The PC is the place where we store all the files, including the most important ones such as working documents, theses, term papers and invoices of all kinds. Although hard drives have good resistance, it is the most delicate part of a PC and you just need a powerful virus (like ransomware ), a voltage surge, lightning that hits the home system or the simple wear of the disk to compromise the most important files stored on the PC. Before it is too late we can backup important files and documents on an external disk, to be disconnected from the USB socket periodically and to be kept away from the PC when not needed; in this way, whatever happens to the computer, we will not lose the most important documents because they are well kept in a memory space that is not accessible at the time of the event (obviously we will not have to always keep the external disk connected to the PC).
In this guide we will show you how to backup to external USB disk using the tools provided by Windows, also showing you which USB disks to use for the purpose.
READ ALSO: How to Backup: best ways to save and recover files
How to backup to external USB disk
In the following chapters we will show you how to choose a good external disk to backup your data, followed by the chapter dedicated to the actual backup.Features external USB hard drive
It is not necessary for the external disk for backup to have "special" characteristics, but we will still have to make sure that it can be read by any PC and that it supports the faster USB standard, so as to speed up saving the backup. For this purpose we will have to check that the external hard drive chosen has the following characteristics:
- at least 1 TB of internal space : it is now a standard, all this space will help to keep a lot of files; if we have to keep video files, we advise you to focus on the 2 or 3 TB models;
- USB 3.0 cable: to be able to read and write files at high speed make sure that the USB cable supports version 3.0, among the fastest currently available; you can notice this feature by observing the blue color of the socket;
- USB 2.0 compatibility : if your PC has USB 2.0 ports you can use them to connect the external disk; in this case it will go slower but you will still be able to access the files;
- SATA 3 support : the integrated disk must support the SATA 3 standard, which guarantees excellent read and write speeds;
- self-supply : the disk must receive the electricity it needs from the USB socket, therefore no external cables or double cables for power supply.
Which external USB drive to buy
After seeing some of the features that the external backup disk must have, here is the list of models that we can buy online, immediately ready for use.Maxtor External HDD 1TB
A cheap and capacious USB hard disk, with 1 TB of available space, USB 3.0 cable, SafetyKey button and proprietary Auto Backup system. We can view this disk from here -> Maxtor External HDD 1TB (44 €).
TOSHIBA Canvio Basics 1TB
Another cheap and capacious disk for backups of important data, since it has 1 TB of space, USB 3.0 cable and NTFS preformatting (immediately ready for use). We can view this disc from here -> TOSHIBA Canvio Basics 1TB (45 €).
Western Digital Elements 2TB
If we are looking for more space for our backup files, we can focus on the WD Elements, which has 2 TB of internal space, USB 3.0 cable and WD backup software for free trial. We can view this disc from here -> Western Digital Elements 2TB (69 €).
To view other interesting models we can read our guide to the best portable external hard drives: buying guide .
HDD case for internal disks
If we have internal SATA hard disks for laptops (2.5-inch), we can "convert" the external USB disks using the HDD case or HDD Enclosure, which can store the disks and provide a USB-SATA interface to be able to use on any USB port.
The models are all very similar to each other, just choose the most aesthetically pleasing one from the models shown below:
- POSUGEAR External Hard Drive Case 2.5 ", USB 3.0 (€ 8)
- EasyULT External Hard Drive Case 2.5 ", USB 3.0 (€ 9)
- AUKEY External Hard Drive Case 2.5 "USB 3.0 (9 €)
- AmazonBasics - 2.5-inch USB 3.0 SATA hard drive bay (12 €)
- UGREEN External Hard Drive Case for USB C 3.1 Gen 2 (15 €)
How to backup data from Windows 10
Once connected the external USB disk (to be dedicated to data backup) to the PC, all we have to do is open the Start menu at the bottom left, open the Settings app and go to the path Update and security -> Backup .
From this screen we click on the Add a drive button and select the USB hard disk connected to the computer (identified as Removable Disk ).
To make the actual backup, make sure that the button under the heading Automatically back up the files is active, select the Other options item, add the folders to be included in the backup with the Add a folder button (check that the folder is not already present among the predefined ones), we set 10 minutes under the item Backup files then press at the top on the button Backup now to start the backup.
In other articles we mention detailed guides on how to backup files in Windows 10 and on how to activate the automatic Backup of Windows 10.
At the end of the backup we can remove the disk using safe removal (highly recommended in this type of operation).
From now on, simply connect the USB hard disk to the PC and wait 10 minutes, to automatically backup important data and folders; if we want to proceed quickly with manual backup, just go to Settings -> Update and security -> Backup -> Other options and press the Back up now button.
NOTE : even disconnecting the disk, Windows 10 will wait for the disk to be reconnected for automatic backup.
If we use other versions of Windows (7 or 8.1), we recommend that you back up your data as indicated in our guide to All file backup and restore tools included in Windows .
Conclusions
Making a backup of important data and folders on Windows 10 is relatively simple, since we will have to do is buy a good USB hard disk and set it as a "target" for data backup (also called File History ) included inside Windows 10.If we want to use an external program for backing up files and folders, we recommend you read our guide to the Best Programs to make automatic and incremental free backups . To backup the installed programs (also to reinstall them on other PCs), we can read our article Backup installed programs and settings on Windows .
If, on the other hand, we are looking for a quick and fast way to backup the entire Windows system, just read our in-depth analysis on How to make backup and recovery of your computer simple, fast and complete .
