Best way to backup Win8 and Win8.1

[vk60564]

I purchased a Dell desktop with Win8.0 installed. As part of the "getting started" process, I followed instructions to build a "recovery USB stick". Couple of questions:

1. How do I check to see if the recovery USB stick actually works?

2. Dell also sent me two disks. The first one is titled "Operating System (already installed on your computer. Windows 8 Recovery Media for Windows 8 Products 64-bit." The second one is labeled "Drivers and Utilities". What is the difference between the USB recovery stick created in #1 and the "recovery media" that dell sent.

3. Their literature says, that on the hard drive, there is a partition that has software that can be used to recover w/o external media. What is the use of having three options? Are these three identical?

4. I intend to upgrade to Windows 8.1. What is the best option to create a bootable disk/media/USB once I upgrade. Should I do that using the upgrade Dell software (they want to upsell from Basic Dell Backup & Recovery (free) to Premium ($)) or does Windows 8.1 has some built in tool to do it.

Starting from a brand new install of Windows 8.0, I would like to end with a 8.1 install + a backup of the system.

Thanks
Vik

 

[hearmimi]

you try dell tool? it is hard to say whether it is best or not. maybe or maybe not. I prefer professional backup software, such as ghost in old times, now ascrons, aomei backupper...