Backing up files and or folders - best method

F

films&games

Enthusiast
Hi,

I am just wondering what the best way is to backup my files on my old PCS build, which is running Windows 7 Professional.

Mentioned here - https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-psu-installation-advice-corsair-tx650m.64831

Previously, I have just been dragging and dropping the files and or folders that I want to backup to an external USB 3.0 3TB HDD.

As there are a lot of files and folders or to backup, should I just continue to use this method?

Or would it be possible for me to image each of the partitions C and D and mount these as a virtual drive(s) to be able to look through and to select the files/folders that I want and copy them across when I get my new PCS build?


Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated, please.

Thank you.
 
Last edited:
Oussebon

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
There's always cloud storage.

For an external HDD, you could use FreeFileSync (which is indeed free, though you can support by donating).

freefilesync.org

FreeFileSync

Download FreeFileSync 13.3. FreeFileSync is a free open source data backup software that helps you synchronize files and folders on Windows, Linux and macOS.
freefilesync.org freefilesync.org

It lets you do versioned backups between as many folder pairs as you like. e.g.
C: > Users > You > Documents ...... to ...... (external HDD) > Documents
D: > Random Things ...... to ...... (external HDD) > Random Things

You can tell it to mirror the files, or to update one/both sides. You can exclude specific files, folders, or file types.

You can create a folder and tell it to store versioned copies of files that are removed or overwritten with newer versions.

You can run the backup process manually or use the Real Time feature it has to continuously back up documents.

I use the manual backup to periodically backup my documents, and I also use the Real Time Sync with some games that autosave to keep backup copies of the old autosaves in case the save file gets corrupted.
 
Oussebon

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
The above is for general backing up

Or would it be possible for me to image each of the partitions C and D and mount these as a virtual drive(s) to be able to look through and to select the files/folders that I want and copy them across when I get my new PCS build?
Click to expand...

If it's for a new PC, just share the drives on your old PC on your home network, and use FreeFileSync to copy the files across. Use a wired (gigabit ethernet) connection. This is quicker than copying via external HDD as you're copying A directly to C instead of A > B then B > C.

Using FreeFS (or something like it) is better than just manually copying in this case, as if there is any interruption to the file copy process, FreeFS can just re-scan the folders and copy the new stuff. Also, by comparing files it will identify any that are different i.e. that did not copy properly.

You can image the drives on your old PC to the external HDD as a backup, in case you realise you forgot to copy over X after you box up etc your old PC and stick it in the attic or whatever. Macrium Reflect is good for this.

As well as copying all the usual folders, remember things that might be lurking in Appdata. e.g. Thunderbird email client profiles, saved games. Steam or other application userdata/installation folders. And all the interesting places that data gets squirrelled away...
 
ubuysa

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
Personally I would image the drives with something like Macrium Reflect (free). You can mount Reflect image files as virtual drives and access individual files and folders.

Imaging protects you against forgetting to backup anything. Although file backup tools work very well they only backup what you tell them to. A disk image captures everything.
 
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F

films&games

Enthusiast
ubuysa said:
Personally I would image the drives with something like Macrium Reflect (free). You can mount Reflect image files as virtual drives and access individual files and folders.

Imaging protects you against forgetting to backup anything. Although file backup tools work very well they only backup what you tell them to. A disk image captures everything.
Click to expand...

Hi @ubuysa Would you be able to give me some advice on how to use Macrium Reflect to image my HDD partitions, please?

Thank you.
 
F

films&games

Enthusiast
Hi @Oussebon I appreciate what you mentioned before about using FreeFileSync but I think that imaging the HDD partitions would be better because any files and or folders won't be missed out.

Oussebon said:
I'd mentioned Macrium too I think. Install it, run it, select the partitions you want to image, and select Image This Disk. Follow the wizard. It's very easy and quick.

I don't think you need a step by step, but if you want one:
www.windowscentral.com

How to use Macrium Reflect to create an image of your PC hard drive

How do I create an image of my PC's hard drive?
www.windowscentral.com www.windowscentral.com
Click to expand...

Thank you for posting this.
 
Oussebon

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
I mean I also mentioned Macrium

Oussebon said:
You can image the drives on your old PC to the external HDD as a backup, in case you realise you forgot to copy over X after you box up etc your old PC and stick it in the attic or whatever. Macrium Reflect is good for this.
Click to expand...
:)
 
F

films&games

Enthusiast
Hi,

When I create images of both of my HDD partitions on my old PCS build running Windows 7 Professional using Macrium Reflect free version, can I create an image of my C partition (Windows boot partition) and browse the files and or folders on the image mounted as a virtual drive in Windows 10 - so that can just retrieve certain files/folders that I want from the image?

In addition to the two partition images, I will also be making backups of certain files/folders to DVD/Blu-ray discs.

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated, please.

Thank you.
 
ubuysa

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
films&games said:
Hi,

When I create images of both of my HDD partitions on my old PCS build running Windows 7 Professional using Macrium Reflect free version, can I create an image of my C partition (Windows boot partition) and browse the files and or folders on the image mounted as a virtual drive in Windows 10 - so that can just retrieve certain files/folders that I want from the image?
Click to expand...

Yes you can. Macrium Reflect won't care that it's an image of a Windows 7 system, it's just an image file. :)
 
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