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Backup Windows 10 to External Hard Drive Securely (3 Ways) - Free disk cloning software to transfer OS to USB external drive
If backing up the drive you're currently using, ensure "Use Volume Shadow Copy" is enabled so Disk2vhd can copy files that are currently being used. It's ideal to save the backup image to a drive other than the one you're backing up to avoid performance degradation. There's also support for creating a backup file using the command line.
If any larger, other virtualization software might be more suitable. It's really easy to add more than one file or folder to GFI Backup to be included in a backup job. The folder structure looks just like it does in Explorer, letting you place a check next to anything you want to be included.
A backup can be encrypted with a password, compressed, split into small chunks, and even built into a self-extracting archive. You can choose to restore certain files or select entire folders at once to be copied back to the original backup location or saved elsewhere.
GFI Backup also includes a sync feature, detailed scheduled tasks, and incremental and differential backups. It should be able to run on all versions of Windows, including Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.
Free Easis Drive Cloning is extremely easy to use. You'll walk through a wizard with any option you choose. The first will ask you to choose the drive you wish to back up and where to save the IMG file. The Restore Image option is just the opposite of the first, and the last selection lets you clone a drive to another without having to first create an image.
The bad thing about Free Easis Drive Cloning is that it backs up everything , even the unused, free space of the drive. We tested it in Windows 10 and Windows 8 without running into any problems. Ocster Backup permits backing up files and folders to any local or external hard drive. When adding content to back up, you must browse for each file and folder you want to be added. While you are able to select multiple files at once, you can't quickly add numerous folders like some of the other backup programs from this list are able to do.
You can encrypt a backup with Ocster Backup, set up a daily or weekly schedule, and exclude content by name, extension, or folder. Also, another plus is that the original directory structure is still present when you restore the files, which makes it rather simple to navigate through them. Ocster Backup is limited in that it doesn't support backing up to a network drive, and restoring files is an all or nothing deal where you must restore everything at once.
Ashampoo Backup has replaced Ocster Backup, but you can still get the last released version through the link above. You can optionally save to more than one location if you want multiple places to store your files. Backups can be compressed using one of three modes: password-protected, encrypted, and set up to use a schedule. The log files made with AceBackup can optionally be emailed on the event of an error or chosen to be sent even on successful backups.
Something we don't like is that some of the options in this program aren't described, which can leave you wondering what certain settings will do when they are enabled.
We successfully used AceBackup in Windows 10, but it should work just as well in Windows 11, Windows 8, and Windows 7. FBackup allows the backup of individual files and whole folders even from your Google Drive or Dropbox account to be saved to a local, external, or network folder, as well as to those same online file storage services. An easy to use wizard guides you through the backup process and includes preset locations you can choose to back up, like the Documents and Pictures folder, Microsoft Outlook, and Google Chrome settings.
In addition, FBackup lets you add your own files and folders to a backup job. You can exclude certain data from a job by specifying a word in the folder or file name, as well as the type of file extension. Two backup types are supported in the free edition: Full and Mirror. A full backup compresses every file into ZIP folders, while a mirror creates an exact replica of the files in non-compressed form. Both allow encryption. Backup jobs are created using a built-in interface that corresponds with the Task Scheduler service in Windows to run a backup at times like once, weekly, at logon, or when idle.
Once a job completes, FBackup can be set to hibernate, sleep, shutdown, or log off Windows. A backup can be restored using a simple restore utility that comes built-in, which lets you restore everything or individual files to their original location or a new one. You also have the option to restore only the latest version of the files, or to run filters to restore specific file types. While testing FBackup, we found that it downloaded quickly but took a bit longer than usual to install.
It can also be installed on Windows Server , , , , and HDClone Free Edition can back up an entire disk or a select partition, to an image file. Using the Setup for Windows download will let the program run inside Windows. You're also able to back up one disk or partition to another, but it will overwrite the data on the destination drive. Some features, like choosing a compression level and encrypting a backup, appear to be supported but are unfortunately only available in the paid version.
With Macrium Reflect, partitions can be backed up to an image file or copied directly to another drive. This file can be saved to a local drive, network share, external drive, or burned directly to a disc. You can even add more than one backup location to build a fail-safe in the event that a destination becomes invalid.
You can schedule a full backup on a schedule so every day, week, month, or year, a backup will be made of any drive, including the one with Windows installed. A backup job can also be scheduled to run at startup or log on. To restore a backed up image to a drive with Windows installed, you must use the Macrium Reflect program to build a Windows or Linux rescue disc, both of which can restore an MRIMG file.
You can also mount the backup as a virtual drive that mimics a local one, allowing you to browse through the backed up files and folders and copy out anything you want. The program should work on all versions of Windows. We tested it in Windows 10 and Windows 8. Determine if you are running a bit or bit version of Windows to know which option you should choose on the download page.
