Do you need ideas for backups?
Do you need ideas for backups?
I personally prefer not to rely on those cloud backups (I don't fully trust them) and instead use a local 4 TB SSD along with the Windows built-in backup utility. My file history runs hourly, and I perform full file and system image backups weekly. Additionally, I create extra system drive images using Clonezilla, which is stored on another external drive that's only connected during the imaging process.
Back in the day I stopped relying on CDs for personal backups because I became tired of discovering that 5 out of 20 were defective.
Now I use flash drives to store music, documents, photos, videos, game files, and utility program copies. If they’re outdated when I need them, I’ll check with Google.
I also take screenshots of setups so I don’t lose track of them.
If you face an issue that can’t be resolved, the usual fix is a clean install followed by restoring your backups.
Review these different routines:
What are your contingency plans at home?
What are your backup options at home? And why not? Each day I see many threads asking "How do I recover my files?" or "That drive contained 5 years of photos of my kids!!" Whether it's a dead drive, lost phone, virus, accidental erase, or wrong formatting...
The 4TB HDD appears to match the price of a "Microsoft 365 Personal" plan. If the drive lasts five to ten years, it seems storage alone won't make you outperform local backups over time. You might consider purchasing one and initially storing less critical backups there before moving them elsewhere.
If you can forgo desktop versions of Microsoft Office—perhaps using LibreOffice instead—that will also save costs in the long term.
Acronis offers top-tier backup and data protection tools for users, companies, and managed service providers. Safeguard your important data! Visit www.acronis.com
It doesn't perform the same actions, not even closely.
In my setup...
6x physical drives, each tailored for a particular purpose.
Full drive images are stored, along with a continuous 30-day incremental set.
These are placed into a folder structure on my NAS.
The process is automated, so you don’t have to manage it manually.
I can restore any drive to its previous state within the last month, or the entire system.
Or, I can mount an image and retrieve a single file—like the PowerPoint presentation from last Thursday.
Can this be achieved using the built-in Windows backup routine?