The definitive guide to backing up your PC

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

In addition to backing up your files, always be sure to have bootable recovery discs handy in case you haven't! 2 USB boot drives EVERY PC user should make before it's too late! kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3TOgIl6fct5gK8

[@targetpromotionalproducts5740]

BTW I dont think your affiliate link is working for carbonite - got a 404 error from your link

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

@targetpromotionalproducts5740 I think they are doing maintenance, should be back up soon 💪

[@CherokezPittman]

Thank you for your valuable input! I completely agree with you about the importance of having bootable recovery discs. It's always better to be prepared for any PC emergencies. On a different note, as an outdoor enthusiast myself, I highly recommend the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series for all your power needs during camping trips or RV adventures. It's packed with impressive features like massive capacity, powerful output, and fast recharging. Check it out here: [insert link]Remember, it's crucial to have reliable backup power while enjoying quality family time outdoors. Stay prepared and enjoy your adventures to the fullest!

[@CherokezPittman]

Thank you for sharing this valuable information! Having bootable recovery discs is definitely important for backing up our PCs. Additionally, the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series seems like a great choice for outdoor enthusiasts and RV lovers. It offers a massive capacity, fast recharging, versatile sockets, and comprehensive protections. It could be a reliable backup power source for our camping adventures or quality family time. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@CherokezPittman]

Thank you for the recommendation! It's always important to have backup options, not just for our digital files but also for our power needs. The Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series seems to be a reliable and versatile choice, especially with its massive capacity, fast recharging, and waterproof technology. I'll definitely check it out for my outdoor adventures and home backup power.

There are two kinds of people. The first kind doesn''t backup because they simply can't be arsed. The other kind does because they've lost so valuable data that it's still eating them.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

There might be some truth there ;)

[@imstillalive6106]

I haven't lost anything YET but I do backups once every two weeks. So there is third type

[@gergemall]

So true. Very helpful. Thank you

[@erich9779]

The Fourth type is OCD. Backup of the backup cuz of OCD

[@summergirlz99]

@AskYourComputerGuy You really do a great job at explaining IT stuff. Thank you so much!

[@MikeCabrera-g5d]

Great video! As an MSP, we've learned that our toolkit defines our success. Our winning formula combines rock-solid backup and BDR solutions, next-gen security, a comprehensive RMM, and Thirdlane Multi Tenant PBX for unified communications. This tech stack has been our secret weapon in wowing clients.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

100%

[@jimfournier9065]

I work in the technology field with consumers, you have a great way of teaching people, basic things they really need to know on a day-to-day basis for their computers and data! I really enjoy listening to your videos, keep them coming!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Thank you so much for the support 👍

[@themegaman91965]

It's like you read my mind! Fantastic video! It is a complete pain to backup things in my monster 6 TB HDD, since despite being USB 3.1, the mechanical nature imposes the limitation of around 100 megs/sec. It still does the job, like before I factory-resetted my PC once I backed up over 700 gigs worth of folders manually, without any software, and you posted a nice host of solutions! Since I got super-fast NVME's installed in there that are a pain to get to due to the need to pry this laptop open, the free backup software there'll more than do it for me! As always, thank you for your fantastic uploads, and the help yesterday!!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

You're welcome, glad to help :)

[@loray2k]

I've been using Carbonite for about 10 years now. Customer support is great. I actually got to speak to a human being, lol. My hard drive crashed and they were a great help. I pay for it by the year, which is about $95 for 1 computer. It costs more if you pay monthly. Thank you for the video.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Yeah, Carbonite is fantastic! Highly recommended!

[@truthsayer9534]

You really shouldn’t leave your backup drive plugged in all the time. If you get hit with a ransomware attack, you’ll likely lose every drive that is connected to the computer. You just have to be disciplined about plugging in your backup drive and letting it run fairly often.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Excellent and accurate advice!

[@Martinit0]

Kinda wondering whether there exists a "smart" hardware external drive bay that reminds you to plug in your backup drives, for example with a beep or flashing LED.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

@Martinit0 that could be a great product! I'm curious also

[@truthsayer9534]

@@Martinit0 Interesting idea but you can achieve the same result with software. Just set a recurring calendar reminder or some other type of alert that pops up.

[@cliffg4437]

I use a USB hub with a switch on each port, and just click the drive off when done. Re losing your backups through ransomware, I use Macrium Reflect with the protect from deletion option turned on (which it is by default). I still have a gut feel thing against storing *any* private data in the cloud, which includes password managers, backups, etc. I'm a bit old school, I admit.

[@SvenHeitland]

I use Syncthing as backup and synchronizing data over several devices. One Syncthing Server is used as distribution node (so this is the server where all other devices connect to) Synthing also supports versioning. And it can be set as untrusted server, that will enable enryption of the files. So you could have a VM at your friends house or where ever you can run a VM and sent a backup somewhere in the world.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

That sounds a bit complicated for a novice user, but I can definitely see the advantages for an experienced person 💪

[@timbo1960]

I installed the last free version of Macrium Reflect (v8.0.727). I did a full backup of my windows 11 system and tested the restore and it worked perfectly.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Yeah Macrium was great when it was free. Downloading older versions are still an option, thats why I still mentioned the software because I do trust it. Creative thinkers will find older versions for themselves if they want to go that route

[@THE-michaelmyers]

