System restore

As long as I have the backup hard drive plugged in, I can set windows to do an automatic backup without me having to start it?

Can't I back it up on the hard drive??

PattiChati said:

Can't I back it up on the hard drive??

Yes you can.

You have previously emphasized wanting "simple".

You likely will not find the built-in Windows backup capabilities to be "simple".

There are other free programs that are "simpler". None are "simple". You will have to do some homework and experimentation until you have some confidence and understanding.

I'd suggest that your first task when you get your new external drive installed would be to copy your User folder (from C:\Users) to it with the mouse. That truly is "simple". You might do it once a week. As far as I know, that is where your personal data is.

After that is done, then you can begin to investigate software that can help you with backups--whether that is the built-in Windows tool or something else.

But do the copy with the mouse first--to immediately prevent another catastrophe like you just went through with that Excel file.

Why do I need software to backup. I noticed on windows there was an automatic backup you could set to do once a week or whatever you wanted? I can't find it, but I have seen it before. Do you know how to do it?

I found where you go to backup, but there is a big red line saying backup disconnected??? Never saw that before. Should I just wait and see what happens to it when I get my hard drive? I had an usb plugged in trying to save on that and took it out, could that be it?

The most reliable backup I know of is a simple copy and paste of the personal data files that you choose. Agreed you have to spend a bit of time doing it, but it's virtually foolproof.

Automatic backups of your personal data can and do go wrong.

So I just drag my user folder to the hard drive - that is all???

PattiChati said:

Why do I need software to backup. I noticed on windows there was an automatic backup you could set to do once a week or whatever you wanted? I can't find it, but I have seen it before. Do you know how to do it?

To repeat:

You do NOT need software to back up. You can simply copy stuff to the backup drive with your mouse.

As I previously said, Windows "automatic" backup is not particularly simple to use. It works, but it isn't simple.

Other applications are simpler.

But you don't need any of them. You can just do a manual copy from time to time.

If you want to later use software, OK. But there is a learning curve that you may not want to climb since you want "simple".

Seavixen is right. So-called "automated" backups using software can and do go wrong and take some time to understand.

Do a simple mouse copy for now. Virtually foolproof.

You just have to locate what you need to backup---pictures, bookmarks, Excel files, Word files, video, email, etc.

PattiChati said:

So I just drag my user folder to the hard drive - that is all???

That is all unless you have stuff you want to back up that is NOT in your user folder.

Your new external drive will show up in Windows Explorer as D or maybe E and you can drag to it just like it was any other folder. You'll probably have to format it when it arrives.

If you were going to back up on October 5, I would make a folder on the new drive called "Patti backup 100511" or something like that that tells you the date it was done.

And then just drag to it.

Make sure you are copying not moving when you drag.