System crash and file loss are probably two words we want to hear at least. Finally, that implies a lot of trouble. To solve this problem, apart from relying on the power of the hardware, there is another point which is the backup mechanism of the system. Today, the editor will introduce three built-in backup functions of Windows 10.
the access:
How much have you used for Windows 10 backup?
Windows 10 backup is actually made up of three parts, “Old Version Backup and Restore”, “Restore Point” and “File History”. Although all three have a first and a second, they are not a simple substitute relationship. Among them, “old version backup and restore” and “restore point” are mainly used for system backup and restore, while “file history” is used exclusively for user file recovery.
1. System Image Backup
System image backup is primarily to revert to a normal state when a major failure or crash occurs in the system. In Windows 10, we can click “Settings” → “Update and Security” → “Backup” → “” Backup & Restore “(Windows 7)” to enter the system image backup.
Windows 10 system image backup
System image backup of Windows 10 follows the previous Win7 design. If this is your first time using it, you will see a “Windows backup not set” prompt here. Click “Setup Backup” on the right side to enter the backup process. Unlike the familiar ghost, the Windows 10 image file must be saved to another hard disk (or NAS) separate from the system disk, otherwise it cannot be clicked.
There must be a backup on another hard disk other than the system disk
After selecting the backup location, the next step is to select the backup area. Windows 10 will help us to select the entire system and user folder in the system partition by default, of course, you can also choose it yourself. Here Windows 10 supports scheduled backups. If you don’t need it, you can click “Change Schedule” to cancel.
Windows 10 mirrors the whole system by default
The backup process is relatively long. Compared to Ghost, the Windows 10 system’s image is much longer than Ghost in terms of file size and backup time. However, because it operates in Windows, users can still continue their work during backup, even if the window is closed.
Backup time is too long …
The recovery process is mainly completed through the Windows 10 Advanced Startup menu. Click “Settings” → “Updates and Security” → “Recovery” → “Advanced Startup” → “Restart Now”, or restart three times when the system starts, you can enter this interface.
Windows 10 Advanced Startup Interface
The recovery options are located in “Troubleshooting” → “Advanced Options” → “See more recovery options”, click “System Image Recovery” to enter the recovery process. Here, Windows 10 will select the latest image file by default, of course, you can also open the list to select by yourself.
Choose the appropriate system image to restore
The next process is similar to a system installation. After a few next steps, Windows 10 will start recovering automatically, and will automatically restart after recovery is complete.
Recovery time is close to ghost
Similar to Ghost, the Windows 10 system image is also created as a partition (and will also include an EFI boot partition), so no matter what is on the C drive, it can be restored without any difference. And because the system comes with components, the Windows 10 system image can be executed directly under Windows.SSDSupport for new technologies such as NVMe, GPT etc. will also be better.
However, it also has some obvious drawbacks, ie the backup volume is large and time is long, especially requiring an independent hard disk, which is very different from ghosts. Another thing is that the Windows 10 system image will deliver backup files directly to the root directory of the disk, which is very inconvenient for both after discovery and management. It is not as refreshing as a .gho.
2. System Restore Point
Although the Windows 10 system image is convenient, it has a typical full-level backup, which is a large amount and is not suitable for frequent use. And inside Windows 10, there is another function that can realize simple incremental backup, which is the system restore point.
Right-click “This Computer” → “Properties”, and click “System Security” in the Settings panel to enter the System Restore panel. By default, System Restore of Windows 10 is turned off, we need to click “Configuration” → “Enable System Protection” to manually turn it on.
Turn on system restore
To use System Restore for the first time, you will need to click the “Create” button below. The restore button is located on the current page and the Windows 10 Advanced Startup menu (path: Troubleshooting → Advanced Options → System Restore). The entire recovery process is similar to image retrieval. After entering the restore panel, select an appropriate restore point (that is, a different backup time), click Next, and the system will start the restore operation.
Choose a restore point
Unlike other backups, System Restore is not a regular backup in the traditional sense. It is automatically created when Windows 10 thinks that some operations can cause crashes (such as installing updates, installing software, uninstalling software, installing drivers, etc.) a restore point (backup state). Compared to the system image, the restore content of the restore point is very small, so it will be much faster than the former in terms of volume and time, especially as it can be restored directly under Windows, which is more in the actual work is convenient. However, the restore point is only a backup of the system files + registry, and the user files are not protected.
Restore completion signal
3. File History
Unlike the previous two that prefer system security, File History is specifically designed to protect user files. It mainly provides two major functions, one is the quick recovery after deleting the file, and the other is the recovery of the file in different time versions.
File history
Open “Settings” → “Updates and security” → “Backup”, you can see the file history. To use this feature, like System Image Backup, we need to install a separate hard drive before enabling it in the menu.
Configuration options
Backup options are mainly divided into three parts: backup frequency, storage size, and backup scope. It is noteworthy that the file history record is not in the form of a partition, but a backup of the specified folder is taken separately. For example, if you have a file located in D: ABC, you need to manually add the path to the backup list. Similarly, if you feel that the backup space provided by the system is not suitable, you can also call it manually.
The recovery process is also divided into two situations, one is how to restore a previous version when a file exists, and the other is how to restore a file quickly after it has been deleted.
Let me talk about the first case first. When we need to restore a file to a previous version, as long as we right-click on the file and select “Restore the previous version”, we can see a list of files made up of copies of various Are period .. Find the version you need and click the “Restore” button.
Restore a copy of a file at a certain time
If the file you want to use has been deleted, you must first search for “File History” in the taskbar. At this time, you will see copies of files automatically backed up by the system at different times (similar to time mirroring). Find a time before the file is deleted, then locate the file, and finally click the “Restore” button under the gear icon in the upper right corner to restore the file.
After selecting the file, click the restore button in the top right corner
Write at the end
These three sets of Windows 10 backup functions basically cover all aspects of daily needs. File history records in particular are very useful in practical work. However, Windows 10’s backup function is designed to be fragmented, and there is no unified standard for the operation interface, which is a bit tricky for novices. In addition, Windows 10 backup requires two hard drives, which also limits some novice users.
Generally, the functions are fine, but the operation logic and overall scheme is not trivial when compared to similar products (such as macOS’s time machine). Especially as a system function, the three cannot be interconnected from end to end, which is really hard to get a good effect on! However, due to its special nature, there are not many software that make it in reality Change, so it can only rely onMicrosoftLater updated.
Freelance twitter maven. Infuriatingly humble coffee aficionado. Amateur gamer. Typical beer fan. Avid music scholar. Alcohol nerd.
