New
#11
Please Don't Laugh at This Question
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New #12
Peppercrunch, as others have posted, after choosing one or two backup/restore programs, I second the motion of making DVD and USB boots of said software - for restore purposes. Backups can be made "on the fly" [while Windows is running], or via bootloader[?], or via DVD/USB boot. I definitely recommend using an external usb HDD [platter-driven] or SSD.Last edited by RolandJS; 22 Feb 2021 at 16:39.
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New #13
It's more than likely going to come with the Dell factory load of software. If not, it will be just plain vanilla Windows 10 (OEM license for refurbished computers). When I buy a new off-the-shelf retail computer, I always boot it up the first time from a Macrium Reflect USB flash drive (made on another computer) and do an image of the hard drive to my NAS (which is basically the same as an external hard drive or SSD).
Then, after I boot the computer normally for the first time, I also backup all the third party drivers to the same NAS (or external hard drive/SSD) using the dism command:
Backup and Restore Device Drivers in Windows 10
Normally, I play with the computer for a couple of days with the factory software load, then do a clean install of vanilla Windows 10.
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New #14
Both onedrive and googly backup and sync are very simple you set the folders to backup and forget it it will backup instally any new files or change automaticaly. Photo can be backed up for free on Google and it can be 1,000s
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New #15
As Navy already mentioned, I would say it will only have what it comes with a new Dell computer and default windows 10.
On the link you posted it doesn't mentioned what generation is the hardware but, as it has DDR3, it is at least 5 years old. I would say 8 years (2012).
And it is expensive for the specs.
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New #16
The C partition on this PC will likely have at least 15 gb occupied when you get it. Probably over 20 gb. Possibly even 30 gb.
A traditional "image" file back up of all partitions on the hard drive (C and all others) will likely be at least 10 gb in size. One big file.
You certainly could save that image on OneDrive or anywhere else in "the cloud".
But I'd want to also save it locally.....probably to an external hard drive. You'd need to ensure that the drive uses either the NTFS or exFAT file system. Other file systems like FAT32 cannot accept a 10 gb file.
A standard USB flash drive would be a poor choice on which to save the image. Better external....in some type of enclosure.
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New #17
Macrium Reflect (freeware) to create an image of the system, and to create a USB flash boot drive to restore if you have to ("laws of possibilities" define ... if you've got an image, you'll never need it. If you haven't imaged .... you know the rest)
Create image onto an external USB HDD/SSD, not onto a flash drive, not onto cloud direct.
Once image created, then you can backup that image to a cloud account if you want to.
Terminolgy
Backup usually implies copying files (usually user files (docs, pictures, music, etc, sometimes individually selected) to an external source (flash drive, external USB SSD/HDD, cloud). This backup can either be in native format (.doc file > .doc file, .jpg file > .jpg file, etc - e.g. SyncBackFree), or as a single file-type, determined by the backup software. You don't usually "backup" a computer system, mainly because most backup software don't identify/locate/see/find hidden operating and/or software system files.
Imaging is the capture of the whole of selected full partition(s)/drive(s) into a single file-type, determined by the software used. You can then "backup" the image file. Best for a system, because it just captures the whole of the partition(s)/drives selected. It creates an "image" of whatever is on the partition/drive, warts and all.
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New #18
I read your question as you wanting to backup current personal files that already exist and that you already have on a PC? These would be things like pictures, music files, documents and so on.
If so then all you do is ensure USB drive is big enough to hold all you want. Then open File Explorer, hover the cursor over for example 'Documents' in the left hand menu and right click and select 'send to' where you should see your USB drive.
That copies everything in the selected folder to the drive in its native form i.e. just as they are now. If you need to recover them then you just drag and drop them back over.
That is the easiest and most straightforward way to do that. Nothing else is needed.
Disc Image backups as I think has been mentioned are a snapshot of your whole PC, that means everything that makes it what it is, and that is stored on an external drive as a single file created by the backup program. When you restore that you get your PC back to exactly how it was at the instant the backup was made.
Although many here recommend Macrium I personally prefer one called AOMEI which is also free and has a more intuitive and user friendly interface.
A good backup policy should consist of always backing up personal files as these are irreplaceable. If you have those you can put them on any new PC.
You should follow that up by a good system backup which allows you to recover the whole PC is anything goes wrong (AOMEI or Macrium). I take daily system backups.
You can also add automated backup of your personal files using Windows own File History or AOMEI's file sync which is similar.
You can never have enough backups.
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New #19
In addition to Mooly's excellent post :
The 7010 didn't have win10 originally, so most likely it would have the standard win10 "apps" and not the additional Dell stuff.
It seems quite pricey to me, but I don't know the usual prices in Canada . It is also an SFF - On the plus side it is small, but it limits upgrading. power supply, not many spare pcie slots, etc. That is the trade off for space saving.
EDIT: I just checked and it translates to £299 so possibly isn't a bad price for an i7 with16gb ram and a 1tb ssd.
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New #20
Hello @Mooly,
A excellent and informative post.
My preference is alsoAOMEI BackUpper Standard. I suppose it is down to the User and what they feel most comfortable with. I have been using it for a few years now, and I actually think it was SIW2 who initially pointed it out to me funny enough!
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