Windows 10: How To Back Up?

Brink said:

The only other way that I can think of is to "Select All" and "Move" them from one USB to where you want on the other USB, and "Skip" the duplicates when prompted. Those will be left on the source USB for you to go through later to determine what you want to do with them.

I'm also trying to solve this problem of "merging two folders together from two different USB HDDs" and it's really taking me a long time... Wow!

Golden said:

You need to rid yourself of this aversion to 3rd party tools....many of them have their roots in the weakness inherent in Microsoft/Windows, and they are very good at what they do, far, far better than Microsoft will be. When you do that, you will find easier and more efficient ways to do things.

Forget the argument of "I don't want them to have access to my files" - these tools don't have the access to your data you imagine them to have.

Agreed. And think of it this way @NiceAndShy - there is not a single corporation or bank or branch of government that is not using third party software to manage and backup data and entire computers. The banks are using third party software to process, store and backup all of your financial data. Governments are using third party software to process, store and backup all of the records associated with you, your identity, your taxes, your licenses, etc. The cash register at WalMart is a computer system running third party software. Accounting and tax firms all use third party software. All the websites you visit, including this forum - created, hosted, stored and backed up with third party software.

So, I have to ask, @NiceAndShy - what do you have on your PC that needs to be safeguarded so secretly that you trust only Microsoft software to access?

Brink said:

The only other way that I can think of is to "Select All" and "Move" them from one USB to where you want on the other USB, and "Skip" the duplicates when prompted. Those will be left on the source USB for you to go through later to determine what you want to do with them.

Golden said:

You need to rid yourself of this aversion to 3rd party tools....many of them have their roots in the weakness inherent in Microsoft/Windows, and they are very good at what they do, far, far better than Microsoft will be. When you do that, you will find easier and more efficient ways to do things.

Forget the argument of "I don't want them to have access to my files" - these tools don't have the access to your data you imagine them to have.

I appreciate you sharing your advice with me.

I'm just concerned with my security, but maybe I'm being too cautious...?

the built-in Backup works not well. For the security you can try Synology, but it's expensive. personaly I recommend EaseUS Todo Backup, easy to use.

I know this is a forum dedicated to Windows 10, but I must say that I really love how 'Time Machine' works on my Mac. To do incremental backups all I need to do is plugin the USB HDD that 'Time Machine' is running on and it backs everything I've done up to that point in time.

NavyLCDR said:

Agreed. And think of it this way @NiceAndShy - there is not a single corporation or bank or branch of government that is not using third party software to manage and backup data and entire computers.
So, I have to ask, @NiceAndShy - what do you have on your PC that needs to be safeguarded so secretly that you trust only Microsoft software to access?

Let me make sure it's known that I'm not doing anything illegal. I'm just concerned with my privacy...

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

NiceAndShy said:

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

You have been given plenty of ideas. Either use the built-in Windows backup utility or conquer your fear of third party applications and use Macrium Reflect like the vast majority of users on this forum. Who knows what backdoors are built into Windows and macOS by collusion with government so how safe is using built-in applications anyway?

Over a year has passed from so I'm sure there's a new backup app that's considered the best.

Up until today I've been backing up my PC's internal HDD using a very crude system of "copying and pasting" folders to an external USB HDD.

I really want to create a more reliable back up system!