Make backup copies of the files located. Backup. What is it? What are they? How to make a backup copy on a PC? Restoring files from a file backup after restoring your computer from a system image backup
All storage media such as hard disks, flash drives, SSD media, magnetic drives, CD/DVD, etc., have varying degrees of reliability. Some are created by large companies and are original, others are obvious Chinese fakes. One way or another, all drives are devices, and any device, even the most reliable, can fail at any time, taking all your files with it. Ideally, all PC users should take care of duplicating information stored on the computer, but in practice there are not many such people.
Types of backups
As it turns out, not everyone understands how to backup files and what is it. In essence, creating a backup is creating a duplicate of some data - information in order to restore files in case of their loss. In computer terminology, a distinction is made between copies of files and disks (images).
Backup disk (system or Windows image) - this is a duplicate of the entire disk volume, that is, the logical partition on which Windows is installed. Most often, this can be the contents of each sector of the storage medium, packed into a single container file. Storing it requires significant disk space, comparable to the size of the data on the disk itself. Of course, if you have large storage volumes, then this is not a problem. However, storing multiple duplicates can be costly. In addition, creating a backup of an entire volume may require significantly more time than copying individual directories. fast recovery the entire system and installed programs, and the disadvantages are the inability to restore only individually selected directories.
Backup folder is a duplicate of a folder on a disk created at a certain point in time. As a rule, a PC user is not interested in the safety of the operating system. Windows systems, since it can be reinstalled without any problems. Much more important for a person are working documents, 1C accounting databases, personal photos and video materials, e-mail correspondence, settings for various programs, etc. In this case, much less disk space will be required than when copying the entire volume.
Each of the reservation methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. Most often, creating backup folders selectively is used, since it is inexpensive, simple and quick way protect the most important data from loss. Therefore, in this article we will consider how to make a backup- namely creating a backup of folders, and not the entire disk.
4 Easy Ways to Backup Files on PC or Laptop
There are 4 main ways to create backups. Let's look at them, evaluate the pros and cons of these methods, including creating a disk image.
Method 1. Copying files manually (from one folder to another)
performed without the use of any programs or tools.
Pros: No need to install anything. Just open two Windows windows(with source and destination directories), select necessary files and folders and drag them with the mouse from window to window.
Minuses :
- Need to frequently take time away from current affairs to copy work folders
- You may forget to back up important data on time (human factor)
- Difficult if the source data needs to be copied from several different folders
- Inconvenient to manage backups
Method 2. Copying using bat files
Files with the .bat extension are executable on the Windows operating system and have text format and can execute a sequence of commands, including copying from one folder to another. This method can be called semi-automatic, because usually bat is launched manually and they are quite inferior to automatic “backup” programs.
Pros: No software required. It is enough to create bat files yourself and configure the Task Scheduler in the Panel Windows management to run .bat at a specific time.
Cons: It requires certain knowledge and time to create .bat, which in terms of convenience, functions and flexibility are much inferior to specialized backup programs.
Method 3. Using special software - a program for creating “backups”
3. Initial data
At this stage, you need to select the folders and files that you want to copy. In this case, you can specify both local computer directories and network directories, on an FTP server or external device. To copy from Linux to Windows, FTP or SSH protocol is usually used. For each selected folder, you can specify masks, for example all (*.*) or all except "~*.pps". IN in this example a local folder with working documents and photographs is indicated.
![](https://i1.wp.com/exiland-backup.com/ru/articles/rezervnie-kopii/backup-step2.png)
4. ZIP compression
You need to decide whether to archive source files into a standard ZIP format or just copy it “as is”. Even if you consider that photos or audio files are very poorly compressed, it is still recommended to enable the ZIP compression option for the following reasons:
- It’s convenient that a backup of all data is stored in one ZIP archive
- IN paid versions it is possible to specify a password for the archive and select an encryption method, thereby hiding your working documents from prying eyes
- Types of poorly compressed formats (JPG, MP3, AVI, MOV, etc.) can be indicated below, where the formats to which compression will not be applied are listed - this will speed up the task
![](https://i1.wp.com/exiland-backup.com/ru/articles/rezervnie-kopii/backup-step4.png)
5. Where to save
As we agreed, we will save files on an external hard drive (HDD or SSD) connected to USB port(let it be the H:\ drive, that’s how it was designated in the system when connected). In paid versions, you can specify an unlimited number of places where backup folders will be stored (local, network drives, FTP servers) and thus increase storage reliability.
