Articles in Category: Backing Up & Backup Programs

Nothing can save your computer and data from almost any disaster like a proper and recent back up. These articles discuss backup techniques, tools and more of the things you need to do to keep your data safe.

Just What Is a Backup, Anyway?

At its most basic, backups are simple: a copy of something kept somewhere else to keep it safe.

The First Thing You Should Do With a New Computer

If you can, wait to play with your new computer for a little while. I have something important I want you to do first.

Is Cloud Backup Enough?

Cloud backup vs. backing up to an external drive isn’t really a debate. Why not both?

Why Is “Back Up First” Your Recommendation for Everything?

Nothing protects you and your data like a complete, recent backup, even when it might not be obvious. That’s why I harp on it so much.

Back Up with Dropbox

Using Dropbox to share files across machines is pretty common. You can also use Dropbox on only one machine as backup technology.

What Do I Do If My Backup Drive is Full?

If you’re backing up regularly to an external drive, chances are you’re accumulating lots of data. I’ll look at how to organize it, and what to keep.

Should I Use RAID for Backup?

RAID is a valuable technology for improving disk speed and fault tolerance, but it is in no way a replacement for backing up.

Restoring an Image Backup from One Computer to Another

The concept seems simple: take a system image of one machine, restore it to another, and avoid lengthy setup time. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

When Backups Might Not Save You from Ransomware

Ransomware is known for encrypting your data and holding it hostage. It turns out that it can do more that backups won’t protect against.

How Should I Back Up an Encrypted Disk?

Backing up an encrypted hard drive shouldn’t be difficult, but it’s important to understand what you’ll get.

Can’t I Just Copy Everything to Back Up?

It’s tempting to just use file-copy tools to back up what you think you need. But you can easily miss something very important.

External Hard Disk for Backups – 8 Reasons They Are Your Best Option

An external drive is by far the best piece of additional equipment you can get for your computer to keep your data safe.

Just What Is a Backup?

“If it’s only in one place, it’s not backed up” really tells you all you need to know.

What’s an Incremental Backup?

Backing up is important, but terms like “full”, “incremental”, and “differential” can easily confuse. I’ll look at what these terms mean.

What Backup Type Do I Want: Full, Incremental, or Differential?

Terms relating to backing up can be confusing. Understanding them helps you make better decisions about backing up.

What’s the Difference Between a Clone and an Image?

The difference between a clone and an image boils down to what they contain: everything, or absolutely everything.

What is an Image Backup?

Backup terminology can be confusing. I’ll define one of the terms I use frequently and explain why I think it’s so important.

If It’s All Digital, Won’t You Lose It Anyway?

A single original of anything is not backed up, and backing up is significantly easier, and of higher quality, in digital media.

How to Back Up Photos and Never Lose Them Again: the Steps You Need to Take

Follow these steps to avoid losing precious and irreplaceable memories.

What Backup Program Should I Use?

Backing up your computer’s data is critical. What backup program should you use? There are many, but pragmatically, the best is whatever you’ll actually use.

What Good Is an Image If I Can’t Restore an Old Backup to a New Computer?

Image backups are excellent protection against data loss, but restoring an old backup to new computer isn’t why you do them.

Why Don’t You Back Up Your Computer?

Backups are one way you can protect yourself from everything from hardware failure to virus infections. So why don’t you back up?

Can I Back Up to an Internal Drive?

Backing up to a second physical internal drive can be a good tool in your backup arsenal, as long as you understand its limitations.

Setting Up Macrium Reflect Free (Webinar #2)

I neglected to set up automated backups on my rebuilt laptop. I’ll walk you through downloading and installing Macrium Reflect free, and scheduling automated backups.

Creating a Backup Image Using Windows’ Built-in Backup

I don’t think much of the Windows backup utility–but any backup is better than no backup. Let’s take a look at how to use it.

How Do I Restore a Backup Image to a Smaller Drive?

Restoring to a smaller drive is often difficult. I’ll list the steps necessary to get the job done.

Can I Back Up Files to a Separate Partition on the Same Hard Disk?

It’s tempting to back up to a separate partition, because it’s somewhat like another disk. The problem is, it’s not. You could be risking your data.

Do I Need to Make a New Rescue Disc Every Time My Backup Software Updates?

If you don’t have rescue media, you can use another machine to make it. You certainly don’t need to make one every time you back up or update the software.

How to Protect Your Computer from Natural Disasters

Natural disasters remind us that our computers, among other things, are at risk. I’ll look at protecting your computer, and more importantly, your data.

Are Deleted Files also Deleted from Backups?

Old backups typically have all of the files that were on your machine at the time the backup was taken — and that’s what you want.

What Is Your Most Trusted Method of Backing Up?

Backing up is important. Knowing which tools, techniques, services, and even advice to trust can be a challenge.

Will a Scheduled Backup Wake My Machine Up If It’s Sleeping?

Some backup programs can wake up a sleeping machine, but there are still things that could go wrong and cause a backup to fail.

Enable File History in Windows 10

File History is advertised as Windows 10’s backup solution. In reality, it can be a useful component of a larger strategy. I’ll show you how to set it up.

How do I Copy Photos from My Phone to My PC?

Copying photos from your phone to your PC is simple with a few readily available tools.

Why is My Backup Program Saying There’s Not Enough Space on System Reserved Partitions?

Your computer’s system reserved partitions should have nothing to do with backing up (other than needing to be backed up themselves). I’ll review what they are, and how a back-up program might be mislead.

What Should I Back Up?

Backing up is incredibly important. Knowing what to back up, where to back up, and how often to back up are just as important.

EaseUS Todo Gave Me An Error on an “Unknown Partition”. What Should I Do?

EaseUS Todo will throw an error if one of the partitions you want to back up has an error, or isn’t in an understandable format. I’ll walk you through your options.

How Should I Back Up My Hard Drive with Several Partitions to an External Drive?

Backing up to an external drive is an easy way to make sure you’re covered in event of failure. But how should that external drive be configured?

A Peek Behind My Backup Curtain

I talk about backups a lot. So how do I back up? It’s not for the faint of heart, and you may be sorry you asked…

What about Windows 10 backup?

While Windows 10 backup is included as part of the operating system, I consider it to be barely adequate, and prefer a more full-featured solution.

Why Are My Incremental Backups So Large?

Incremental backups can be larger than expected, and that’s okay.

Do You Back Up?

For the past several weeks I’ve been asking new subscribers, “Do you back up?” The responses have been a little depressing.

How Do I Schedule Automatic Backups?

Next to simply making an image backup, scheduling those backups to happen automatically is one of the topics most people find confusing. Depending on the backup software that you’re using, it’s typically not hard at all. I’ll show you by walking through the steps of scheduling a monthly full backup, using the free version of the backup … Read more

How Do I Create a New Machine Image?

When you get a new machine, creating a new machine image backup as soon as you can is a convenient way to reinstall should you ever need to.

Should I back up to DVDs?

In the past it was common to back up to DVDs. Today, the landscape has changed, and backing up to an external hard drive is more appropriate.

What Repair Discs Do I Need?

You may not need every kind of rescue disc possible, but you should certainly have one from your backup program.

How do I protect the files on a portable hard drive?

The answer to this is simple. If it’s only in one place… it’s not backed up!