Protecting your data from potential loss caused by system failures, viruses, or physical damage is crucial. To do this, you should regularly create copies of your files and settings on another hard drive. Follow this straightforward guide to learn how to back up your hard drive using the tools built into Windows 10.
What You Need:
- Source Hard Drive: Your current hard drive with your data.
- Target Hard Drive: Another hard drive (external USB, network drive, or another internal drive) with sufficient space and NTFS formatting.
How To Backup Hard Drive To Another Hard Drive
Connect Your Target Hard Drive
If it’s an external USB drive, plug it into your computer.
For a network drive, ensure it’s accessible on your network.
If it’s an internal drive, ensure it’s installed and recognized.
Open Backup Settings
- Go to the Control Panel, click ‘System and Security’, then ‘Backup and Restore (Windows 7)’.
Set Up the Backup
- Click ‘Set up backup’.
- Select your target hard drive as the backup destination and click ‘Next’.
- Choose Backup Content
Decide what to backup. You can let Windows select default items (user files, system settings, system image) or choose manually by selecting ‘Let me choose’. Click ‘Next’.
Start the Backup Process
Review your settings, then click ‘Save settings and run backup’. The backup will begin, and the duration depends on your data size and drive speed.
Manage Your Backup
After completion, you can manage your backup by clicking ‘Manage space’ or ‘Change settings’ in the Backup and Restore window. You can also create a system repair disc or recovery drive for system restoration.
Conclusion:
You’ve now successfully backed up your hard drive to another drive. Regularly update your backup to ensure it’s current. Windows also allows scheduling automatic backups for convenience. This process is vital for data security and peace of mind, safeguarding your files against unforeseen incidents.