Make sure to select one of the blue download links since the red ones are for the paid editions. A backup image can be built into one file or separated into chunks for easier placement on media like CDs and DVDs.
You have the option to back up a drive's used data or the used and unused portions of the disk. Restoring a backup is really easy with ODIN because you just select the disk that should be restored and then load the backup file.
Freebyte Backup can back up multiple folders at a time to any local, external, or network drive. A backup can't be compressed or encrypted with this program.
Scheduling isn't built-in either, but you can make a few changes to how the program launches as well as use an external scheduling program to make it work.
You can filter a backup job so that files with particular extensions get copied, leaving out all the rest. There's also an option to only back up files that have been modified after a particular date and time, as well as a toggle to turn on incremental backups. Freebyte Backup is said to work only with Windows Vista, XP, and older versions of Windows, but we tested it in Windows 10 and 8 without any issues.
Freebyte Backup downloads as a ZIP file. Inside is the portable version FBBackup. CloneZilla Live is a bootable disc that can back up an entire hard drive to either an image file or another disk. This program is text-based, so you won't find regular menu options or buttons.
You can compress a backup image, split it into custom sizes, and even check a hard drive for errors using a free hard drive testing tool before creating an image. Restoring a backup with CloneZilla Live involves taking the regular backup process steps but doing so in reverse. It sounds confusing, but following the on-screen instructions makes it pretty easy. Karen's Replicator is easy to use, simple folder backup utility that supports a local, external, or network drive as a backup destination.
Data is backed up using a regular copy method without encryption or password options, which means you can browse through a backup like you would any other folder in Explorer. Options let you exclude subfolders from a backup, filter out certain files by their extension, avoid backing up particular directories, and schedule backup jobs. You can also decide whether or not Karen's Replicator should delete files from a backup if they're removed from the source folder.
The interface of Karen's Replicator is a bit outdated but it didn't interfere with backups or our ability to find settings. Personal Backup can back up data to a folder on an external or local drive, FTP site, or network share.
When selecting the files to be backed up, Personal Backup only allows single files to be added at a time. You can keep adding more, but only one can actually be chosen at a time, which can slow down the process of creating a backup job. You can , however, select whole folders, and context menu integration is supported.
A backup can be built as an archive for each and every file, creating many ZIP files, or as a single archive which contains all the data. Options are available for encryption, compression, and file types that should be excluded from compression. Personal Backup allows a total of 16 backup jobs to be created, each of which can have their own scheduling options and incremental or differential backup type.
To use Personal Backup, you must download the proper bit or bit version that matches your version of Windows. We find Personal Backup to be very cluttered, making it hard to find what you're looking for because nearly all the settings are simply thrown into the program interface with seemingly no organization.
However, it does update a lot, which is a good sign that it's constantly trying to improve. The bit version runs on Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7, as well as Windows Server R2, , , and Windows Vista and XP users can install the bit version. Incremental backups are also supported. Settings are available to compress a backup and manage how much splitting, if any, should be done to cut the backup into smaller pieces.
Restoring data is as easy as selecting the backup image and choosing the drive to restore it to. Also, the setup file is over MB, so it could take some time to finish downloading. Take note that you need to register for a free user account on their website before you can fully use the program. That, or log in via another account when you first open the program, like your Google account. There is no restore function, and everything that's on the destination disk is wiped clean before XXCLONE beings backing up the source drive's files.
You're able to adjust the speed of the backup as well as make the destination drive bootable. We tested this program in Windows 10, 8 and 7, but it should also work for Windows 11, Vista, and XP. PING is a program that runs straight off bootable media like a disc. It lets you back up one or more partitions to a file. There isn't a graphical interface when using PING, so you must be somewhat comfortable with a text-only navigation screen to use this program. You have the option to back up partitions to a local or external drive as well as to a network share or FTP server.
When selecting the correct source and destination drive for a backup or restore, it's actually a bit difficult to determine which drive is which. PING does not show you the name of the drive or the size, but instead just the first few files that are located on the disk.
This is only slightly helpful when determining the right disk to select. You can compress a backup and optionally set it up for incremental backups in the future, both of which are options you're asked before starting a backup. When restoring a backup with PING, you're required to know the exact path of the backed up files.
You're unable to "browse" for the files like you can when an operating system is loaded, so you must know the exact path to the files to successfully restore them.
After logging in on the download page, choose the stand-alone ISO link. This program, nor backing up in general, has anything to do with the more commonly known computer term ping , as in the ping command. Areca Backup makes it simple to add new files to a backup job by supporting drag and drop. You can save a backup to any internal drive, FTP site, or network folder. Backing up to external hardware is not supported. We've ranked Areca Backup this low on the list because it isn't as easy to use as most of the other programs you see here.
Visit the Areca official website for tutorials and manuals. We were able to get this program to work with Windows 10, 7, and XP, but it may also work in other versions of Windows. CopyWipe is a backup program that can run outside of Windows on a disc or from within Windows like a regular program, though both options are text-only, non-GUI versions.