I use 2 different ways to protect my data. First I have a custom-made program written for me that will backup my data to a personal cloud drive connected to my main PC. To be honest this backup is just my user name data on the OS drive. I am an Engineer and operate my own Engineering Consulting business. I have to maintain all aspects of the systems I design that are built around the world. This means troubleshooting flowcharts etc. There are almost 15 years of data in these files. Even systems I built back in 2016 I still get calls. About 5 years ago there were about 25,000 people out of power in Europe because a system went down I designed. I was called and with a few keystrokes, I was looking at the system. We were up and running in about 30 minutes. This data is on another drive in my system. I can't take the chance of having it on the same drive where I keep my OS. I make a backup of this drive every 3 weeks and store it in my safe. My next comment can't be made simple, I'm sorry. I use a NVMe drive for my OS. I also have the monitoring software for that drive. I check that drives health several times a month. I also run a Belarc report and it will return the health of both of the drives hooked up to my PC. If I see a problem developing I am proactive and I am starting the process of replacing that failing drive. A PC is a device that should give you years of service. However just as in a motor vehicle from time to time you must service it. This is the reason I made the comment I made about those USB drives in a previous video as fixing a problem you should not be having. Another thing I do about every 3 months is pull my tower and remove the lids and spray all the dust off the power supply, the processor, and case fans. Heat is the mortal enemy of a PC. Dust can cause airflow problems that can cause the processer to run hot and actually slow down. Treat your PC well, be proactive and back up back up back up!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Wow, that is impressive!

[@napoleonhardridge7014]

This is how I approach LIFE -- you got to be prepared for inevitable... Treat your body well, be active and exercise eat right and get plenty of rest... Love your PC and it will LOVE you. (Our computers is our livelihood )

[@wngimageanddesign9546]

Yes, I can eat off the interior of my PCs! LOL! I periodically spray out the dusk with an air compressor. They live in a smoke-free, pet-free environment. I once had a mechanical engineering friend tell me his Dell desktop PC began acting weird and blue screen. He simply ran out to Best Buy and bought a laptop. When I was over at his apartment, I offered to look at the desktop, and when I opened the case.....the entire interior was one big hairball of dust bunnies and hair! I asked him when was the last time he cleaned it?!? He said never opened it since he bought it for college, 7 years ago! The cooling fans were barely able to spin, and the CPU fan was spinning with coated blades resembling fur. It was disgusting! I told him to take a vacuum to it. and left!

[@THE-michaelmyers]

@@wngimageanddesign9546 I would counsel caution with an everyday air compressor being used on a PC unless there is a special attachment. This is because an air compressor in almost every circumstance is spraying air that contains moisture. This is bad because water can become acidic. With this said understand I am not saying anything will happen. I am saying using this type of air over time increases the chance of something failing inside the PC.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Absolutely 100%

[@340dave]

I use FreeFileSync for file backups to new-changed-deleted files only so the backups only take a few min on a weekly basis. They also have a real-time version.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

I'll have to check that out. Thanks!

[@kriisak]

​@@AskYourComputerGuy Hi! I concur with the previous commenter. FreeFileSync and its RealTimeSync option is great for copying everything important from certain folders to a main storage computer. I use this in tandem with backblaze on the main one so that everything is first backed up locally on one computer and that one is then backed up on the cloud servers of backblaze. The sync program is free to use but backblaze is about $7 per month, going to be $9 soon with some added features.. Highly recommend!

[@capt.martin5169]

Best video I have seen on Backing up! Thank you so much for the great info and the links!!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

You're welcome! Glad it helped!

[@JasonWestaway]

Hi Scott, just want to say I've watched your videos for a while now. I really enjoy how you do the walkthrough and you take your time in explaining how to use the program/s No names mentioned but I have seen a couple of tech KZbinrs who don't explain anything. Having said that there is one Tech KZbinr I follow who explains like you do too. But there are a lot that don't Just wanted to thank you. Take care.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Hey, thanks! Much appreciated 👍

[@JasonWestaway]

@@AskYourComputerGuy You are so welcome!

[@IbrahimAli-sx5lq]

Great video. One thing that you forgot to mention is that when you do a system image backup, you should make sure to run your anti-virus/anti-malware programs first. When it comes to manual backup, Windows Explorer is terrible. It's better to use a dual-pane file manager like Free Commander and have more control.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

👍

[@gergemall]

👍, Im going to get a drive like this. Mac too ?

[@fredericktillman4702]

I've used SyncToy from Microsoft for the last 15 years. I've set it up for friends and family and it does a great job of simply copying any new files to the backup device.

[@casterman27]

Me too. Can't believe more reviewers aren't talking about it. Simple, safe and it's quick with synchronization.

[@jaycahow4667]

I appreciate what you are trying to do and any backups are better than none. That being said you should do a more advance video going into the idea of drive partitions and how to install and configure Windows so their personal data is separated from their operating system and application programs on a separate drive (physical or partitioned) . This allows much more flexibility in backing up their system as they can backup just the former or the later or both combined. Having built hundreds of computers for myself and others I find it is much more common to have issues with Windows itself like not booting at all, systems slowing down over age, or having issues after something updated than I see with personal data needing to be recovered. By separating personal data you can recover or reinstall Windows and applications at any time and not have to deal with your personal data at all (documents, pictures, downloads, desktop, favorites, music, videos, onedrive, etc...) unless needed. Why anyone would want their entire system on a single drive partition (default) is beyond me and is a terrible system architecture. Separating things into different appropriate sized partitions just make system maintenance much easier from many perspectives including backups. Personally I place Windows on the C: drive, Any applications I can control installation destination on the D: drive, and all personal data on the E: drive. This allows restoring or reinstalling the C: and D: at any time without touching my personal data on other drives. The CDE drives are on one physical SSD and then I use a second physical SSD (internal or external) to hold all my backups. I normally install Macrium Reflect Free and setup a weekly compressed image of the entire system to another drive on a separate physical device (drive or NAS) and then setup another backup as well for personal data in case I want to do that more frequently. These backups can be run as any time (not just when scheduled) and along with a Macrium Recovery CD or Flash drive can be accessed at any time even if the system will not start. Drives in Macrium backups can be accessed and loaded virtually so files from prior dates can be accessed at any time if something needs to recovered. Macrium is dropping support for Reflect Free going forward in awhile but it will probably run for years and the official home version is not that expensive and is always half price around their year end sale. I highly recommend the product.................