Below, specify a template for naming backups, which can contain date and time variables so that the archives are named in accordance with the current date and time.
![](https://i1.wp.com/exiland-backup.com/ru/articles/rezervnie-kopii/backup-step5.png)
6. Schedule
The built-in scheduler allows you to flexibly specify 1 or several (even 100) job launch schedules, for example, every day at 12:00, and on Fridays at 18:00. In addition, we can specify that the job will run when an external drive is connected to create backup copy started immediately when connecting the drive to the USB port. If you wish, you can not specify a schedule in order to independently launch the task using a button in the program.
Examples of scheduling options:
- Every day at 08:00
- Every second day, every hour from 08:00 to 12:00
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri at 15:00, Sat, Sun at 11:00
- On the 1st day of the month and the 15th at 17:00
Notification
In addition to the fact that the program records all actions in a log, you can specify the method of notification about the completion of the task, either by e-mail (or SMS to mobile phone), and by local network (Net send) or a simple message on the screen on top of all windows. Moreover, you can choose in which case you want to send a notification: when the data backup is created and everything is fine, or only in case of errors and warnings in the log. The following variables are allowed in the message subject: the name of the PC where the program is running, the name of the completed task, and the result. Thanks to all these settings, you can control the reservation process wherever you are.
Ready. The task has been created!
Click the "Finish" button - the task is created! Enter the general settings of the program (the "Settings" button is located at the top of the main window) and make sure that the "[x] Load the program when Windows starts" option is enabled, then click OK.
Running a job
Now, with an external drive with the given name connected to the PC, our task will begin to execute. You can minimize the program to the notification area (System Tray) and go about your business. When a task is completed, a panel will smoothly appear above the notification area showing the progress of the task. Once the task is completed, the panel will gradually disappear.
As a result, a backup will be created in the folder you specified (the list of created backup copies of data is displayed on the corresponding tab at the bottom of the main window). You will see the result of the task by switching to the tab containing the created archives.
Restoring files from a backup
We looked at how to make a backup copy on your computer with copying to external drive. If you lose one or more files, double-click on the last backup created in the list and the contents of your backup will open in a new window - a list of files and folders. You can tick the required data and restore it to its original location or to a specified folder on the disk.
Exiland Backup has 3 versions: Free, Standard and Professional, designed for both home users and businesses, ensuring data security on workstations and servers.
Backup data management is the most important procedure to ensure the safety of files located on the PC. Any organization, be it a huge enterprise or a small company, periodically makes backups of information stored on their computers. Unfortunately, ordinary home PC users often neglect to back up their files, which sometimes leads to very unpleasant consequences in the form of losing important documents, photos or videos taken with their camera. Meanwhile, setting up the process of creating backup copies is not at all difficult and can be done by any PC user.
What files should I copy?
Before starting the process of backing up files, you should decide which files will be copied. There is no point in creating duplicates of folders such as Windows or Program Files. If HDD will fail, operating system and the programs will still have to be reinstalled again. In order to save space on the media that will be used for backup, you should not create backup copies of movies or music, with the exception of rare ones. All this can be downloaded from the Internet if necessary. There is no point in making a copy of the games either, since they can be reinstalled.
So what files need to be copied?
- Important documents. There may be hundreds of similar files on your computer. You should back up these documents periodically to ensure you have the latest version.
- Photos. People often store photos of loved ones or important events on their computers, without thinking at all that they may be irretrievably lost if the hard drive fails.
- Music. In some cases, storing copies of audio files does not make sense. For example, if you have very little music on your computer, and these songs can be easily restored by downloading from the Internet. The decision to copy or not to copy such files is determined by the availability free space on the media where the backup copy will be stored. But, if you are a music lover and have been collecting a music collection for several years, it is definitely worth making a backup copy of it.
- Letters. If your mail client saves emails only on your computer's hard drive, and some of them are important, it makes sense to periodically back up your email. To do this, just copy one of the files in which all your mail data is stored. For Microsoft Outlook, for example, it will be a file with the extension .pst.
- Important program settings. In some cases this can be very useful. And, if you know where these settings are stored and can, if necessary, restore them from a backup copy, it is better to duplicate them.
- Browser bookmarks. In this situation, you need to proceed from how important this information is to you. If you know how to do this, it is better to copy your browser bookmarks. These files take up very little space.
