Windows 10: how do I backup w11 locally without using one drive

I try to backup W11 but I keep getting forced into using One Drive.I don't want to use One Drive for backups.Do I need to buy third party software in order to do basic backups in W11?In W10 I could do backups. Microsoft keeps "improving" their products to the point they no longer work.Thank you.

:)

 

Can a W11 System Backup Image be restored to a laptop running W10?

Sorry the below is a bit long winded but I wanted to include all steps that I actioned…

Laptop purchased with W11 and created W11 updated backup image to internal and external drives.

Downgraded from W11 to W10 and created W10 updated backup image to internal and external drives.

So I have both W10 and W11 updated system backup images on my internal and external drives.

My laptop is presently running on W10 operating system.

I have no problems restoring a W10 system backup image from an internal or external drive to my laptop running on W10 using the Windows Recovery Function or with a Windows Recovery thumb-drive.

I have no problems restoring a W11 system backup image from an internal or external drive to my laptop running on W11 using the Windows Recovery Function or with a Windows Recovery thumb-drive.

I also have no problems restoring a W10 system backup image from an internal or external drive to the laptop running on W11 using the Windows Recovery Function or with a Windows Recovery thumb-drive.

But I cannot restore a W11 system backup image from an internal or external drive to the laptop running on W10 using the Windows Recovery Function or with a Windows Recovery thumb-drive.

I wish to upgrade the laptop operating system from W10 to W11 using the W11 updated system backup image from the internal and external drives but I have problems in doing so. It keeps telling me - To restore this computer, windows needs to format the drive that the windows recovery environment is currently running on. To continue the restore, shut down this computer and boot it from a Windows Installation Disk or a System Repair disk and try the restore again.

As my laptop does not have a CD/DVD-Rom Drive to use a Windows System Repair Disk, I used a W10 & W11 Recovery thumb-drive but the same problem still occurs - To restore this computer, windows……..

Internet research found: While you can use both tools to access the Windows advanced boot options for troubleshooting startup, we recommend using a USB-based recovery drive when possible, since it contains all the same tools as the system repair disc.
How to Create and Use a Recovery Drive or System Repair Disc in Windows 8 or 10

I also have no problems restoring a W11 system from the W11 factory restore partition on the laptop running W10 using the Windows Recovery Function or with a Windows Recovery thumb-drive.

But I also cannot restore the W11 updated system backup image from the internal and external drives to the laptop after the factory W11 restore. It keeps telling me - To restore this computer, windows needs to format the drive that the windows recovery environment is currently running on. To continue the restore, shut down this computer and boot it from a Windows Installation Disk or a System Repair disk and try the restore again.

One other thing that I did also find very strange is that when running the laptop on W11, I created a backup image in the Windows Image Backup Folder on the E: drive partition.
When running the laptop on W10, I also created a backup image in the Windows Image Backup Folder on the E: drive partition.

BUT post W11 system restore from the W11 factory restore partition, the Windows Image Backup Folder appears on the D: drive?

All other folders on the D: and E: drive partitions remain in their original locations, ONLY the Windows Image Backup Folder changes drive partition locations when changing from running W10 to W11 system?
The laptop Disk 1 contains both C: and D: drive partitions and Disk 2 is the E: drive partition.

I could not quite believe what I was seeing so I do have screenshots of the above…..

Anyway, all I want to achieve is to restore my laptop running W10 with my W11 updated system backup image….


I hope someone out there has a few answers for me.

Thanks in advance
Gary

 

Using network hard drive for backup

It depends what sort of backup you want to do. If you're happy just backing up regular files, then there are a bazillion (really, that many!) different bits of freeware to do that. There is a good list here:

Download Back Up Tools for Windows - MajorGeeks

and pretty much all of them can do network backups. Some even have fancy options like encryption. Really, the most useful thing is just being able to schedule them and know they ran OK.

You may also want to make a system image backup too, and you'll find that software in the very same list.

I don't have Windows 8 as yet, so I'm afraid I can't suggest any for that platform. Personally, I use Clonezilla for image backups.

 

issue with backup options Windows 10

Hi David,

I will certainly help with the issue you are facing with backup option.

To assist you better, kindly provide the information:

• 
  How exactly are you trying to perform back up? Is it from the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) or File History?
  
• 
  Which drive have you selected to back up? Is it an external drive or a network drive or a local drive of the system?
  
• 
  When you say 'only allows me to do another backup with the same options', which options are you referring to?
  
• 
  Are you unable to select a different drive for a backup from the backup destination list?
  

If you are using a Backup and Restore (Windows 7) option then, I suggest you to follow the steps mentioned below:

• 
  Type backup and restore in the search bar and press enter.
  
• 
  Click on setup backup option.
  
• 
  Click on refresh button to check if the drives are visible in the
  backup destination list.
  
• 
  Choose the drive which you want to back up and click on
  next.
  

If you are trying to use file history I suggest you to un-plug it and restart your computer. Re-plug the external drive and check if the file history options are available.

Please get back to us with the information to assist you further.

Thank you.