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

The separate partitions video is one I've been working on already. Although not the best solution, it's better than what.ost people do. At worst, easy Windows reload and no data loss. Can't release the video just yet, got some other stuff I'm going to tie into it. But it's in production. And absolutely on Macrium! You can find an older free version that still works, too

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Ironically, that's another video I've got coming up. Keep a second partition move the libraries. Not ideal, you could still lose everything with a drive failure..but certainly makes reloading Windows a snap!

[@jaycahow4667]

@@AskYourComputerGuy Have you ever found an utility that allows changing the location of your 11 official User Folders without having to manually change the location on each separately? Microsoft used have a Toy utility where you could change all the locations at once. They did away with it when Windows 10 came out and I have never seen any of their or third party utilities that do this function for Windows 10 or 11............

[@jaycahow4667]

@@Kolavskaya Yes who wants to live in a giant barn with no rooms............

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Ironically, no. I'm working on a video on how to do it manually but it sure would be easier and faster with a program. I'll take a look and see what I can find and LYK :)

[@SparxNet]

If you enable the Item check boxes setting in Folder Options or under the View tab in Windows Explorer, you can just choose which files and folders you'd like to select by checking on the little box on the left. Handy, if you're not a pro user or get confused between functionality of holding CTRL vs SHIFT while selecting files.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Good tip :)

[@scottspa74]

True. But you do have to be a little cautious with that. All too often, when selecting a folder, the first file inside gets checked and I don't realize it, and then I go to select something else to copy or move or zip, and realize I actually had 2 things selected.

[@SparxNet]

@@scottspa74 I see. On Win 10 Pro, I'm unable to replicate this behaviour you mention. Whether with the item checkbox option on or off. Regardless, this is just a QoL option especially for new users. Cheers.

[@scottspa74]

@@SparxNet interesting. Maybe it's just me, and I'm not double-clicking fast enough, or something. Also, the 2 computers I use the most are win 11, so maybe that has something to do with it (my win 10 computer is my favorite, so I baby it and barely use it).

[@mqcapps]

if you don't have a vast and glorious empire - just documents - a simple copy to an external drive will work BUT for imaging you need a back up app but be wary that many of them come and go and you won't be able to get your stuff back - cloud backup can get wonky at times.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

👍

[@bme7491]

I've been using Paragon's HDD manager software with three external drives (three redundant image backups), for years. I've had external drive failures but not lost data yet. I typically do a full image backup of the OS drive once every 3 months and incremental data drive backups once per month.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Nice!

[@RedcarMikeUK]

I always use AOMI Backupper all the time, It's NEVER let me down in years and it's totally FREE.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Agreed

[@timcoil6224]

Love the videos and thanks for the help. Might I make a suggestion, you add/change the link you recently posted of "2 USB boot drives EVERY PC user should make before it's too late!" and at least add the video/link on "the last flash drive you will ever need" as it's more recent and more updated.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Thank you, and I will. Just hadn't got around to it yet! ;)

[@archangelhorus]

Synology Active Backup. Super easy, accessible from anywhere without cloud storage, multiple PC, deduplication, compression, security, multiple backup schemes, support of many OS, bare metal and individual file restore, the works. You get the bonus of having to invest into a NAS, always something good in my view.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

💪

[@animhaxx]

Thanks, man. The external drive is the way to go for me

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

👍

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

Great info, and presented in a very easy to understand format for noobs (not me 🙂)

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Thank you! 💪

[@JoshuaTrenge]

I don’t know about better..but I use Norton 360 and I’m pretty happy with the backup built into it… can BU to the cloud or a drive.

[@billclay2701]

Great topic. If your data really means a lot to you, back up to at least 2 other drives, preferably good brand well reviewed 3.5 inch spin drives. Computers have a way of disappointing you just when you need them to do your bidding. Also always use the eject media thingy in the bottom right corner of the desktop with drives you really care about. Keep in mind SSDs are HARD to do data recovery on, almost impossible really. Same with Flash drives that have got some sort of current shock from the usb port or after no eject removals..... or constant restarts.

[@jonahbert111]

About 6 years ago, I was given a Seagate external drive. Told, it was all set up, all I have to do is plug it in, and it will back up my computer. Just recently, I looked on the drive, nothing there, even though I would plug it in, and in a few seconds it would say my computer is all backed up. As a beginner still, anything other than a slow and step by step, with a show me where it is and how to retrieve it will do. And does it back up my control settings, my email folders, my pinned aps and how I have the book marks set on my windows page, and all the book marks. All that kind of stuff that is impossible to find if you don't know how to look. I have used computers all my life, I am a very intelligent retired engineer, 75 yrs old. It is ludicrous that this knowledge is so hidden.

[@cliffg4437]

As well as "long" term backup, a hour-to-hour data file backup rule I use is: autosave (Word, Excel, whatever) every x minutes where x is the maximum time you want to spend getting back to where you were when your computer just bluescreened or whatever (I use 5 minutes). Even better, every hoir or so, save, quit, find the file in the file manager, ctrl-c, ctrl-v, file gets copied and numbered, then go back in and carry on. In the evemt of a crash, add 5 to 10 minutes for cursing Microsoft, and going to fetch a cup of coffee to calm down, and you can be back where you were before in 15 minutes.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Only 5-10 minutes to curse Microsoft? Takes me a LOT longer LOL. I'm so in the habit over the years of hitting CTRL-S, my fingers just do it without thinking about it now 😂

[@biglad8431]

simple and concise. thanks

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

You're welcome! Thx for stopping in! 👍

[@paultreneary]

For file backup, I still use the older version of Comodo (v1.0.4.337) to backup to a 2TB external drive. It still works for me - I have 10 categorized partitions, across 2 SSDs and 4 HDDs - and of them, 4 partitions have stuff to backup (Music, My Docs, Programming & Midi, and the 'config'/user stuff on my C:\) - the rest are for gaming so are backed up in Steam etc. and 1 is another backup partition that doesn't need backing up in the same manner. I'd be the first to admit that it's not a standard setup by a longshot, but I have 4 backup sets, that I run fortnightly (nb. not automatically) - they're very customizable, and I can exclude subfolders within those sets if needed. BTW that external drive is disconnected and moved to a different part of my property - I read some time ago (I can't remember where, but it's stuck with me.) that somebody made the statement that a backups ought to be at least the width of a 747 apart (this was pre 9/11), and also that 'data doesn't exist unless it exists in 3 separate locations' ( Update: this might be a misremembered version of 'Schofield's Second Law of Computing').

