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It depends on the operating system that you are running. In newer operating systems there is normally a backup utility. However, most new hard drives have a method of cloning the hard drive to the new disk. Most new drives come with a cd. Just pop it in and follow the prompts. If not, you can download freeware versions off of the internet. Try downloads.com
Wiki User
∙ 17y ago
Wiki User
∙ 17y agoConnect your external hard drive to your computer. Run the Back up wizard from Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Backup Run the wizard. Choose what you wish to backup. Specify the backup location as your external hard drive. Finish the wizard. Your external backup is ready!!!
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoExternal hard drives usually come with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector to plug into your computer. Once you plug your hard drive in and turn it on, your Windows OS (operating system) or MAC will begin to auto-install the 'device software' and make it compatible and capable for your PC. From there, you can explore your hard drive by opening up your 'My Computer' folder located on your desktop or Start Menu, and clicking on an icon that says something along the lines of 'USB mass storage'. You can double click on this icon to explore the files currently on it. You can back up files on your computer by copying your document folder to your hard drive (granted the hard drive may not have enough space to do this) or copying other vital folders. You can save your music to the drive too. And you can also directly save Word Documents and other various program data directly to the hard drive itself.
One more important thing, never disconnect the hard drive while it is still on, this could permanently damage your files and make them corrupt and unusable.
See the links below for more information.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoYou can copy the files to the external hard drive simply by dragging/dropping them from the folders on your internal drive to your external drive. However, if you want a complete backup of your system so that it can be restored if your internal hard drive should fail, you will need to use backup software for that. Personally, I use Ghost, but there are a number of other programs out there. Just do a search for "Drive Image Software" and you'll find lots.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoHard drives in external disk drives are simply standard drives so it is possible to unscew them and put them in a pc. However it would be easier to buy a standard internal drive and copy the data across
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoTo back up their computer to an external hard drive, a person must first purchase the external drive. Upon plugging the drive into their computer, the person will be prompted and asked if they want to back their data up, which they should say yes to.
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∙ 10y agobum
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How do you backup computer before I send it in for repair?
Connect an external hard drive to your computer and copy over important files.
How much does back up software cost?
Backup software is not recommended since if your hard drive fails, your backup fails. It is best to get an external hard drive or to back up your computer in the cloud.
How is an external hardrive used as backup computer storage?
You can copy data to an external hard drive to create a backup of files on your computer. The simplest option is to drag and drop from your computer to the external drive so that you have a copy. Backup software such as Apple's Time Machine does that automatically and can also keep track of different versions of a file so that you can undo accidental changes.
What is difference between external hard drive and external backup drive?
An external drive is the same as an internal drive just not installed inside the case. Meaning you can use it in exactly the same way as an internal drive. A backup drive is usually a zip drive designed to back up you hard drive and isn't used as a hard drive itself. It is usually in the form simalar to a floppy disk that the backup information is copied to. You can then use the backup disk and drive to reinstall all of your information from your original hard drive back to the hard drive in case of a virus or manually removing something that was needed for the system to run.
In what part of the computer is the external hard drive located?
Actually, the external hard drive is not located in the computer. It is an external hard drive, which means it is on the outside of the computer. It is plugged into the computer's USB port with a cord.
Once you backup files to an external hard drive can you delete them from the computer hard drive to create space?
It depends on the type of file you are talking about.If you back up your documents (Word, Excel) or photographs then you can certainly delete them from your computer hard drive once they're on the external hard drive. If you need them again you can simply plug the external hard drive to the computer in order to access them.If you're talking about program files than you have to consider whether or not the external hard drive will always be plugged into your computer. If you move a program file and then unplug the external hard drive then you should not delete the files unless you plan on plugging the external hard drive in (or leaving it attached) every time you want to use that program. If you don't mind accessing a program from the external hard drive every time you need to use it than you can certainly delete it from your computer hard drive. Otherwise, make a copy to the external hard drive as a backup in case you have computer problems and leave the original version you want to run regularly on your computer.
What are the best backup devices for a computer?
The best backup device for a computer would be an external hard drive. The leading external hard drives are the Buffalo DriveStation DDR, LaCie 5big Thunderbolt, IoSafe Solo G3, Promise Pegasus R6, and Promise Pegasus J4.
What precautions should be taken to protect Hard disk drive?
The key to protecting your data from a hard drive crash is to install and backup software solution and create a backup of your system to an external drive. NovaBACKUP Professional allows you to create an image backup, which in the event of a hard drive failure, will provide you with the ability to restore an entire drive to another computer.
What is a good data backup solution for the home?
Purchasing an external hard drive would be the best and the most inexpensive way to backup your home data. You can purchase an external hard drive for around $70
How does a Backup tape work?
A backup tape works by copying information from a computer and storing it. If something happens to a computer or a hard drive, a backup tape still has the information that was also stored on the hard drive of a computer.
How do you copy your hard drive to an external hard drive?
---- # go to "my computer" # browse to your external hard drive # then open another "my computer" window # drag and drop the file(s) you want to the window displaying the external hard drive. ----
What are the advantages and disadvantages of external hard disk?
External hard drives allow you to clear up space on your main C: drive or just backup important documents. Some hard drives even allow you to password protect the entire drive. External hard drives are often a cheap and easy way to store and backup data.
