Back-Up Your Computer Files : a knowledge article by: Geoff Willmetts
I know this is a long piece about an apparently easy operation but it is full of decisions you are likely to make and have a serious think about doing. It’s also easy to forget how to do it. I’m just helping with rationales and thinking and a little panic on what to do before it happen, hence you’ll read about my experience.
Anything in ditto marks, ‘like this’, is merely to contain the words that you might have to press on your computer keyboard. Works like ‘Disk Management’ are capped to ensure you remember their significance and don’t vanish into the text.
Introduction
Prior to covid really hitting home and likely to cut back on computers being made for a while, I bought a new top-of-the-range laptop from Dell, customising it to my needs and an assurance my choice would last at least 10 years. At the time, no one knew how long covid would last.
The only thing that has I’ve had to change is its battery which is only supposed to last 3 or 4 years and probably due again this year. Even when the warning signs come up, you’ve still got a couple weeks to do it which is a reassurance that the manufacturer gives you some leeway than just not work. The cost of a new battery is far cheaper than a new computer. Opening the base to do the switch is very easy although you’ll be directed into to BIOS on reboot to enter time and date. Although this is likely to be done or corrected the first time you go on-line, do it anyway or the computer will think there is something wrong. I’m adding details as I write this article in case there are any unanswered questions on where this started from.
Any new computer, even one with 16 CPUs, is likely to be considered old after being bought although and still going strong in its 6th year. Hopefully, you are of the kind that uses any computer until it bites the dust than changes models every year which is kind of expensive. The only thing that might have forced a change, especially with laptops, is if you don’t have enough memory/RAM for a new Windows as happened when W10 updated into W11 and yours only had 4gB and needed 8gB. Even back then, I thought manufacturers were under-estimating the needs of the software and never went lower. Don’t ask how big my RAM is, it’s a lot only because I asked a basic question as to how much memory was needed to power such a beast.
When Things Can Go Wrong With No Control
The same can also apply to the internal hard drive. If you followed my previous pieces on setting up your computer, then you would have partitioned to protect your datafiles. I came across one exception so far with my back-up desktop computer. About 18 months back, W11 played up and without me being able to control or stop it, reinstalled, wiping out all the partitions in the process. As the back-up computer, all I had to do was re-make the partitions and re-do the back-up files. I assumed everything was OK and only really used it for W11 updates and then that aspect froze, although I could still use it, no updates. This time, I had a natter with Microsoft and the nice lady initiated a W11 re-install preserving my partitions and reinstalling the links. A joy to behold even if it took several hours and she had to leave as it got to the final hours because the contact link was lost. I’m pointing this out because something as unpredictable as that can never be anticipated and if you’ve only got only one set of your datafiles, you’re awfully vulnerable. If your updates freeze happens to you, contact Microsoft as they will help you out.
For the back-up computer, I wanted to be sure so finally put in an auxiliary hard drive. It took a little while to secure it in position and with right-angle cable plugs to keep flat inside a limited space inside the case. This one I partitioned like the laptop partitions and using a solid-state external hard drive transferred files to it and then to the back-up computer’s own hard drive. I don’t like taking chances. If nothing else, I had two copies and in the second hard drive so it couldn’t be lost. Thing is, no matter how many times you promise yourself you’ll do back-ups regularly, Parkinson’s Law kicks in and there are other things to fill the time.
Not Keen On Solid State Drives
Now I’m not a great lover of Solid-State Hard Drives, referred to from now on as SSDs. Like the SSD finger drives, if you use them regularly, they have a limited life and then files are lost. They might be extended now but only became a choice for computer manufacturers when they wanted to make laptops thinner and why they also took out the DVD drive. SSDs are fine for storage but I don’t access mine all the time so they should last a long time. When you have software like Windows on PCs and MACos or whatever on the Apple MAC, where they access the hard drive continually, plus whatever software you use, the number of times it’s called up goes up and you quickly forget that limitation, no matter how much faster it is. It feels a bit like Russian roulette, not knowing how long it will last and all gone if you don’t see the signs.