[@Martinit0]

About 5 years ago in 2017 I had my data hard drive with all my personal photos on them die on me. I paid $700 to have them professionally recovered (that included a new hard drive as delivery medium) and that was with the slow "economy" service. They could recover all by a handful of files, but they did ask me which directories were important to recover (so you'll have to remember their names!) and it took 2-4 weeks to get back the data.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Ouch!

[@LionRoars918]

The best advice you gave, do a system image. I do one daily as not everyone is stupid. One mouse click.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Agreed. Got several videos in production about cloning and why it's the best solution for backup

[@davidwayne9982]

THANKS - I needed this-- I use a 250 GIG SSD for SYSTEM ONLY---- and a separate 2T regular drive for DATA... THAT way if my system konks out-- I just reload it!!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Nice! Just be aware you're setup correctly for speed, but that 2TB has a lifespan also.

[@davidwayne9982]

@@AskYourComputerGuy YES- I do REGULAR backups of it about once every other week... I have a 2T SSD and back up to that...and will be getting another regular 2T for MORE backups.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Perfect!

[@davidwayne9982]

@@AskYourComputerGuy I really LIKE your videos- and will recommend them to anyone-- simple- to the point- NO FLUFF- and no JABBER or wasted time.. just simple USEABLE fact!!! GReat job- on all of them.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Thank you so much! I've worked hard over the past 50 or so videos to just "get to the meat" and not waste my viewer's time. I really appreciate you taking the time to say that ;)

[@user-hh6ex9md4w]

User's Comment: I love going camping with my family and having a backup power source would be so helpful! Can you recommend any good portable power stations for outdoor use?Your Reply: Absolutely! I highly recommend the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series. It's a versatile powerhouse with a massive capacity of up to 5kWh and a fast recharge time. Its armor design and waterproof technology make it perfect for outdoor adventures. Plus, the smart app control allows you to manage power flow easily. Happy camping!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

👍

[@chrisc2252]

Great content, im going to use a system image to clone my drive to another ssd next week. Usually use partition wizard but iv started just using windows build in programs now for most tasks for learning purposes 😁

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Good deal!

[@chrisc2252]

Just wondering is there a way to clone my windows OS with files to another SSD that already has data on but has a partition with nothing on. Every time i try to clone the OS or use a system image it says it will delete everything off the drive. Basically i have a 2tb ssd with my games on but no OS and now want my OS on the 2tb ssd as a seperate partition without deleting the games. I cant find anything online showing this? I am thinking maybe dismount or hide the partition and hope that windows wont delete it? Just not sure if that will work lol

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Yes, but it's tricky. When you go to clone the drive, don't choose "disk to disk", choose "disk to partition". You should be able to select the empty partition on the target drive with no data loss :)

[@chrisc2252]

@@AskYourComputerGuy what software are you using for this as mine only says disk to disk 😭

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Just about every software out there should have that option...AOMEI, Clonezilla, Macrium, Acronis True Image, etc. Worst care scenario, you can always back up that data partition to another drive and then copy it back after the clone. It's an option at least if you can't get the disk to partition to work

[@eyesuckle]

As usual, you've created a clear, practical and incredibly helpful video. I have a question: When using Fbackup, you suggest leaving your USB stick or drive plugged in at all times so that when the time for your automatically scheduled backup rolls around, you never have to worry about being there to plug in the drive. But suppose you want to do a restore because you've had to wipe your hard drive due to a virus or malware infection (I've been there). If you leave your backup media installed at all times, is there not a danger that it will be infected, too? And that when you restore your files, you will also restore the infection? For that reason, I don't usually leave my backup medium (whatever it might be) attached to my computer unless I'm actually doing the backup. Is that an unnecessary precaution? I also thought that if your computer is damaged due to a power surge (I know, not terribly likely) would a plugged-in USB stick or drive not also be at risk? Thanks again for your great videos! You're saving a lot of people a lot of anguish. People are *really* attached to their computers.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Technically yes, I suppose it could happen leaving it plugged in. Excellent point. I think my point was more "make sure the drive is plugged in when the backup kicks off". That probably is more accurate. Thx for the clarification

[@wngimageanddesign9546]

To get around this, if you have more than one computer, say a laptop and a desktop, the external storage can be attached to the USB of the 2nd system, which can be set up to wake itself via BIOS or via OS at a specific time of day. The 2nd system will be attached to the same network as your primary system. You can map a network drive to the 2nd system's USB drive as a shared drive on the 2nd system. Now your backup software can be scheduled to do a daily backup (incremental or differential) image coinciding with the start of the 2nd system. The backup process usually doesn't take longer than 30 min. depending on the system drive and or data drive(s). Once after completion....the 2nd system can be set to either hibernate or shut down after a set amount of time. Thus the backup drive is no longer accessible in case in the 24 hrs, you happen to be attacked/infected. You will become aware by that time, and you will know that this network attached storage was isolated and safe. BTW, I use Macrium Reflect Free Version for my backups. I believe it's still free until the end of 2023. Then you will have to purchase it if you require future support for Win11 revisions and bug fixes. If you're backing up Win10 systems, it should be good to go since Win 10 stopped at 22H2.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Nice 💪

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

You don't have to leave it plugged in, but it's only going to be an issue in the event of a storm. In which case your external drive shouldn't be the priority, instead the pc being on is. Unless you have UPS battery backup

[@phillipbeharall6271]

Brilliant thank you I've liked and subscribed 👏👏👏

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it and welcome to the community!