Where to store backups?
Experts recommend storing the backup copy separately from the main data. This is understandable - if the computer fails, it will be easier and faster to restore information from a backup that was stored on an external drive. There are several options for storing copied data.
- USB storage . This is the simplest solution that does not require significant costs. Currently, you can find high-capacity flash drives on sale at a relatively low price. This carrier is simple and compact. But, unfortunately, it has low reliability. Flash drives often break down and, in addition, they have a limited number of data overwrites. If you make frequent backups, the media will quickly fail. It is better to use a USB drive only as an additional option for storing backup copies.
- . Industry produces a large number of external drives of various capacities and prices. You can buy a relatively inexpensive disk with a capacity of several terabytes, which is quite suitable for regularly backing up your computer data. External drives are reliable and quite compact. Among the shortcomings, they can only be called the need to connect an external drive every time to perform the next backup.
- Cloud storage of copies or use of external servers for this purpose. This backup method is quite suitable for home computer users and is being used by them more and more often. One of the advantages this method– independence from environmental conditions. For example, if there is a house fire or flood, the data will still be saved. In addition, with this method of performing a backup, there is no need to connect an external drive every time. If desired, it is possible to configure automatic creation backup copies. Despite the convenience, this method has some disadvantages. For example, it is recommended to always encrypt your file backups to ensure that no one else has access to your data. When choosing this method of creating backups, you must take into account that this process will consume a lot of traffic, which is quite critical when the Internet is limited.
How to create a backup?
There are two types of backup:
- Backup separate files and folders.
- Operating system image backup.
In the first case, only the specified files and folders are copied. Restoring them individually from a backup copy is not difficult. In the second case, a single image of the system is created with all its settings. This can be useful, for example, when reinstalling Windows. This will reinstall all the settings that were in effect at the time the system image copy was created. This saves a lot of time when reinstalling the system.
Let's look at how to create a backup copy of individual files located on your PC's hard drive in Windows 7. Copying will be done to an external drive when using the built-in software to perform a backup. Before you can start a backup, you need to connect the external drive to your computer.
- Go to “Start” and open the “Control Panel” section. Select "Backup and Restore" there.
- In the window that opens, select the “Set up backup” link.
- In the list of backup destinations, select your external drive and click Next.
- In the next step, you will need to select which folders to include in the backup list. You can let the system choose what exactly will be archived, or you can specify the folders for backup yourself. To do this, check the “Give me a choice” section and click the “Next” button.
- In the window that appears, specify the folders that will be backed up and click the “Next” button.
- At the next stage, the system will prompt you to check your backup settings. Pay attention to the backup schedule.
- If necessary, you can change the archiving schedule.
- Click the “Save settings and start archiving” button.
- When the copying process is completed, the following window will appear.
The Manage Space link allows you to view the backed up files.
For Windows 10 the process is similar.
![](https://i2.wp.com/ru.manyprog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/9.png)
How to restore a backup?
How to restore a lost or accidental backup from a backup deleted file? This can be done using the built-in tools of Windows OS. Moreover, you can restore the entire archive (for example, when replacing a failed hard drive), as well as individual folders and files from the backup. Let's look at this procedure using the example of restoring files from a backup copy on a computer with the Windows 7 operating system.
- Connect the media with the backup stored there to your computer. Go through “Start” to “Control Panel” and select the “Backup and Restore” section. Click the "Recover my files" button.
- In the window that appears, click on the “Select another date” link and select the desired date for creating the archive. By default, the most recent backup of files is taken.
- If you need to restore individual files from an archive, click on the “Search” button and enter the file name partially or completely.
- Mark the found files and click "OK"
- The Browse Files and Browse Folder buttons allow you to view the contents of the backup.
- Once all the files that need to be restored are found in the backup, click on the “Next” button.
- In the window that appears, select the location where the recovered files will be located. You can restore them to where you specify, or to the same place where they were previously located.
- Click the "Restore" button. After the recovery process is complete, review the recovered files.
This method allows you not only to restore files and folders from a backup, but also to delete the files you specify from the archive.
For Windows 10, the sequence of actions to restore files from an archive will be as follows.
![](https://i2.wp.com/ru.manyprog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/20.png)
Backup to Google Drive
Google recently released a file backup and synchronization service that... automatic mode copies data from the PC drive to Google drive. This backup method has many advantages:
- Files are synchronized automatically, without your participation.