If you want to know computer manufacturer’s apprehension, why do some models include a second SSD to make back-ups all the time? When they fail, unless you make back-ups or onto the Cloud all the time, you’re going to lose vital files like your photo collection. Granted SSDs makes sense with mobile phones and their playmates, but they also have a limited lifespan but don’t outlast its lifespan. The phones, that is. If you bought second-hand, then you have no idea how long its SSD will last. Are you that much of a gambler?
With a standard Hard Disk Drive, referred to from now on as HDD, you don’t have that problem and with the recognised makes, seeing the destructive tests carried out, it could even survive a sledgehammer and rarely breaks down. Which would you trust?
I should point out that there are plans to eventually replace SSDs with something akin to a writeable blu-ray disk although no details have been finalised let alone how big and how many disks are involved.
I do think both HDD and SSD options should be available to consumers, that’s you reading this. If you had to choose between laptops being thin and your files being secure, what would you really choose?
In The Event Of A Computer Failure
If your computer does breakdown, then there are a lot of gadgets, primarily called ‘hard drive docking stations’, on the market that can you can hook your hard drives, both HDDs and SSDs, assuming the latter lasted that long, into to transfer your files to and then into your new computer. You might not use it very often but, when you need it, is worth its weight in gold. Being multifunction, they can take a variety of HDDs and even SSDs, assuming they are still workable.
Back Up Your Computer Files
OK, so why the main title, ‘Back Up Your Computer Files’? There is still another alternative. I recently came across HDD external hard drives. They’ve probably been around for some time in this current firm and come in various sizes from 2tB to 25tB and expense. Unless you have a massive hard drive in your computer, I wouldn’t go beyond 6tB or 8tB and around £80 from a known manufacturer. Remember, this is your important data and picture files you are protecting. They are bigger than external SDDs so don’t buy similar protective covers as they won’t fit. I did have some thinking about this. If you search for ‘mobile hard drives’ or something similar you’re less likely to come across them, its ‘external hard drives’.
No on/off switches. Plug in the power cable, selecting the suitable socket end for your electricity supply and the USB to your computer and its up and running. My Seagate version has three files, mostly to do with registration on-line for PCs or Macs. Mine went onto something about making back-ups but as I was going to partition didn’t go further. Instead, I transferred the three files onto the laptop’s hard drive for safe keeping. When I tried it later it just sent in registration details again and not helpful to their software. I didn’t go in that direction. Although I don’t intend to use any programs copied over that way, you do have a better assessment of how many files went over than if you manoeuvred around them.
This will work on PCs and Macs, although as I don’t use the latter, you’ll have to find the equivalent software but the numbers are still the same.
Partitioning a massive hard drive brings it down to a size easier to defragment which you might want to do from time to time or at least which partition it came from your computer. For this example, I’m going to match my laptop’s 2tB size. I presume you’re sensible and preserve these files in directories of your choice and not where your software puts it which tends to be in their directories. If you delete the software or it does an update, there is always the chance you might delete the files. A little paranoia is always useful. Some software can also make your own directories of choice their default settings. It’s just a smart move.
For those who didn’t know, 8tetraB or 8tB isn’t quite that as a section is kept for Health System Partition and usually hidden and you don’t want to play with that. What you really have is 6,000,803,577,856 bytes. When you go through the Control Panel and Disk Manager what it really shows is 558883gb. All well and good but you have to turn the numbers into something manageable, I’m going to show one way but really there are probably others. As you’ll also note, I’m helping the PC novice as much as the experienced here. This is a guide and neither I or SFCrowsnest will take any liability for any mistakes you make yourself. That’s more a legal matter. You’re welcome to contact me on anything here through the editorial page but I hope I’ve covered everything.
Partitioning Numbers
I’m going to have 4 partitions on this external hard drive: 2*2tB and 2*1tB. It’s a lot easier to divide into six and double up for the partitions you need and ignore anything beyond the decimal point. One partition might have a few extra mB but that’s a mote point. On a PC, Control Panel and in the Search Control Panel either type ‘partition’ or ‘Disk Management’ and it will get you to the right screen. For now, some maths as the Disk Management will work in kBs not Mbs! Hence me showing the 6,000,803,577,856 bytes above. Repeating this is more to ensure these numbers sink in, especially for later.
