Creating a backup of your Windows 8.1 system is essential to ensure that you have a copy of your files and settings in case of a hard drive crash or PC failure. In this guide, we’ll take a look at how to create a backup of Windows 8.1.
To get started, navigate to File History and open it. The system will scan the available drives for backup options. Keep in mind that Windows cannot save the backup to the system drive, so you’ll have to select a separate partition or drive, such as a locally attached USB hard drive.
Next, select the System Image Backup option at the bottom of the screen. You’ll have three options for storing your backup: on the hard disk, on one or more DVDs, or on a network location.
For the purpose of this guide, we’ll choose a locally attached USB hard drive. Select the partitions you want to include in the backup, and click “Next.” In the summary screen, verify that you’re backing up to the correct external hard drive and click “Start Backup.” Depending on the size of your backup, this process may take a while.
Once the backup process is complete, you’ll see a window indicating that the backup completed successfully. You can now close the window and browse to the external hard drive to see your backup. Keep in mind that since this is a backup of your system drive, the folder will be protected to keep standard users from viewing it.
At this point, you can save the backup folder in a safe location. In the event of a hard drive crash or PC failure, you can use this backup file during the recovery process to restore Windows to its current state.
Creating a backup for Windows 8.1 is an essential step to ensure that your important files and settings are protected. With this guide, you can create a backup quickly and easily, giving you peace of mind knowing that you have a copy of your data in case of an emergency.