- There is no need to connect an external drive every time where backups are stored.
- You have access to the copied data at any time and from anywhere in the world if you have Internet access.
- Data will not be lost even if you experience a fire, flood or other natural disaster.
- Files from archives can be viewed not only from a computer, but also from another device, for example, from a phone.
In order for you to be able to synchronize your folders with Google Drive, you need to download the “Backup and Sync” application from the Google Drive website. Then you should install this program on your computer. The sequence of actions when installing the application will be as follows.
![](https://i0.wp.com/ru.manyprog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/21.png)
If you go to Google Drive through a browser, you will see a folder with the name of your device in the “Computers” section.
If you need to change the synchronization settings, you can click on the “Startup and Sync” application icon in the tray and change the program settings.
When working with important documents and databases, users usually do not think about what if something happens to them. If your operating system or hard drive crashes, your working and very important information may be lost or damaged to such an extent that it is not possible to fix it.
To protect yourself from loss of work data, you need to back up important folders and files. Unfortunately, users think about this when the first failure in their practice has already occurred. At this moment you immediately begin to understand how careless you were about the safety of your life. important information. Therefore, you should not let things get to a critical point and you should perform backups regularly.
How often to do this depends on the type of information and how often it is updated. For example, it is recommended to back up the 1C database once a day if it is used daily. Documents in doc format, xls, images can be duplicated as you make corrections to them.
However, even careful users constantly forget to back up their data or are simply too lazy to do so. Therefore literate System Administrator Be sure to set up automatic backup of information important for work.
Automatic folder backup
To set up a backup copy, you will need some kind of 7-Zip archiver (although copying can be organized on another archiver) and the scheduled tasks panel in Windows.
- Write down the path to the folder you want to back up and determine the path where the backup copy will be created.
- Create a scheduled task in Windows in which the 7-Zip archiver is launched with the parameters for adding the desired folder or files to the archive. See how to do this detailed instructions below for Windows XP or Windows 7.
Check if you have 7-Zip archiver installed. To do this, go to the “Program files” folder on drive C and in the “7-Zip” subfolder and find the “7z.exe” file there:
If you don’t find the archiver there, then download 7-Zip and install it without changing any parameters during installation.
Creating a Backup Job in Windows XP
If you have Windows XP (To create a task in Windows 7, go to the next part of the article). Open the Windows Control Panel (Start button in the lower left corner of the screen and then Control Panel) and go to Scheduled Tasks.
In assigned tasks, double-click on the “Add task” link.
The New Job Scheduling Wizard opens with a welcome text. Click the “Next” button and move on to the second step. Here you will be asked to select a program to launch. We need to specify the 7-Zip archiver. We look for and select it from the list of installed programs. If 7-Zip is not there, then click the “Browse” button, and in the window that opens, go to the path “C:\Program files\7-Zip”, select the “7z” file and click on the “Open” button. Then click “Next”.
In the next step, set the frequency of execution of the created task - “Daily” and click “Next”.
Install exact time into which you should make a backup copy. Choose a time when the computer is often turned on, but most likely idle without work, such as lunch. You can also establish an amendment to make reservations only on weekdays. And click "Next" again.
The task you create requires confirmation using the computer administrator password. Enter it and the “Password” and “Confirmation” fields and click “Next”.
At the completion step, check the “Set additional parameters” checkbox and click the “Finish” button.
A window with the parameters of the created task will open. In the "Run" field you will see the inscription ""C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe"". Add it as follows:
"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" a -tzip Path2 Path1
Here “Path1” is the path to the source folder that needs to be backed up, and “Path2” is the full path indicating the archive file that will be created by the 7-Zip archiver.
For example:
"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" a -tzip D:\Dump\archive.zip D:\Base\
In the example presented, the Base folder will be copied, compressed and placed into an archive.zip archive in the Dump folder on drive D.
After specifying the complete command in the Run field, click OK in the job properties window. Now you will have a backup of the required folder every day at the specified time.
Creating a Backup Job in Windows 7
Open the Windows Control Panel ( Windows button in the lower left corner of the screen, then “Control Panel”). Go to “Administration\Task Scheduler”.
On the right side of the planner there is an “Actions” block. Select the “Create a simple task” item.
The Create a Simple Task Wizard will open. In the first step, you will be prompted to enter a Name and description of the task. Fill in at least the name and click the “Next” button.
At the “Task Trigger” step, select the interval at which the task will be executed. By default, the task is set to run daily. This value is suitable for reservation required folders, leave it as is and click the “Next” button.
On the next screen we indicate the task completion time.
In the “Action” step, leave the default action “Run a program”. Click Next.
In the next window, in the “Program or script” field, specify the path to the 7-Zip archiver. This can be done by clicking on the browse button and selecting the 7z file in the “Program files\7-Zip” folder on drive C, or by manually writing:
"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe"
In the "Add arguments" field you must specify the following parameters:
a -tzip Path2 Path1
Where “Path1” is the path to the backup folder, and “Path2” is the full path indicating the name of the archive file (i.e., backup copy). For example:
a -tzip C:\Temp\archive.zip C:\Test\
After executing this command, the archiver will pack the Test folder and write the archive.zip archive to Temp folder on drive C.
At the step of completing the creation of the task, check whether you filled out everything correctly. If yes, then click the “Done” button. If not, click "Back", return to the desired step and make corrections.
The reservation task has been created.
Automatic backup of files and folders
The instructions above show how you can automatically back up a single folder with subfolders and files. But the task may arise to make a copy of a list of files and folders, located in different places on the hard drive. In this case, you should create a text file with a list of everything that needs to be backed up and place it in the folder where the archiver is located: “C:\Program files\7-Zip”.
In this text file, each line specifies a different path to a file or folder. For example, let's create a list file for backup named listfile.txt:
C:\Test\
C:\Test2\test2-2.txt
In this example, the Test folder and the test-2-2.txt file in the Test2 folder will be backed up. The list can be made from unlimited quantity lines.
Then, on the command line or assigned task, a command like this is indicated:
"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" a -tzip Path2 @listfile.txt
“Path2” is the full path to the archive being created, @listfile.txt is an indication of a file with a list of files and folders to be backed up.
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Why is backing up personal files so important for a user? Because your computer’s hard drive or operating system can fail at any time, and most often at the most inopportune time. Believe me, I have personally encountered this more than once.
Error software or a system crash can easily delete your files, so copies of them, in such cases, are crucial. This does not mean that you need to back up all the data stored on your PC. This will not only eat up precious free disk space, but will also take a lot of time.
An important rule is that the precious data you need must be in at least two different physical places at the same time. By creating a backup and deleting the original, the first one will no longer be called a backup. At first glance, these are obvious things, but how painful it is when the backup drive fails.
Today there are many ways to backup data. From transferring them to a separate hard drive (please do not confuse them with one drive) or external storage, before uploading to a remote server via the Internet (to the “Cloud”).
The choice of tools to accomplish this depends on the user's preferences. Can be used system tools in Windows or third party programs.
For most users, I recommend backing up individual files and folders rather than the entire system (image). After all, after a significant failure in the operation of the operating system, experts prefer to reinstall the OS from scratch, rather than search for the cause of the failure and its subsequent elimination.
BACKUP
The most significant and important thing now is to create duplicates of your personal files. On a Windows computer they can usually be found along the path:
C:\Users\User
where User is your name account. Copy this directory and store a copy of it in another location.
As you might guess, this directory contains folders with important files your account. They store: documents, videos, music, downloads, images, contacts, the “Desktop” folder and others. How much important data do you store on your desktop that you don’t want to accidentally lose? I think a lot!
Try showing hidden objects as well. The “AppData” folder will also appear in this directory, which contains program settings and other account-specific data. If necessary, you can use them to restore settings individual applications. For example, return Internet browser bookmarks.
Additionally, I recommend that you use them for applications such as an Internet browser, game client, email client and others that support built-in backup functions. This will be easier than searching for the necessary files in the “AppData” folder.
Remember, you should never back up the Windows operating system system directories and Program Files. The first one contains system files, which are not portable between different hardware, the second are files of installed programs, which are usually reinstalled from scratch.
It wouldn’t hurt to organize automation of the backup process, which will help you avoid losing your important data at the most inopportune moment, for example, for the reason “because I forgot.” You will have to choose the tools for this yourself. Just remember, a copy of the above-mentioned user-specific data directory is very important for later recovery after an unexpected system or disk crash.
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Recently, my friend asked me to explain to her how to backup data. She's a humanitarian, so she wanted options that didn't require any customization. Since she is not a stupid person who likes to understand the problem herself and make decisions, I decided to collect the basic principles for her and describe the pros and cons of certain options (as I see them). I decided to publish it here in case some of you find it useful - to help a friend or relative. I would be very glad to receive comments on how the text could be made simpler and clearer.