Divide 5588.83gB by 6 = 931.4716gB * 2 = 1862.9343gB
To convert this to kB you need to multiply by 1024 hence:-
1862 * 1024 = 1,906,688kB
932 * 1024 = 954,368kB
Big enough numbers without going beyond the decimal point and the spare can go towards a smaller partition.
For the record, my own partitions names are: BUP#1, BUP~2, Auxiliary and DoNotDelete. You might have your own choice of names but base them on something meaningful to you. The reason for two BackUp partitions was the thought that if I was going to do a second complete BUP and replace the first, if anything went wrong, I could be wiping out my only other recent copy. Having space for a second BUP means I could have a second copy and then rotate between the two when updating. You might have second thoughts on this but treat this as me going deep thought. The ‘DoNotDelete’ is something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time for directories I did for particular completed projects and can just take them off the laptop’s hard drive and give myself some needed space.
Disk Manager
The trickiest part is using the Disk Manager to partition because if you haven’t done it for a long time, it’s easy to forget. I would stick with the recommended ex-FAT as it’s a format that PCs and Macs recognise. I’m assuming you know the basics of using the choice options in W11 software.
If you have two disks, it’s easy to recognise which one, it’ll be Disk 1 with a massive space on it. Disk 0 is the laptop or desktop hard drive so don’t confuse them, more so if you have multiple hard drives in the latter.
Format the main partition and the right mouse button will allow you to make Single Partitions. Use the numbers above for each partition. The fourth will be whatever is left, probably 954,368kB. Ensure you name and letter each partition as you go.
What Happens If You Don’t Letter A Partition
I somehow missed putting a letter on one of the partitions and that particular partition didn’t appear in the File Manager. I thought first of all that I somehow gave a partition name that it didn’t like. Connecting the external hard drive to my back-up computer showed it was there. On my laptop, I looked at the Disk Management revealed the missing letter and added it by using the ‘Changing Letters And Paths’ and up it popped in the File Manager. I doubt if this rarely happens but mistakes can happen and all sorts of thoughts will go through your head as to what happened before the solution, hence the example here. Thankfully, once all external hard drive partitions are lettered, connected to another computer will follow the pattern of letters on its computer. It might change the letters when connected to different computer to be consecutive to its existing hard drive.
Like building a model kit, it takes some discipline not to rush everything in one day. A late night thought before sleep was how do I know which partition the directories came from? A big OOOPS! More partitions.
Making More Partitions
If I was smart, I would go over the section above and show only this and you would think how clever I was to do all of this work from the start but you might have gone the same route and I found out something doing it this way. So, sorting out from my stupidity because the above is still valid.
Before starting, look at how many partitions you have on your computer hard drive. My biggest is the C:/ partition is because it contains Windows and 6 other partitions. After making C:/ too small on previous laptops with Windows 10 when it kept the previous updates condensed but took up space, forcing me to delete the early ones, I went from 250gB to 450gB. Windows 11 doesn’t appear to have this problem but it is still a sensible approach with any operating system to leave it a lot of space for storing earlier restore data and just checked and only 350gB is currently used but I don’t tend to put too much other software in the C:/ partition if I can help it just to be on the safe side. As shown above, you don’t really need to make a copy of Windows itself because there are already other ways to protect it and restore settings. You can hardly copy it back when you need W11 to do it with. However, there are sections like downloads, Internet favourites and even Users that certainly need a place for back-up.
Now, if you make all seven partitions the same size as in your original hard drive, it does defeat the objective if you want to transfer more files into them. Remember, I’m doing this as an example. The chances you’ve got the same number or usage may not be likely. You’re just seeing this for logic. So I can reduce the size of the C:/ BUP and feed it into the space in the other external partitions.
There is no D:/ because the letter is allocated for a DVD or external hard drive. My original sizes came out of the divisions and you’ve seen this previously. For the Back-Up, think in terms of broad number ratios like doubling up. How much for important partitions and sometimes just doubling up that you know will be added to eventually because, hopefully, you’ll be moving this external hard drive to you next computer at some point and they can all be kept together in similar partitions to how you prefer your computer layout.
Notice how the importance number totals 20. It makes a good round number for division and then multiply up for each importance number.