[@Austinsairplanes]

Don't intermingle your personal files on C drive, it can be a pain to make sure that everything is backed up from the C drive. It's much easier if i know that anything important is on D drive.

[@LanComp1]

I use EaseUS Todo Backup to image my system to a remote 6 TB drive. Incase something catastrophic happens "And It Has" I just boot from my EaseUS Todo bootable USB and image my system onto a unformatted SSD and I'm up in less than 15 minutes. This is my practice for the last 8 years.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Score! Love it! 💪

[@DJaquithFL]

Personally I use Macrium Reflect and clone my M.2 to a same model M.2 and copy my RAID 1 M.2's to my NAS and my important files are backed up remotely. Critical data e.g. financial data is manually backed up on a thumb drive.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Macrium is/was great. Unfortunately, it's no longer free. But older versions are still allowed and work great :)

[@DJaquithFL]

​@@AskYourComputerGuy.. I got into a habit a long time ago about backing up and like the idea of a boot SSD with RAID storage. Even though my new PC is 100% solid-state (all M.2's) the OS drive and apps are a lot more vulnerable than just pure storage purposed drives. The problem is sometimes a System Restore doesn't fix the problem of a major corruption and I totally agree with not backing up that type drive daily. The reason I mentioned it is there aren't too many videos that show you how to move your document, photo, etc folders to a different location. I keep mine on my RAID 1 drives.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Working on one right now. Not NAS complicated, but how to split your drive into two partitions and move your libraries to D. Not the best solution because the drive as a whole might die, but makes for easy Windows reload with no worries about data recovery

[@gaveintothedarkness]

very helpful video thank you!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

You're welcome! Thx for watching!

[@winboogie42]

Great info very useful

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Glad it was helpful!

[@scottvalery]

A simpler clonezilla is rescuezilla. I also use ventoy for multiple iso files

[@scottromesburg7935]

Love the vids!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Thank you!

[@PearlX9]

Acronis True Image is top notch

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Agreed 👍

[@thelitepredator]

Hello friend I'm new to your channel I love everything you post. Thank you so much .

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Thank you so much 🤗

[@daveprice9128]

I boot into acronis and restore an image takes 8 min. I have backgrounds on a 4gb usb. I do a full image if I install a big program like adobe. Delete the last full image. I keep 2 images. One with Windows updates / drivers. I do the second image with all programs.I forgot to mention that the image by default is roughly 1/2 the size of data. 100gb of windows and whatever would be about 51gb. Installing Windows and updates and image is roughly 11gb. You don’t need a ton of space. The most optimal way to image a system is to save the image to another physical drive in your computer. If you save to a external device your speed to save and recover much longer.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Nice! Good strategy!!!

[@daveprice9128]

I use acronis cyber protect to make a bootable usb

[@aceofdatabase]

You are now my computer guy :D

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Awesome! That's my goal 👍💪

[@jpteknoman]

i use a dual external disk backup style. i have a big disk and on it i have both a folder with all files backup and a system image so i can use either depending on my needs.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Perfect! 💪

[@oninsc102565]

What I did to my laptop was upgraded it, since my laptop had a M2 SSD internal port, I install 256 gig ssd and clone my os. Now I have two os on my laptop. I just have to access my laptop Bios to switch between my two os.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Nice!

[@ErvigHenry]

User Comment: This video is great! Backup power is so important, especially when you're out camping and need to charge your devices. I'm always looking for reliable power solutions. Thanks for sharing!Your Response: I completely agree! Having a reliable backup power source is crucial for outdoor adventures. I highly recommend the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series. It has a massive capacity, fast recharging, and a waterproof design. Check it out if you're in need of a reliable power solution!

[@armagedon515]

Thanks, very informative. One note : Macrium Reflect still has a free version for imaging (v8) (no registration necessary either) and is still maintain but individual files/folders backup in not free (was it ever?). It is not advertise on their website I think but can be obtain from various software sites. It does make very compressed images and the files inside them can be extract individually.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Yep! Macrium 8.41, as shown here: How to clone a hard drive - EASY step by step walk-thru! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2mcdpaKn9-faq8

[@joeglennaz]

Thank you for the video one thing that’s very confusing to me is when you talk about creating an image I’ve seen this another videos and no one ever explains the difference in the back up in an image I thought we were backing up so I don’t understand why were creating images. Thanks you

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

There are basically three kinds of backups... One is taking your files and copying them off a Windows computer to an external drive. That doesn't do anything for you if Windows crashes, just saves your personal files. The second method, less popular but smarter, is to create a disc "image", save that to an external, and you can reload Windows "as-is", personal files, operating system, etc. The third option, arguably the smartest option, is to do what is called "cloning" the drive. It involves two similar size drives. Using software or hardware, you make an exact duplicate of your existing drive. In the case of a Windows crash or hardware crash, you can literally take the cloned drive, swap it with the bad one, and you're up and running in minutes, exactly the way the machine was at the time of cloning. This is less popular because it's a little more time consuming, but the advantages are that you don't spend hours reloading Windows and any software programs, as well as personal files. The disadvantages are that it involves buying a second drive to clone to, and unless you have your personal files backed up, you would lose any files you've saved since the last clone. I'm waiting on a vendor to send me some hardware and I will probably make another video going through each method in detail. Hope that helps you understand a little better :)

[@joeglennaz]

@@AskYourComputerGuy thank you so much for responding. I’m gonna make sure that I subscribe to you now I understand the last two options cloning and disc image sound very similar but in my mind I was thinking the difference were as follows back up personal files, like music videos, my documents, or just back up the whole drive, which would include everything the OS operating system all the files everything. Now I understand as you’ve explained it in a more technical way in a more accurate way, and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Thank you so much.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

