Thread: Backing up your computer

I have Windows 8. How do I back up my computer? Do I need an external hard drive?

Originally Posted by mmatt9876

I have Windows 8. How do I back up my computer? Do I need an external hard drive?

Really depends how much you want to save. If you want it all including the operation system and all files than your best strategy is probably another drive, either internal or external. If, however you are just saving personal files, such as emails, music or a few pictures, you might be able to use an USB stick, a burned CD/DVD or even one of the cloud services that exit. About the only things I wouldn't recommend is saving it to another partition of the same drive.

Id listen to lynx if I were you. Me I store all my data on external hard drives including all installation files. Its a pain when your file copies dont validate correctly though. So make sure to include images of all software cases and CD keys on your external hard drive for future reference. I also store all my videos and music to hard drive as well with images. I find that Compact disks over 10 years old need to be saved to file with compilers/media players. Generally these get sent for restoration and or archived. Though its rare you actually have to prove anything people sometimes they still don't believe you anyway. I had a friend of mine lost a hard drive and a whole years work in one night when the external hard drive was damaged so ensure you have a copy on your computer as well in case anything happens to the external hard drive.

Originally Posted by mmatt9876

I have Windows 8. How do I back up my computer? Do I need an external hard drive?

Well, backing up on the same drive that holds the information you're trying to back up is a poor idea, so yes, you will need to store the backup on an external device. Whether that involves magnetic domains on spinning disks, optical pits on spinning discs, or tunneling electrons in non-moving media is up to you.

There are lots of tools for doing backups, if by "backup" you mean something a bit more sophisticated than simply copying user files. If you want to restore your system after a crash, for example, you'll need some additional software for that. I have used Macrium Reflect for years with happy results. And it is free. I'm sure others here have their own favorites, but that's mine.

Weird facts:you wont ever watch all the tv shows since tv shows dont get deleted they get stored somewhere. You could sit down today and start watching tv and if you dont stop watching tv until you have seen every episode youd die first and we still make tv. There is also that much already recorded music. We arent there with video games yet.... nearly.

Originally Posted by mmatt9876

I have Windows 8. How do I back up my computer? Do I need an external hard drive?

Windows 7 and Windows 8 comes with a built-in backup program. Under Windows 8, Windows 7 File Recovery is located in the control panel. The program is design to backup system and data file to another hard drive.





How to Use Windows 7′s Backup Tools in Windows 8

So much cheaper to do a cloud backup

Originally Posted by MrMojo1

Originally Posted by mmatt9876

I have Windows 8. How do I back up my computer? Do I need an external hard drive?

Windows 7 and Windows 8 comes with a built-in backup program. Under Windows 8, Windows 7 File Recovery is located in the control panel. The program is design to backup system and data file to another hard drive.How to Use Windows 7′s Backup Tools in Windows 8

If you are only backing up a small amount data, then a cloud solution would be optimal. Having a local backup image of your entire pc maybe better. If you have a media failure on your laptop, you replace the drive and perform an entire system restore from your backup drive. You do not have to manually install all your applications. You could have you entire pc running like before in a couple of hours.

my solution is rather more pedestrian - i'm not too fussed about having to restore / rebuild the OS, what's more important is your documents, music, pictures and videos
these go on 2 external hard drives, since the chance that both will fail at the same time as the computer does is minimal
i never delete any pictures from my camera until they've been transferred to the PC and both external hard drvies

they don't cost much and last a long time, so in my view an external hard drive is the safest insurance policy

Originally Posted by marnixR

they don't cost much and last a long time, so in my view an external hard drive is the safest insurance policy

Agreed, and to make things a bit easier, if you need to fully restore things from scratch later, you can run Windows Easy Transfer every now and then and save your mail settings etc onto the same external HDD. You'll find Windows Easy Transfer under Accessories/System tools.

Originally Posted by tk421

Originally Posted by mmatt9876

I have Windows 8. How do I back up my computer? Do I need an external hard drive?

Well, backing up on the same drive that holds the information you're trying to back up is a poor idea, so yes, you will need to store the backup on an external device. Whether that involves magnetic domains on spinning disks, optical pits on spinning discs, or tunneling electrons in non-moving media is up to you.

There are lots of tools for doing backups, if by "backup" you mean something a bit more sophisticated than simply copying user files. If you want to restore your system after a crash, for example, you'll need some additional software for that. I have used Macrium Reflect for years with happy results. And it is free. I'm sure others here have their own favorites, but that's mine.

May buy a new laptop tomorrow...Toshiba..17.4 screen (much easier on my eyes..) any suggestions? I know you have knowledge in this...if you would not mind sharing...I would so appreciate....at this point I want to get Windows 7.....need 8 to work out some bugs and get used to that on my Surface tablet... Thank tk!!

I think it would be difficult to find a brand new system running Windows 8 retail. You may be able to purchase a custom build from Dell of HP with Windows 7 on it. Windows 8.1 gives you the option to go straight to the Desktop on system launch. If you prefer a more traditional desktop interface, you can download Windows Classic Shell. It is a free download which will enable you to choose a Windows XP or Windows 7 start menu interface.

