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How do I set up an external HDD to be used for system image backups? For example, specify how many images to keep, schedule the backup, etc. also, can I use the drive for anything else other than image copies?

Do you have an laptop or a desktop computer ?

HP Laptop

Then what you need to get is an external usb hard drive encloser . Once you have such you would make an back up image to this external drive . You can use Windows but their are better third party software companies . I been a long time user of Acronis True Image but I just switch to the free version of Marcium Reflect . I will provide a website for it below . You can use your external hard drive to store whatever you like and it doesn't just have to be a back up images, beside that the backup image wouldn't take up all your spare on the external drive, well usually it wouldn't, it depends how much data you have on the main drive . Normally you would get a external drive big enough to store all your data including backups. If I forgot something I'm sure people here will answer whatever questions you might have . For the website just click on Macrium there below

Macrium Reflect Free

Thanks snooker. I'm interested in the free version of Macrium. I found several sites that have it but they all seem to push other software along with it that I don't want on my machine. Is there a clean download somewhere I can use?

Did you try the Download Now option ? I did and have no extra junk trying to get installed

Macrium Reflect Free

Hi,

Just to add to all of the above and with due regard to your original questions

How often you do backups depends on your personal requirements. So, if for example, you had sensitive and essential new documents that could cause financial loss if they were lost then daily auto backups would be good. Or you could do manual backups when you save a whole load of new family photos and videos on your system. Or you could do auto-backup every month just for piece of mind. Or you could do something else that suits your needs.

Either way, it is always a good idea to make an image before major upgrades. This is evidenced by all the angry folks making posts over the last month due to data loss after win10 upgrade


Edit:

...can I use the drive for anything else other than image copies?

Of course you can. I know lots of people who partition the external disk. One partition for backups and the other for some type of data. The problem is, they don't listen to me when I tell them of the risk of having data and backup on the same disk. "It defeats the purpose" I say. If the external drive fails then you will lose the data saved as the backup was on the same disk. A backup disk, in my opinion, should be only for backups and for nothing else. "I should have listened" they say to me, after having lost their data when the dual partitioned backup drive failed.

How do I set up an external HDD to be used for system image backups?

You don't need to do anything to the drive besides plug it in.

Use Macrium Reflect Free and choose a folder on the external drive as the save location, that's it.

For example, specify how many images to keep, schedule the backup, etc.

You configure all that stuff in Macrium Reflect when you make the backup, it's all very straightforward.

also, can I use the drive for anything else other than image copies?

Yes, you can use it like any other drive.

You can use any Hard Drive but it is best to use an External one.

If you have USB3 on your laptop make sure you get a USB3 ext hdd, makes all the difference in speed.