Question I need suggestions for backups ?

[Super14730]

Currently using OneDrive (1 TB) for backups and am quickly running out of space.

I would like to know if there are alternatives to continually upgrading OneDrive or something else that
is more reasonable.

Thanks

Nick

 

[JayGau]

I personally don't like those cloud backups (I don't trust them very much) and rather use an external 4 TB SSD and the Windows built-in backup tool. I have file history set to run every hour and the full file+system image backup is done every week. I also periodically make an additional system drive image with Clonezilla (stored on a different external drive that is connected only during the image procedure).

 

[MJS WARLORD]

Many years ago i stopped using cd's to do individual back ups of assorted items because i got fed up with finding out that 5 of the pack of 20 were faulty.

I now use flash drives to make back ups of music in my car , documents , photos , videos , save game files and copies of utility programs that i am using , if they are out of date when i need to use them mr google will tell me.

I also make screen shots of how some things are set out in case i cant remember how i had them.

If you have a problem that you cant seem to fix the usual answer is a clean install and then get your backed up items out.

 

[USAFRet]

Currently using OneDrive (1 TB) for backups and am quickly running out of space.

I would like to know if there are alternatives to continually upgrading OneDrive or something else that
is more reasonable.

Thanks

Nick

Read through here for various routines:

What is your backup situation at home?

What is your backup situation at home? And if you don't do that, why not? Every single day, I read multiple threads here of "How do I get my stuff back?" or "That drive had 5 years of photos of my kids!!" Be it a dead drive, dropped phone, virus, accidental deletion, formatting the wrong...

forums.tomshardware.com

Mine is the first post. Somewhat modified since then, but the basics.

 

[Cilantro7536]

that is more reasonable.

A 4TB HDD seems to cost the same as a "Microsoft 365 Personal" subscription. If a drive lasts 5-10 years, it seems that just for storage, you aren't going to beat the local backup in the long run. Perhaps you can get one and move less important backups onto the HDD first and see how it goes from there.

If you can live without the desktop copies of Microsoft Office (maybe using LibreOffice as a substitute?), that's going to be cheaper in the long run too.

 

[JeffreyP55]

Currently using OneDrive (1 TB) for backups and am quickly running out of space.

I would like to know if there are alternatives to continually upgrading OneDrive or something else that
is more reasonable.

Thanks

Nick

Acronis.

Cybersecurity & Data Protection Solutions - Acronis

Acronis provides award-winning backup software & data protection solutions for consumers, businesses & MSPs. Protect your sensitive information!

www.acronis.com

 

[USAFRet]

I would like to know if there are alternatives to continually upgrading OneDrive or something else that
is more reasonable.

Macrium Reflect.

 

[JayGau]

Macrium Reflect.

Why paying for a third party software when there's a built-in Windows tool that does essentially the same thing?

 

[USAFRet]

Why paying for a third party software when there's a built-in Windows tool that does essentially the same thing?

It does not do the same thing, not even close.

So, in my system....

6x physical drives. Each drive (mostly) devoted to a specific use case.
Full drive Images, and then a rolling 30 days of Incremental images.
All sent to a folder tree on my NAS.
Automated, hands off.

I can recover any individual drive to any state it was in the last month.
Or the whole system.
Or, mount an Image, and recover a single file. For instance..."the PowerPoint presentation from last Thursday".


Can I do that with the build in Windows backup routine?