Video summary

How Do You Backup Your Computer? 💻💾😌 DIY in 5 Ep 94

Main summary

Key takeaways

Technology

Overview

The video (DIY in 5) explains practical ways to back up a computer, with an emphasis on:

  • Protecting personal data
  • Reducing downtime after failures or malware/BSOD issues

What Should Be Backed Up

  • Most critical: personal files that are hard or impossible to replace (e.g., home videos, photos, music, and important documents)

  • Optional but useful: your operating system, installed programs, and settings Even though you can often re-download/reinstall, full/system backups save time.

Backup Strategy (Key Recommendation)

Aim for at least 3 copies of important files:

  1. the original
  2. a backup
  3. the backup’s backup

Use a combination of local + online storage to protect against most data-loss scenarios.

Local / Onsite Backup (Fast, Secure—If the Drive Stays Intact)

Example: backing up to an external hard drive kept physically at your location.

Windows

Built-in options mentioned:

  • Windows 7: Backup and Restore
  • Windows 10: File History

Setup notes:

  • Use an external drive at least as large as the internal drive you’re backing up.
  • SSDs are noted as faster and longer-lasting than traditional hard drives.
  • In Windows 10:
    • Open Backup settings
    • Use “Backup using File History”
    • Press the + button to select the backup drive
    • Choose the backup frequency

macOS

Use Time Machine:

  • Go to System Preferences → Time Machine
  • Choose a backup disk
  • Set the update cadence (described as hourly)

Limitation noted:

  • Time Machine overwrites older backups once the disk fills, making it harder to restore versions from months ago.

Offsite Backup (Protection Against Location/System-Based Disasters)

Offsite means storing backups somewhere other than where the current system is located.

Common method:

  • Online backup/sync using services such as:
    • Dropbox
    • Google Drive
    • iCloud
    • OneDrive

These platforms typically provide:

  • sync/automation so important files update when internet is available
  • may require a data plan depending on how much you back up

Full System Backup via Disk / Ghost Image (Most Comprehensive)

For complete recovery, use a disk image / ghost image (requires dedicated software).

Software options mentioned:

  • Free:
    • Macrium Reflect
    • EaseUS Disk Copy (for drives up to 1TB)
  • Paid:
    • Acronis True Image

Strong guidance:

Read reviews and do research to choose backup/recovery software that fits your needs.

Call-to-Action / Review Angle

  • Encourages viewers to comment with “forgot to backup” disaster stories.
  • Advises viewers to look up reviews when selecting disk-image backup tools.

Main Speaker / Source

  • Trisha Hershberger (host of DIY in 5)

Original video