My pleasure! Welcome to the community :)

[@scottspa74]

I thought you might have also mentioned enabling file history (for creating restore points). It's under advanced system settings, IIRC.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

It will be addressed in a follow-up video 👍

[@jimperrin1288]

Thanks for an informative video. Really helpful. If I do a system backup and say, a week later, my computer dies. completely, can I just plug the backed up HD into the replacement computer and will it recognize the HD and just carry on?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

You'll need to boot to an image recovery disc that you need to create, or you can boot to Windows troubleshooting and restore it from there, pointing to the image file on the drive

[@sarahcaldwell3576]

What if your computer is running out of space and you want to back everything on externally and then delete everything off the computer?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

You can do that, but it's not a backup until you copy everything back to another location. Otherwise you're just moving files, not backing them up

[@acratone8300]

3:48 Nope! On backup and restore (windows7) page, there is no "create system image" available to click on. The only option is "create a system repair disk". There is not any "create system image" to click on. (I'm using windows 11 22H2).

[@RattlerSSBN]

First, I hate to change channels on you briefly but I'm looking for recommendations and opinions on a anti-virus solution. I've seen you mention Avast before, can you comment further or point us to a video you may have done recently? I've been using AVG but growing tired of their persistent pestering and web issues. Secondly, does FBackup require a clean formatted drive and can I go to that backup to find and grab a specific file or subdir to restore or copy elsewhere?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

No worries. Last AV video I did was this: Is FREE antivirus good enough to keep my computer safe? kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJaug2WhpLtklaM No you don't need to format the drive for Fbackup. Just need the available space ;)

[@MrNomadBrad]

Thanks!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Thanks so much for the Super! I appreciate it ;)

[@FlyboyHelosim]

I don't keep any files in the user profile folders as I for one I don't keep much data on my main C: drive, and two, that's the first place people look... so if you get hacked, for example. I also don't use any backup methods that do real-time cloud backups as that relies on an 'always on' internet connection, which I also don't use. I see that as a major security risk and unnecessarily bogs down the system with everything always trying to 'phone home' or update. In fact I don't use any backup software at all except for the occasional disk cloning, which obviously has to be done with special software as you can't just 'copy/paste' an active system. I'm pretty old-school and use the simplest backup methods possible, just copying and pasting files and folders using Windows copy/paste. That said, my backup methods are anything but simple. I have multiple tiers of backups across multiple storage devices of different types and in multiple locations.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

That's the smart way to do it! I've got a video coming out soon, showing people how to split their main drive into an OS partition and a "personal files" partition. Not the perfect solution, but (provided the drive doesn't die), always guarantees that they won't lose their personal files in the event of a Windows crash or reinstall :)

[@FlyboyHelosim]

@@AskYourComputerGuy I used to use that method on my previous laptop, where I had the hard drive split into two partitions... one for the OS, programs, etc. and the other for personal data. However, since I got my new daily driver laptop it can take multiple drives so instead of having to split one hard drive into two partitions, I can use a separate SSD for the OS and programs, etc. and another separate HDD for personal data. This is even better, as I could in theory swap out different operating systems while maintaining my personal data, or physically remove the drive with personal data on if I wanted to do a clean OS installation without risk of overwriting my files I want to keep. Having separate drives just opens up so many more options, if only for peace of mind when nuking the OS.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

@FlyboyHelosim agreed, a much better option. But for some people, this quick and dirty method is enough...at least until they can come up a better long term solution that they can manage to figure out 💪

[@gergemall]

Thank you

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

You're welcome! 👍

[@MGMidget73]

I just bought recently a 1TB thumb size flash drive. Backed up a ton of photos, music and docs on it. Used the high-speed USB port, backed all up in about 4 minutes. Don't use the slower USB port unless you do it before hitting the sack. That will take awhile if you got a lot of stuff. Got my name brand stick off Amazon at a great price. Wanted to come back and add you can back up your stuff from your phones and tablets. I just backed up years of stuff to an external HDD off my phone thru my PC. Just have to make sure the cable you attach to your phone can also handle data.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

👍

[@jayferret007]

I use Hasleo Backup Suite and this is completely Free, tried and test

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Haven't heard of it. I'll check it out 👍

[@vancecost]

@Ask Your Computer Guy That’s great for a HDD. But what about a SSD. Most new computers are SSD, laptops and desktops. Thank you!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Great question! They are absolutely interchangeable, you can use HDD or SSD, whichever works best for you and your budget!

[@rotcorpnala]

Thanks

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Thank you, I really appreciate the support! 💪👍❤️

[@CallsItLikeISeizeIts]

Can I use that drive readwr to hook up old Internal HDs to get fikles off of them from various DT and LT computers I have had?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Absolutely. That's what it's designed to do 👍

[@DominicMazoch]

Is that a Guy Falkes mask on the upper right of the shelving?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

It is 😂

[@mache3984]

I'm doing EVERYTHING at this point. I have almost 20 years at stake.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Perfect! 💪

[@doncoyote2]

Very informative, thanks. I would like to clone my c drive. I have an external hard drive in a fixed enclosure. Can I clone to it, and then re-clone back to an internal HDD if necessary? Thanks again.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Absolutely

[@404ErrorPage]

I use SyncBackFree to backup to my NAS.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Haven't used that before. Have you ever had to use it to recover?

