I use a Toshiba laptop running W10 Anniversary edition (home). I want to back up all my files, including the OS. My question is: Do I need to purchase a program like Acronis, or can I use the backup utility already on my PC? I plan to use a 1TB external HDD. Thanks for your assistance.

mr. ed wrote:I use a Toshiba laptop running W10 Anniversary edition (home). I want to back up all my files, including the OS. My question is: Do I need to purchase a program like Acronis, or can I use the backup utility already on my PC? I plan to use a 1TB external HDD. Thanks for your assistance.I use Acronis on my Win7 machines to create image backups of the hard drive partitions. IMO an image backup is better than a file-by-file backup. There are products other than Acronis that will do the same thing.

Windows, including Win 7, has historically allowed backup either files, or an entire disk image. I'd be surprised if Windows 10 did not provide that choice, too. No need to purchase

From what I understand you can back up all you want but if you have a disk wipe out then you have to have some way to boot your backup to a new disk and that is not provided in the win 10 backup.

Well, I might as well play it safe. I think I'll go ahead and use Acronis.

I have used the free version of Macrium Reflect.Available here: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

W 10 Backup Question | Good Sam Community

25 Replies

Tom_M1
Explorer
Nov 22, 2016
I have used the free version of Macrium Reflect.
Available here: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
mr__ed
Explorer
Nov 22, 2016
Well, I might as well play it safe. I think I'll go ahead and use Acronis.
garry1p
Explorer
Nov 21, 2016
From what I understand you can back up all you want but if you have a disk wipe out then you have to have some way to boot your backup to a new disk and that is not provided in the win 10 backup.
Ed_Gee
Explorer II
Nov 21, 2016
Windows, including Win 7, has historically allowed backup either files, or an entire disk image. I'd be surprised if Windows 10 did not provide that choice, too. No need to purchase
rk911
Explorer
Nov 21, 2016
mr. ed wrote:
I use a Toshiba laptop running W10 Anniversary edition (home). I want to back up all my files, including the OS. My question is: Do I need to purchase a program like Acronis, or can I use the backup utility already on my PC? I plan to use a 1TB external HDD. Thanks for your assistance.

I use Acronis on my Win7 machines to create image backups of the hard drive partitions. IMO an image backup is better than a file-by-file backup. There are products other than Acronis that will do the same thing.

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W 10 Backup Question

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