BUP#1 = 1,906,687tB divide by 20 = 98,334.35gB
98,334.35 * 4 = 381,337.40gB
98,334.35 * 3 = 286,003.05gB
98,334.35 * 2 = 190.668.70gB
Whatever is left, can be allocated for H:/ where I store my wallpaper files. Anything beyond the decimal point should be ignored because Disk Management doesn’t use them. An important detail I learnt from doing all of this is that at this stage, Disk Management was quite happy for me to work in gB this time, even if it did look odd when I divided into the right sizes.
I kept the BUP#1 and for each of the original partitions, its letter eg BUP#1-A, BUP#1-B, etc. You’re still limited to 8 characters. You’ll pay more attention to these than the actual partition letters and you can’t make them the same. Using the above, the results are as below. Of course, if you have a different number of partitions or want to do so for the back-ups It leaves that option.
If you think you’re expert after doing all of this to want to do it to your computer hard drive, a word of caution. Even if you defragment your hard drive and create partitions, your programs installations are geared for where they are. Moving them without knowing how to redirect calling them up and you’re likely to lose or having to reinstall them. Having separate space for your datafiles and pictures is easier and less complicated.
Write your numbers in a notepad rather than a scrap of paper or even into your computer notebook if you have one for quick reference. I did mine like below:-
Hard Drive Partitons And Size Ratio BUP#1 BUP Names
A:/ 221.34gB 4 381,337gB BUP-A
B:/ 216.15gB 4 381,337gB BUP-B
C:/ 749.85gB 2 190,668gB BUP-C
E:/ 195.35gB 3 286,003gB BUP-E
F:/ 198.36gB 3 286,003gB BUP-F
G:/ 198.36gB 3 286,003gB BUP-G
H:/ 80.82gB 1 95,336gB BUP-H actually what’s left
With all this information, you’re ready to go.
- Delete the BUP#1 partition
- A right mouse click over it and the menu options are provided.
- Use New Simple Volume and put the numbers in from above and do as you did previously, with ex-FAT, partition letter and name.
- Work your way through the list.
When you get to the last, it’s just a matter of formatting. You don’t need to know the number.
Obviously, all of the above will change based on your partitions and sizes but the example above should help you as a practical example.
I have to confess the numbers and size on the screen in Disk Management looks odd and I didn’t really believe it myself until I copied the files into each partition and compared how much space was left. When I saw I had double the space on the back-up partitions, I knew I had it right.
I wouldn’t do BUP#2 until you need it. More a case of getting used to the existing partitions.
Some advice:-
- Ensure Windows 11 checks for any updates before copying and do it if they have before starting. No sense being having to stall a re-start.
- Don’t have any programs open in any partition you are copying from.
- It takes time, depending on how big your memory/RAM is. Doing it in sections will make it easier but try to do it all for each partition at a time to ensure all files are transferred. Depending on how full each partition is, the copying will each take a couple or more hours. It’s often the size of the files rather than how many that takes the time. Looking at it through File Manager, you can see the back-up partition filling up but don’t interfere with it until complete.
- It won’t want to copy the ‘desktop.ini’, so if it comes up, tick the ‘No’ box. Its only information on the original partition and won’t really be needed in the back-up partition. It’s your discretion with anything else it queries as it completes.
Once this is all done, look at any directories that you rarely add anything to and put in the DoNotDelete partition as well. You might well transfer any digital camera JPG files in there as a back-up. If you have a second computer, duplicate into there as well so you have multiple spare copies. If they are valuable to you or regret losing them. You might well lose some current files in a critical failure but most will be protected. However, the external HDD is your main storage hard drive.
If you copy directly into these partitions, the Windows process will recognise the ones you are already have there and offer just to put the new ones in. It won’t remove any you’ve deleted.
The speed of computer to external hard drive is actually very good. Transferring between partitions on the external hard drive, at least on my Back-Up computer took an age so better if you use the first option.
I hope you’ve read all of this a couple times or even hardcopied before starting. Doing the maths first and even waiting to the next day before starting will have you in the right frame of mind. I hope this has been useful and sorry if this is long-winded. If you think a simplified version should be available, let me know. My email address is in the editorial oe merge the spaces:
letters @ SFcrowsnest.info
Geoff Willmetts
April 2026
