Posted On 20 May 2021

It’s very rare that a computer user hasn’t at some point experienced the trauma of losing documents, files, and other valuable data to a crash, malware or other catastrophe. There is only one sure way to avoid this, and that is always to back up your data regularly and save it elsewhere. Below we detail the ways in which you can make sure your data is always fully protected.

Firstly, use File History. This is an integral tool in Windows that permits you to recover any accidentally-deleted files. To use this feature, you’ll need a network location, substantial flash drive, or external hard drive; you can then instruct Windows to save items from all the locations you choose, e.g. desktop, favorites, etc., at intervals.

The System Image tool can be used to create a complete picture of your entire hard drive, so that you can restore your PC from a completely different drive if your regular one should fail for any reason. This process can be found within Settings > Updates and security > Backup.

Creating a System Restore point is another very effective way of protecting your data. This feature is disabled by default on Windows 10, so you will have to switch it on to create a System Point. This feature will remember how your computer was at the specific time you set it, and so you will always have the option to return to those settings. You should always do this before installing major updates or complex new programs.

If you visit the Advanced Option section of Windows 10, you’ll find tools that allow you to create a USB recovery drive, so that if something should go wrong, you can always reboot your computer from the USB drive, which will allow you to fix a variety of issues.

It’s always a good idea to store your data somewhere far away from your computer where no technical or physical harm can touch it – for example, it’s no good having all your data stored on an external hard drive that’s in the same office as your computer; in the event of a burglary or fire, you’re most likely lose both and all your data with it. There are numerous subscription offsite backup services available that can keep your data and release it back to you when you need it.

Finally, if your computer is acting up and you feel that it really needs a reset, the PC Reset feature offers you a number of options for resetting your computer; you can choose an option that removes apps and settings but retains your personal files, one that removes all personal files, apps, and settings, and one that completely reinstalls a fresh version of Windows.