[@SilverMiraii]

I want an active solution to backup my stuff, like an automatic, periodic backup ya know

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

I actually like Fbackup for automated backup

[@kyle5555]

Does the system backup work properly if you you have bitlocker turned on? Also, will that mess up any of my saved passkeys in my TPM?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Yes it will work fine. And no it won't be affected by passkeys 👍

[@marcelobrito2716]

Hi Scott. What would be your suggestion for a monthly backup routine that after it is run in the first month, in the next months it would only update the file that had been changed in the interval between backups; or other added content to the original folders?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

For that scenario, I would go with Carbonite. It's about $5/month annually and it updates your files in real time. Hands-free, just set it and forget it. My affiliate link is partners.carbonite.com/AskYourComputerGuy You can use Microsoft Onedrive as well. Just depends on your level of privacy desire. Carbonite has a strict "no look" policy that I appreciate 👍

[@veritas4us]

Great video, thank you so much

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@teaf5157]

Great video! Hey by the way, I believe you have my stapler?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

😂😂😂

[@YOUSOUFKHADAROO]

is windows recovery point procedure for system backup not adequate enough .in which way carbonite, f backup etc better.thanks for your comments and advic

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Are you referring to system restore points? If so, they don't back up anything besides your Windows settings

[@Frank-Thoresen]

What is your preferred one time backup software when you backup data from a client's computer before you reinstall Windows or do a major job in Windows?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Fbackup. Free and easy and fast

[@waynegrauel1031]

If I clone my new pc ( m2 2tb "c" drive)... Does the "clone - backup" need to be the same size? Id think if i used a 1tb drive as my clone/backup, if i had to restore from the clone/backup back to a 2tb internal drive, id end up with 1 tb of drive space thats unallocated or in an empty oartition. So... Do both drives need to be the sane size?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Preferably same size or larger, but it's not an absolute requirement

[@Freethinker-vj4ut]

Second question, i have a laptop about 13 years old with hdd. My question is how long does hdd last? Like when is it safe to switch to ssd? Loved your videos always 😊❤

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

The correct answer is immediately, and never. A HDD can't easily outlast and SSD, and vice versa. If the existing system with HDD works well for you, and you don't necessarily need a speed increase, save your money and just make sure to backup routinely. An SSD will give you a huge performance boost, but the lack of moving parts does NOT equal reliability. Just speed ;)

[@Freethinker-vj4ut]

@@AskYourComputerGuy ok. Thanks for the advice 😊

[@eyesuckle]

@@AskYourComputerGuy I had no idea. I always just assumed that a SSD would be more reliable because of the lack of moving parts thing.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Common misconception. Yes, worth the effort if you want speed. Yes, likely more reliable mechanically because no moving parts, but they are being en masse by unknown Chinese companies to be the "biggest and cheapest", that the quality suffers

[@706erRick]

@@AskYourComputerGuy I have just got an 14 tb external hard drive can I use it to extend my c drive...if so how!? Also if I can't how can you make all your downloads go directly to your external hard drive instead of the c drive... because I have a 1 tb c drive and it's full..I need some help here!!!

[@innercityunit2112]

Brilliant!..I just discovered your channel and am so impressed. Fantastic, clear and concise information, and I have just subscribed...This information may just save things for me. My main, reasonably high-spec laptop, which is primarily used for my photography, Photoshop work, graphic design, 3D rendering and gaming, has just ended up stuck in a Windows automatic repair loop. I have tried various methods, following other guides, to try to get out of this loop, but so far, no success. I am concerned that for a few weeks before this I was getting a Smart Error, warning my main C: drive was going to fail, and wonder if this has any bearing?...I don't know....But my first concern is going to be to try and rescue all my jpegs and raw files, and crucially a ton of Ps PSD files that contain hundreds of hours of work and workflows, that would be impossible to replicate. Workflows that I use for base templates for any new projects that required similar design techniques/styles...I do have a 1TB external HDD, which has (should have) a complete system backup on it, which I did using Paragon software. So if I did it right, it should be on there. So, if you don't mind me asking, would I be able to use this to resolve things?..and yes, this disc clone was made around a year ago, so I know files added after this will not be there, but it would at least save a fair portion of my files...I really want to try and save this laptop I'm talking about, it cost around $1800 and is/has been a really solid machine/build = around 5-6 years old now. Thanks in advance for any additional help/response.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Yes. First and foremost, get your files. Everything else is irrelevant. You can use Hirens to access your files or Linux if you're more comfortable with that. After that you can worry about your hardware, but it sounds like a failing drive for sure

[@innercityunit2112]

@@AskYourComputerGuy Thanks so much for the prompt response and advice. I will get on to that as quickly as I can and take the whole thing step by step. Great channel, I'll be watching regularly...thanks again!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

My pleasure! Thank YOU

[@teegees]

@TCG So I have a question for you: When backing up to an image, if say your source Drive is 512gb in capacity, but there is only 50gb of content on it. Will the resulting backup image be 512gb or 50gb? I would hope the latter, so that it can be restored to a smaller capacity drive... I do like the idea of backing up to an image file as it’s much cleaner.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

The image file is like any other file. As long as you have the space available, you're good

[@teegees]

@@AskYourComputerGuy Not sure I understand. Will the resulting image file be only as large as the contents being copied over or will be have a whole bunch of empty space?

[@aboredguy]

However you backup your stuff, you should be able to go back to the previous state of files unless you thoroughly verify that the current state of your computer is clean. Even if you back up your stuff once a year, it is possible that your computer gets infected one minute before you back it up.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Agreed

[@CalatoriePrinScriptura]

What about "File History" option in Windows? Do you recommend it? Will it be good to put it on a another volume or another Disk?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

That is absolutely a good option of you have the storage space for it. Cloning your drive is the most ideal solution...working on that video as we speak :)

[@davidwayne9982]

I don't DO microsoft anything--- or WINDOWS anything-- and I'm trying my best to get away from GOOGLE anything.... I hate the big 3.. (corrupt jerks and crappy companies-- software ok- but companies NOT). BUT I appreciate the video--- I never knew about some of this-- and I want to set up the way you show. I will NOT do Carbonite or any of that-- I don't want my stuff going anywhere else..

