Windows 10: cant't backup files to a new external drive

I have a laptop with Windows 10 and am running out of disk space. I bought 2 Seagate external drives ( 2 separate occasions) and after once or twice my computer no longer recognized the drives. I returned them on 2 separate occasions. I then bought a WD external drive which I now have. My computer recognizes the drive but it does not allow me to backup files on it. Please advise.

:)

 

Hard Drive / External Drive + Backups Configuration?

Hey all,

So I'm thinking of changing around my hard drive configuration on my main comp.

At the moment I've got:
1 Internal 500GB (OS, programs, file storage)
2 External 500GB (not really doing much)
1 External 320GB (for my Lightroom photo library)

What I'd like to do, is ditch the 320gb photo drive (its a 2.5").
I'd use one external 500GB for Video files, the other 500GB for Photo files.
Then I'd want two more to backup those files, and have them backed up on our NAS Server.

I'd also have an external 1-2TB drive for OS hard drive backups and such, but thats not part of what I'm going to ask.

So my question for you guys is this:
Should my 500GB Video and 500GB Photo drives be internal? Or External?
If I put them inside the computer, will I get faster speeds?
If they're external, is eSATA/USB 2.0 going to be sufficient for Video editing? (Using full HD video files, editing in Adobe Premiere Pro)

Either way I will have two backup drives (one for video, one for photo) and they'll both be backed up on the server.

So, to have 4 External drives or to have 2 internal and 2 external? That is the question.
What are the benefits of having them internal? What about having them external?

For me, being able to bring my Photo or Video drive with me isn't really a big deal, I probably will never do it. If I would need to though, I could just take one of the external backups.

Also, second question. What kind of backup software do you recommend that would basically make a complete clone of my HD's?

Does any of this make sense?
Any help is appreciated. *Big Grin
~Smee

 

File back up to bitlockered external drive

Thanks John.

By trial and error the solution is,

• Set the file back up to the desired external USB drive, Back up using file history.
• Run backup to completion.
• Dismount, (Remove) the drive used.
• Remount (Plug in) the drive used for the file back up (Steps 1&2) and encrypt using Bitlocker.

Note you can only encrypt drives using some versions of Windows (Pro for eg not Home)

• Once the external drive has been encrypted dismount.
• Remount the drive, go to the file back up option, Open, Settings, Backup,
  Back up using file history.
• The drive should now still be visible and has been encrypted.
• Accessing the drive will be dependant on how it was set up in Bitlocker,
  Open with this PC, password, pin code etc.
• Repeat file back up as in the first two steps.

Hope this helps someone else.

 

Hard Drive / External Drive + Backups Configuration?

I run 2 500GB drives in RAID-0. (Seagate 7200.12 drives)

This is very good advice. I have lost my array once. *Mad I backup weekly to an external, and also copy any important files (work data, game saves, pics, etc.) to my 500GB "personal" drive. So basically, I have an image of my Array saved to the external, and a copy of "My Documents" backed up to the internal 500GB.

Moral of the story: Definately backup often, whether running a RAID array or not. *Toast :toast: