Windows 11 external drive backup


Kosmo

Active member
Local time
8:41 PM
Posts
8
OS
Windows 11 Pro
How do you set up more than one external drive to backup your C drive?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10400F CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz
    Memory
    40.0 GB
"More than one external drive"?

To each external drive in separate operations?

Or to one and then copy that to another?

Using imaging or not?

What software do you have in mind?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Fishmill Special
    CPU
    Intel 265K
    Motherboard
    MSI Pro Z890-A
    Memory
    G Skill DDR5 2 x 16 kit 6000/36
    Graphics Card(s)
    none
    Sound Card
    none
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 2316H
    Screen Resolution
    1600 x 900
    Hard Drives
    WD SN770 NVME 500 GB boot; Intel 660p NVME 2 TB and WD Green 3 TB storage
    PSU
    Be Quiet 13M 750 ATX 3.1
    Case
    Lancool PC-K65
    Cooling
    Noctua U12S
    Keyboard
    Logitech K120 Wired
    Mouse
    Dell MS-116
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes
I save my drive images to a 2 bay NAS Box with 2 mirrored (Raid 1) drives, so the 2 drives is automatic.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
It is difficult to answer your question without more info. Do you do full images, differential or incremental? Is your data on your system drive? Do you leave your backup drives connected all the time? What imaging app? Dependent on the answers to these questions possibly using a secondary backup app is the answer to your question. Someone suggested copying images as a solution to your question. I strongly suggest you do not.

I can only speak for the way I do my own imaging.

First of all, I do only full images, my backup plan is NOT automated, and I do NOT leave my backup drives connected all the time. This is to insure that my images will not be affected or corrupted if my computer if ever hacked or infected. I only connect my external drive when I want to create a new image and I alternate connecting 2 different external drives. While my primary imaging app is Macrium, about every third image I create I use my secondary imaging app, Hasleo. This way I am not putting all my eggs in one basket.

Secondly, my data is separate from my system and is imaged separately.

Thirdly, about every 6 months, I backup just my data to a drive that is kept in a big safe located in another building on the property.

And lastly, I do not keep any sensitive files on my computer. Anything of that nature is in my safety deposit box.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    2x1tb Solidigm m.2 nvme /External drives 512gb Samsung m.2 sata+2tb Kingston m2.nvme
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell Premium
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    #1 Edge #2 Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26200.8457
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink Mini PC SER5
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 6800U
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics card(s)
    integrated
    Sound Card
    integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial nvme
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    still too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    System 3 is non compliant Dell 9020 i7-4770/24gb ram Win11 PRO 26200.8457
I have two 4TB USB drives for air-gap backup. Every two weeks I connect one of them and run a script that does a backup of all my logical disks on my system. I use Acronis True Image for one of the external drive backups, and I do file-by-file backup with Beyond Compare for the other external drive backup. This gives me two different file types in case one backup file or drive develops an error of some kind.

Those backups are in addition to a dual-layer automatic backup on separate drives in my system, duplicate backups go to SSD and HDD drives. Another automated backup does a complete dump to my NAS. Finally, my critical data is backed up in a cloud account for some off-site backup.

Yes, I'm a little paranoid about losing data! :lmao:
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14500
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M G P WIFI
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060
    Sound Card
    Chipset Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 45" Ultragear, Acer 24" 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    5120x1440, 1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 3D NAND NVMe M.2 SSD (O/S)
    Silicon Power 2TB US75 NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 SSD (backup)
    Crucial BX500 2TB 3D NAND (2nd backup)
    Seagate 4TB Ironwolf, rotating HDD archive files
    External off-line backup Drives: 2 NVMe 4TB drives in external enclosures
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 750W
    Case
    LIAN LI LANCOOL 216 E-ATX PC Case
    Cooling
    Lots of fans!
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
  • Operating System
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14400
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M DS3H AX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Sound Card
    Realtek Embedded
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" HP 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 eD NAND PCIe SSD
    Samsung EVO 990 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
    Samsung 2TB SATA SSD
    PSU
    Thermaltake Smart BM3 650W
    Case
    Okinos Micro ATX Case
    Cooling
    Fans
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security

Latest Support Threads

Back
Top Bottom