MadTECH Computers
Managed I.C.T Services Queensland

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Computer Backups

We recently had a helpdesk ticket with a small business owner who's PC had a hardware failure (hard drive failure).  As our regular clients are aware and take advantage of, is the online backups we offer as part of a offsite storage solution for critical business files.

Now the user mentioned earlier suffered the hard drive failure did have Windows backup setup, backing up to his external hard drive.  This was setup by a madTECH engineer months earlier.

So, we attempted data recovery of the failed hard drive, but it was a futile effort.  The backup had not been tested, which is important, but we were able to successfully restore the owners critical business files.  These included past invoices and business communications documents, emails, email addresses and so forth.

If the backup set was not available, we could have attempted data recovery of the failed hard drive.  In this case it was a broken spindle or spindle arm (causing the dreaded "click of death" sound), so the only real options are in house recovery, or to send the hard drive to a data recovery specialist centre (huge costs involved).

So, successfully everything was restored that the client required, and it was a successful job!

This is how you setup Windows backup on your Windows 10 PC:

  1. You can use File History or Windows Backup and restore

  2. Click on the Windows button in the bottom right hand corner and start typing File History

  3. Go to backup and select add a drive

  4. Select the external drive you have installed. It's a good idea to have an external hard drive set aside just for this job. Even better, have two and rotate them weekly. Assign them both a fixed drive letter in drive management to help the backup program find the hard drive. Don't forget that hard drives are the first component to fail in computer components so replace them on a yearly basis.

  5. Click on more options

  6. At this stage you can start the backup, choose the folders etc. I always make sure you backup the entire user profile, eg: C:\Users\David. This will get the user files and the app data folder for your programs customisation's; for example the Stream_autocomplete file that Outlook 2016 saves the nicknames or email addresses you have used in previously composed emails.

  7. It is a good idea to keep a record of your backup policy, and to test it regularly.

Backups are only just less important than your heartbeat!

[caption id="attachment_2944" align="aligncenter" width="418"] Start menu location of the backup program in Windows 10[/caption]

 

(Content source: https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2016/03/how-to-back-up-your-computer-automatically-with-windows-10s-built-in-tools/

 

kel toyne