannot be replaced. It is possible to simply reinstall your operating system and applications in the event that your hard drive dies; nevertheless, the most important data you should focus on is your personal papers, photographs, movies, and any other essential information. You also have the option of backing up your operating system, apps, and settings for extra convenience. This will make the process of recovering your data much simpler in the event that your whole hard drive dies.
Maintaining numerous copies of your data is another crucial component to consider. The 3-2-1-1 backup rule is often followed by businesses. This rule suggests that three copies of data (the original plus two backups) should be saved on two distinct kinds of media. Additionally, one copy should be stored offshore, and another backup should be kept offline since it is important for data preservation and recovery. By providing protection against a variety of data loss occurrences, this configuration offers an additional layer of security.
BEST WAYS TO BACK UP YOUR DATA
USE OF LEVERAGE THE CLOUD
Third-party service providers save your data on faraway servers as part of cloud backups. OneDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive are a few well-known systems.
Advantages:
Accessibility: Anywhere with an internet connection can access your data stored in the cloud.
Automatic sync: A lot of providers provide synchronization that happens automatically, making sure your data is always current.
Data security: To safeguard your information, cloud companies use strong security protocols.
Cons:
Expensive – Subscription fees may be necessary to access storage limitations for bigger backups.
online dependence: In order to view and upload files to the cloud, you must have an online connection.
Privacy concerns: Even if providers use encryption, there are always worries about data privacy and possible breaches.
ACCESS AN OUTSIDE DRIVE
Copying data to an external storage device, such an external hard drive or a USB device, is the process of backing up to an external drive.
Advantages:
Offline access: You don’t need an internet connection to access your data.
Control: You are in complete control of the physical security of your backup.
Speed: Compared to using the internet, backup and recovery are usually quicker.
Cons:
Physical vulnerability: External drives are susceptible to theft, damage, and loss.
Manual procedure: Frequent manual backups are necessary when storing data on external devices, which may be time-consuming.
Restricted space
The external drive’s size determines how much storage is possible.
STORE A BACKUP OF DATA TO A NETWORK-ATTACHED DEVICE (NAS)
You may use a dedicated network storage system that is connected to your home or business network to use a NAS device as a backup option. It provides a single area for you to store and retrieve your data.
Advantages:
Centralized storage: NAS systems provide several users access to a single place for file access and backups.
Scheduled and automatic backups are supported by a large number of NAS systems.
Data redundancy: RAID configurations are supported by some NAS equipment.
Cons:
Expensive costs: NAS equipment may be somewhat costly, starting at a few hundred dollars.
Complex setup: It may need a high level of technical expertise to first configure and set up a NAS device.
dependability issues: The performance of your network affects both access speed and dependability.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ONLINE BACKUP SERVICES
Online backup services like Backblaze, Carbonite, and IDrive, which emphasize data safety, provide automatic and continuous copies of your system and files to distant servers, much like the cloud. In contrast, cloud backup storage essentially gives you access to storage space on distant servers where you may manually upload and manage your data.
Advantages:
Automation: By providing continuous and automatic backups, online services minimize the need for human labor.
Accessibility: You may see your data from any location with internet access.
Security: To improve security, data is encrypted while it’s in transit and at rest.
Cons:
Exorbitant costs: A subscription fee is charged for certain services.
Dependency on the internet: Data recovery requires an internet connection.
Restricted control: In comparison to local solutions, you have less control over data storage.
Want to safeguard your data more? We at outsourceIT have more professionals that can provide guidance on improving your data backup plans. To make sure your digital assets are always safe and available, get in contact with us right now.
