Having a computer backup is always essential as it could help you recover from any system failure, errors, or malware. In addition, since updates are mandatory on Windows 10, it means that if there is an issue where the computer won’t boot because of a buggy driver or update, you’ll need a recovery mechanism to fix the problem as quickly as possible. In this guide, you will learn the steps to create a full backup of your computer using “System Image Backup” on Windows 10 and how to recover individual files as needed.

Create backup to USB drive on Windows 10 Create backup to network drive on Windows 10 Restore backup on Windows 10 Restore files from backup on Windows 10

Create backup to USB on Windows 10

To create a full backup on Windows 10, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, the backup will be created on the external USB drive. You will also be protected to “create a system image repair disc.” However, you can skip this option since you can use the Windows 10 bootable media to access the recovery environment.

Create backup to network drive on Windows 10

If you don’t have external storage with enough space, you can also create a backup over the network to a file server or network-attached storage (NAS). To create a backup to a network drive on Windows 10, use these steps: After completing the steps, the tool will create a backup in the specified folder location. However, since the process will happen over the network, the backup could take a long time to complete.

Restore backup on Windows 10

To restore a full backup on Windows 10, use these steps: After you complete the steps, the backup will restore your system with all the installation files, applications, configurations, and personal files.

Restore files from backup on Windows 10

The system image backup is meant to restore the entire system, not individual files. However, you can still open the image to recover individual files. To restore files from a full backup on Windows 10, use these steps: Once you complete the file restoration, right-click the drive and select the Detach VHD option and the OK button to detach the backup drive.

When restoring files from the backup, you can only recover files backed up and created before the backup. To keep files up to date, you should consider using different solutions, such as File History or OneDrive. It’s important to note that Microsoft no longer maintains the system image backup tool on Windows 10, but you can still use the feature. The reason is that the company wants you to use the “Reset this PC” feature to fix problems on Windows 10 and cloud storage services like OneDrive to keep your files backed up in the cloud. However, many things can go wrong on your computer, and having a backup can be considered one of the best disaster recovery strategies. You should always consider creating a full backup at least once a week or before making any changes or performing an upgrade. It doesn’t matter the computer you have, it’s just a matter of time before it fails, and having a full backup will help you in many ways. All content on this site is provided with no warranties, express or implied. Use any information at your own risk. Always backup of your device and files before making any changes. Privacy policy info.