Basic principles
1. Regularity and frequency
Data backup should be as regular as taking pills. It is for this discipline that you can thank yourself if some kind of collapse suddenly occurs. Sometimes losing even just a few working days due to a failure to backup can be very painful. It’s possible to answer the question of how often you can make backups by understanding the data for what period of time would be least painful for you to lose. One of optimal options- backup data once a week on weekends.Separateness
It is advisable that the data be saved to a separate external hard drive (or other storage medium) and stored in a separate place from the main data. The principle is quite obvious - if a problem occurs, it will be localized in one place. For example, if the hard drive on your computer fails, the backup disk will function perfectly. However, there is a balance to be struck between ease of access and security. Having a hard drive next to your computer significantly increases your motivation to use it for its intended purpose. And at the same time, this is not the safest option for very important data that should not be lost under any circumstances. That is why there is a distinction between data backup and data archiving.Double check
As soon as the first backup copy of your data is made, you must immediately check that this data can be restored from it! This means not only that the files become visible. You need to open several files to choose from and check that they are not corrupted. It is advisable to repeat such a check once every certain period (say, once a year).Discrimination
The best practice is to differentiate data into categories. The category could be their importance to you, the frequency of updates, or simply the topic.Often backup programs create so-called “images”. They look like one single file. So, it is better to save various data in each such image.
What is it for. Data of different importance requires different handling, this is obvious. You will probably want to store your important documents more carefully than, say, a collection of films. By dividing the data by update frequency, you can, for example, save time spent on backups. Topic - what data is desirable to recover together in one step? A striking example of two types of backups that should be done separately:
Data backup
This Word documents, photographs, films, etc. The same applies to this, but is often forgotten - bookmarks in the browser, letters in mailbox, The address book, calendar with meetings, configuration file banking application, etc.System backup
We are talking about the operating system with all its settings. Such a backup eliminates the need to reinstall the operating system, make all the settings, and install programs. However, this is not the most necessary type of backup.Where to make a backup
1. External hard disk. You can often buy it straight out of the box. There are laptop ones - such disks are small in size, but more expensive. Regular hard drives can be purchased relatively cheaply with a capacity of 2 TB - then you won’t have to worry about disk space for a long time.Fairly reliable (as long as you don't drop or shake excessively)
+ Relatively inexpensive
You must remember to connect the backup disk yourself.
-Not very convenient to carry (does not apply to laptop drives)
2. USB stick - suitable as an additional tool when you would like to transfer data from one computer to another and/or have it at hand. Also, if you don’t want to store the data itself on your computer.
There is one big but - a flash drive has a limited number of records, so if you store data from an application on it that will write intensively, then the flash drive (usb stick) will quickly die out. In addition, in my personal impression, they break quite often. A friend of mine, buying the most expensive flash drives, which were positioned as “unbreakable”, received a broken flash drive within a month or two. To be fair, I must say that I still haven’t had a single flash drive break; some have been working for 5 years already. However, I wouldn’t store data on a USB stick alone.
Mobile storage
+Takes up little space
+Very cheap
Unpredictable reliability
3. Data storage on remote server(or in the cloud).
There are pros and cons:
The data will be available not only at home, but also at work and while traveling.
+Local separation of main data and backup copies (for example, if, God forbid, a fire happens, the data survives)
+There is no need to connect a hard drive for backup; as a rule, everything is done completely automatically.
It is advisable to encrypt the data, since it is unknown who can access it
-A large amount of traffic is wasted (if it is limited, problems arise)
-Often you can only store data up to 2 GB for free. So, such a backup is an additional expense item
List with good description services can be found
How to backup
Here is a list of applications that are worth paying attention to (in my opinion) when backing up to your hard drive.
Popular among the free ones
1. Genie Backup Manager - very convenient program, but is a little slow when working
2. Handy Backup - simple interface, works quickly.
Additionally
Often in the settings of backup programs there is an option to make an incremental or differential backup. The practical difference is quite simple. With differential backup, you can save on the space it takes up. But there are only two recovery options: data in the state when a full backup was made + data at the time when a differential backup was made.Incremental backup allows you to roll back to any point in the past when the backup was made. However, especially if changes in data occur frequently, the space will be consumed quickly.