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Back up hard drive

yesum

yesum

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
What is the easiest and/or best way to install a backup hard drive to your pc? I have heard of dual hard drives and external drives but not sure what to do. Had a episode of not having any computer activity going, blank screen. I guess it was the virus protection auto updating but it just crapped out my pc for a few hours.

Also do not know how to transfer data from working drive to backup.:thank you:
 
TychoMonolyth

TychoMonolyth

Boreal Curing
It amazes me how many people still don't know anything their computer.

Years ago people used to complain about learning how to drive.
"Gas, Spark, Break, Clutch, Gears.... I just want to drive my fucking car!"
 
dddaver

dddaver

Active member
Veteran
I ain't no computer expert OP, but if you're going to go that route, I'd suggest an external hard drive. They just plug into a USB port. But if your computer craps out, you can easily just plug that into another.
 
Gry

Gry

Well-known member
Not sure if things have changed, but it used be that when one worked
with important data the right thing to do was to go with a multiple drive
array which would give one an ability for redundancy.
 
TychoMonolyth

TychoMonolyth

Boreal Curing
He doesn't know how to move data so a backup drive won't help.

OP, go to Best Buy and get a external USB back up drive. They're one button push to back up your pc. They're brain dead simple. It'll back up your data (downloads, documents, family and porn movies, etc)but won't fix a dead pc. Once you get it repaired, plug it back in and push the Restore button.
 
yesum

yesum

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ICMag Donor
Veteran
I want the other drive or similar to have the Windows on it plus all the other stuff I have on my drive. Is the external drive gonna do that or do I have to install Windows on it, not just swap file int it?

I can always put my files on a thumbdrive. Have done that before but want to seamlessly go from dead main drive to backup. When a new drive is purchased, then plug it in and transfer from the backup. Not sure if Windows is gonna be that easy to swap.
 
troutman

troutman

Seed Whore
An external hard drive is nice to have. I have 2 of them. :)

You also don't need to have them plugged in all the time which is nice.

Just back up your good stuff on it and store it away just in case.

You don't need to install Windows on an external hard drive.

As soon as you plug it in your computer it will take over. :tiphat:

i.e Plug and Play

Watch this video to learn how to copy stuff.

Copying files to an external drive
 
yesum

yesum

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Not sure I am getting thru. I have copied stuff into a usb thumb drive before, wondering if I can transfer Windows OS into the external hard drive as well. It seems the answer is no.

If I can operate the external drive and get internet access without putting windows on it? I think that is impossible. It seems the external drive is not much better than a thumbdrive then.
 
I'mback

I'mback

Comfortably numb!
yesum said:
If I can operate the external drive and get internet access without putting windows on it? I think that is impossible. It seems the external drive is not much better than a thumbdrive then.
Click to expand...
No you can't!

Not sure I am getting thru. I have copied stuff into a usb thumb drive before, wondering if I can transfer Windows OS into the external hard drive as well. It seems the answer is no.
Click to expand...

That is set up in your BIOS. A computer only runs one system at a time. Set up back up drive as a secondary boot drive e.g if not start normal go ----> there. Internal vice external, is a no brainer. Internal all the way. Why? Your PC will be running at the transfer rate with an external. Can I say slow. Unless you know what your a doing, a puter shop will fix you right up :)
 
R

RB56

Active member
Veteran
Get a solid state drive and a USB connector for the drive - that's all you need on the hardware side. Then you need software that will create a bootable clone of your hard drive. Crucial drives are nice and inexpensive and come with free cloning software. This way, your backup will be a replacement, bootable Windows drive. If your system goes down, physically swap drives in your computer and you'll be back in business, with your computer in the state it was when you made your last backup.
 
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