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Understood. Just wanted to put the info out there. Everyone's needs are different 💪🍺😁

[@mayravixx25]

Just figured I'd ask: If I were to clone my SSD onto a standard 1 TB HDD, would I be able to read files from the 1 TB HDD on a new installation of, say, Linux via that drive reader and just copy my files from that? If one of those external readers plus a 1 TB HDD aren't that expensive, I may opt for that instead of my original plan of getting two 128 GB USB sticks

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Short answer...absolutely

[@mayravixx25]

@@AskYourComputerGuy Thanks 👍 I did end up finding out though that the distro I use (Ubuntu) comes with software that allows me to image my SSD as an ISO that I can mount later, so I might see about using that to generate an ISO and storing it on a 4 TB hard drive that I can then use for mass file storage later (like mods for games or charts/beatmaps for rhythm games that tend to take up a lot of space when you have over a thousand of them)

[@luistrejito1]

What's your take on MiniTool? I use it with my customers to clone from HDD to SSD and to run periodical image backups, to me it is a good investment and I add it to the cost of my labor, my customers run it thanks to it's simplicity and reliability.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

MiniTool is great. I've actually got a MT on the drawing board for an upcoming video 👍

[@Gepedrglass]

If my motherboard supports multiple hard drives, does this mean i can make a backup image and have it save directly to the drive instead? I would assume it would but I figure I'd ask.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Correct 👍

[@Gepedrglass]

@@AskYourComputerGuy thank you very much!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

@Gepedrglass you bet! 👍

[@beverlycleaveland9994]

A question: Can I use the cloned drive in a new computer I just built? Nothing is the same: motherboard, cpu, ram etc. I really don't want to have to reinstall programs, especially the QuickBooks 2019 I have. That would be a PITA since they are trying to force us to use only online now for a monthly price. Great Video! Oh! I have the AOMEI and tried cloning it through there but it would not boot in my new computer. I'm sure I'm selecting something wrong (I thought I selected it to be bootable)

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Yes, you can use the cloned drive in the new machine....BUT! Because none of the hardware is the same, either a) Windows essentially will boot into what looks like safe mode while it installs the new drivers or b) it will blue screen immediately because of the drivers. You can try booting into safe mode with networking and maybe get around it, but just be aware ;)

[@beverlycleaveland9994]

@@AskYourComputerGuy Thanks for the quick response. I'll give it one more try

[@GhostPepper233]

I moved away from Carbonite due some nutty thing they did a few years ago, can't remember but I didn't care for it. Went to Backblaze instead.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

I've heard good things about Backblaze, too :)

[@rationalbushcraft]

I am skeptical of Carbonite. Maybe it is better now but we used to suggest it to our clients but we had a couple of times where it said the backup was successful and it was all green but when we went to restore it said the backup image was corrupt.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

I've never had that issue, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. Hopefully those days are behind them. I have many clients very satisfied with it 👍

[@dhaufjebzjchseis3828]

If i do a complete system backup and I have for example mongodb installed with some data in my databases , would I be able to restore that data as well or just the application

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

If you clone the drive, it will restore everything exactly as it was 👍

[@kennybranton3303]

I usually try the copy and paste method when copying the files for backups. I run into a problem where the path is too long and the files are not copied. Over time I have lost some files this way. I have edited the registery to allow longer file paths. Is there an easier way besides to edit the registery while using the copy and paste function.?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Windows file structure limit is 255 characters. No way around that. What I do is make sir my folder paths are less than the 255 characters, and I never have a problem 👍

[@Petran892]

Can i boot another pc with the image backup. I'm asking because i want to switch from my laptop into a desktop and would like everything to be installed and configured the same way

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Generally the only way this works is of the machines are identical or very similar, meaning the hardware matches. You can try it, it will either work and you'll have a ton of drivers for Windows to install, or it will blue screen on you. Either way, it won't hurt to try. It will either work or it won't

[@Petran892]

@@AskYourComputerGuy thanks for the quick answer!

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

@Petran892 I do my best! Good luck! 👍

[@tomdortch7501]

Excellent video! I have three user accounts on my computer plus the administrator account. Am I safe to assume I can backup all users using the administrator login and by selecting the users folder. No need to individually backup each individual user folder separately?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

If you are just backing up personal files, absolutely yes. You won't be able to back up specific profile settings, but docs, pics, etc - no problem! Just grab those folders from each profile and you're good to go ;)

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

As an aside, I wouldn't grab the entire user folder because the appdata folder is usually huge, and aside from a few profile specific configurations, won't do you much good. But if you hwve the space available, it can't hurt. Just be aware it's usually VERY large

[@tomdortch7501]

Great, thank you for your help!😊

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

My pleasure! Thx for watching ;)

[@tomdortch7501]

I do have one more question. My C drive is 476GB and about 60% full. Most of the user files are on one-drive only with the files that are frequently used on both the C drive and on one-drive. Is there anything I need to be aware of regarding backup protocol for safety of the files as a whole for all user profiles in case of a drive failure or a malware attack, etc?

[@FullAutoApolotics]

Would you say that Carbonite is superior to Dropbox? It does look like it's more affordable

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Even though I am not affiliated with Carbonite any longer, yes, superior to Dropbox. At best, equal...ish

[@teegees]

Rescuezilla is Clonezilla but much better. Also free.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

👍

[@ddc163264]

MAJOR issue with FBACKUP! it requires as much empty space on the drive it's installed on as the drive where you're going to make the backup to. So if you have a 1TB drive and it is just half full, you won't be able to backup anything. It will start and then get almost all the way to the end and fail.

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Maybe for a full drive image, but the method is showed was how to just back up personal files individually 👍

[@drdr73]

I use hasleo backup.its free and very user friendly.the windows built in method gave me some error about uefi...hasleo went through without any error

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Interesting...never heard of it. I'll check it out! Thx

[@jmproductions7041]

does clonezilla copy my disk image AND also my media files? or is it just the OS image?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

If you clone, it creates a duplicate of the entire drive, exactly as it is at the time of cloning

[@scottromesburg7935]

Question: can you make the same backup copy to a SSD instead of a disk drive?

[@AskYourComputerGuy]

Absolutely!