It backs up entire hard drives to other hard drives, supporting both internal and external devices like flash drives. You can copy hard drives even if they're different sizes by choosing to scale drives or do a raw copy so that everything is copied, both used and unused space. You must confirm a copy before starting, which is a good thing, but CopyWipe doesn't provide any identifiable details to differentiate between the drives, which means you must use Disk Management to know which one is Hard Drive 0 , Hard Drive 1 , etc.
We tested the most recent version in Windows 10, 8, and 7, and it worked just as advertised so long as the program ran as an administrator. It should also work for Windows 11 and older versions of Windows. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies.
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By Tim Fisher. Tim Fisher. Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. Reviewed by Jerrick Leger. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses. Tweet Share Email. Apps Best Apps Payment Services.
What We Like. What We Don't Like. Download Cobian Reflector. Download FileFort Backup. Download BackUp Maker. Download Redo Rescue. After you complete the steps, you can use the disc or USB bootable media to start your computer in the Advanced startup mode to recover your files. When the unexpected happens, you can use the Backup and Restore feature to restore files individually or recover your entire system and data. Once you complete the steps, you'll be able to access the files and folders from the location that you specified during the recovery process.
If your computer doesn't boot or you're replacing the hard drive, you can restore your device using the most recent backup. The only caveat is that the process is often different depending on the manufacturer and even the computer model. So make sure to check your device manufacturer's support website for more specific instructions.
After you complete the steps, the recovery process will start, and it'll restore everything since the last backup. The completion time will depend upon the data and hardware configuration. If you work with files frequently, and you don't create backups daily, it's recommended to complement the backup with another kind of file backup. For instance, using a OneDrive subscription allows you to keep a more up-to-date copy of all your personal files in the cloud. In addition to the Backup and Restore tool, you can also use the system image backup tool to create a full copy of your entire computer, but there are a few key differences between these tools.
When using Backup and Restore, you can create automatic backups during a specified schedule, and you get more options. For example, you can configure the data that you want to protect, manage the storage, and you can restore one or multiple files as well as the entire device. However, this solution also has at least a couple of things to consider.
When doing backups automatically, it means that the backup drive has to be always connected to the computer, which could be a risk as if malware infects the device, it may also damage the backup.
In contrast, the system image backup feature allows you to create a full backup, but you must go through the process manually every time that you want to protect your files and installation. Typically, this feature is more suited as a temporary backup when modifying the system settings or replacing the hard drive. One significant benefit is that unlike the automatic option, you can always disconnect the backup drive and store it in a safe location, which can protect your data from malware and hackers as well as from natural disasters.
Similar to the automated process, system image backup also has a few caveats. You can only restore files since the last time you ran the feature.
As a result, if you're not proactive in creating backups, you could lose a lot of data during the restore process. Also, this feature is meant to restore your entire system, not individual files.
We're focusing this guide on Windows 10, but the Backup and Restore tool has been around for a long time, which means you can refer to these instructions if you're using Windows 8. Mauro Huculak is technical writer for WindowsCentral. His primary focus is to write comprehensive how-tos to help users get the most out of Windows 10 and its many related technologies. Windows Central Windows Central. Mauro Huculak.
Topics Windows 10 Help. See all comments Great post, Mauro! I have been doing this already, but there were a couple little hints about space management that I had forgotten about. Hey frett, thanks! Yup, this guide is good for those who don't know about the feature, and it's also a reminder for those who do know. Great post indeed. Never did backups of the entire system, nor a repair disk. I'm on windows 10, the most stable OS to date, but I'm following your advice, we'll never know.
One question, though: how big does the usb pen has to be? Can it be a DVD? Yes, you can use a DVD to create a bootable disc. Thanks for your answer. I've got the 64 bits version.
That means a DVD won't work since it has less that 6gb of space, right? The best way to tell is to download the Media Creation Tool and see what the app tells you. Alternatively, you can simply create a repair disc which uses the size of the normal CD. This is a good example of how something that could be so simple is made so difficult by Microsoft. Sure all of us geeks can follow these procedures just fine, but its the neo-phytes that need the help. Those are the people I help all day long every day.
What Microsoft needs to do is have an additional backup tool that is simple; saves chosen folders; defaulting to Docs, Music, Pics, and Videos, pointed to an external device, that simply; perfectly syncs all files over to that device. This is so Gdamn easy for them to do, but they make us go looking for these tools instead of just building it in.
SyncToy is great for this, but its not a built in solution for average joes. File History is just confusing, and does not give a proper status window for whether or not it is currenlty saving files etc. Any good backup tool should also warn folks to unplug the drive when done, and plug it back in if it is not visible when re-initiating the backup. Just my opinion. Infact they're deprecating all this stuff from Fall Creators Update on. That's why I see weird an article NOW in this site.
I believe they said it's going away. Maybe next year.