If you are planning to much travelling with the laptop, then choose one that has a solid state drive (SSD). The SSD drive have faster response times, and has fewer risks for failure.

Originally Posted by MrMojo1

I think it would be difficult to find a brand new system running Windows 8 retail. You may be able to purchase a custom build from Dell of HP with Windows 7 on it. Windows 8.1 gives you the option to go straight to the Desktop on system launch. If you prefer a more traditional desktop interface, you can download Windows Classic Shell. It is a free download which will enable you to choose a Windows XP or Windows 7 start menu interface.

If you are planning to much travelling with the laptop, then choose one that has a solid state drive (SSD). The SSD drive have faster response times, and has fewer risks for failure.

Thanks Mr. Mojo...they offered me 8.1....I chose 7.....seems 8.1 even still hasn't worked out the kinks...I have that on my surface... I will learn it...then maybe...I'll like it....

I travel with laptop and tablet.........

I am not yet using windows 8 but i heard that it is always updating and backing up it is really an good idea however i don't know yet to back up a windows 8 maybe you can bough a external hard drive and you can back up all your files there.My class mate in training center at http://www.eximia.fi/ has windows 8 computer and he has an external hard drive for back up files and it think that is a good move to do for backing up your computer.

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by tk421

Originally Posted by mmatt9876

I have Windows 8. How do I back up my computer? Do I need an external hard drive?

Well, backing up on the same drive that holds the information you're trying to back up is a poor idea, so yes, you will need to store the backup on an external device. Whether that involves magnetic domains on spinning disks, optical pits on spinning discs, or tunneling electrons in non-moving media is up to you.

There are lots of tools for doing backups, if by "backup" you mean something a bit more sophisticated than simply copying user files. If you want to restore your system after a crash, for example, you'll need some additional software for that. I have used Macrium Reflect for years with happy results. And it is free. I'm sure others here have their own favorites, but that's mine.

May buy a new laptop tomorrow...Toshiba..17.4 screen (much easier on my eyes..) any suggestions? I know you have knowledge in this...if you would not mind sharing...I would so appreciate....at this point I want to get Windows 7.....need 8 to work out some bugs and get used to that on my Surface tablet... Thank tk!!

Babe,

I'm so sorry that I only saw this today. I guess I'm a couple of weeks too late -- I hope you like the laptop that you got. In any case, my recommendations probably wouldn't have helped you much anyway. I travel a great deal, so I'm forced to use one machine on the road, and another back at the office (for more serious work). On the road, low weight and long battery life trump all else, so I ended up choosing an Asus netbook. Small, cheap, and an honest 10 hours of run time when reading documents, and perhaps 7 hours playing vids. I threw in a 1TB hard drive, so it's full of books, papers and movies. But the small 10-inch screen would not play nice with your eyes!

Like you, I chose 7 over 8.x. Microsoft seems to have a problem with every other OS release. I wish someone would tell them "different is not always better."

tk421

Mahalo for replying......and yes you are late

I received a little Windows Surface tablet for Christmas with Windows 8.1

I wish I got Windows 7 on it. I am learning though, or *laughing* trying to learn!

Originally Posted by tk421

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by tk421

Originally Posted by mmatt9876

I have Windows 8. How do I back up my computer? Do I need an external hard drive?

Well, backing up on the same drive that holds the information you're trying to back up is a poor idea, so yes, you will need to store the backup on an external device. Whether that involves magnetic domains on spinning disks, optical pits on spinning discs, or tunneling electrons in non-moving media is up to you.

There are lots of tools for doing backups, if by "backup" you mean something a bit more sophisticated than simply copying user files. If you want to restore your system after a crash, for example, you'll need some additional software for that. I have used Macrium Reflect for years with happy results. And it is free. I'm sure others here have their own favorites, but that's mine.

May buy a new laptop tomorrow...Toshiba..17.4 screen (much easier on my eyes..) any suggestions? I know you have knowledge in this...if you would not mind sharing...I would so appreciate....at this point I want to get Windows 7.....need 8 to work out some bugs and get used to that on my Surface tablet... Thank tk!!

Babe,

I'm so sorry that I only saw this today. I guess I'm a couple of weeks too late -- I hope you like the laptop that you got. In any case, my recommendations probably wouldn't have helped you much anyway. I travel a great deal, so I'm forced to use one machine on the road, and another back at the office (for more serious work). On the road, low weight and long battery life trump all else, so I ended up choosing an Asus netbook. Small, cheap, and an honest 10 hours of run time when reading documents, and perhaps 7 hours playing vids. I threw in a 1TB hard drive, so it's full of books, papers and movies. But the small 10-inch screen would not play nice with your eyes!

Like you, I chose 7 over 8.x. Microsoft seems to have a problem with every other OS release. I wish someone would tell them "different is not always better."

Please see post 17......this spun on me but didn't post as a quote!!!

External HD works for me and it is cheap, a terrabite is under 120.00 now.