Which Storage Device is Best for PC Backup?

PC backup should be one of the most important tasks that each user should never ignore. Many people have experienced data loss due to unpredictable hard disk failure, system crashes, and so on. Therefore, finding suitable backup storage and creating backups for important PC data are the best way to protect your irreplaceable files from any disaster.

So what is the best backup storage for computers? There are multiple different storage devices for PC backup, like SD cards, USB flash drives, cloud storage, etc. In this article, we will tell you the best four backup storage for computers, and the easiest ways to backup PC data with them. You can choose the one that suits you best.

Top 4 Backup Storage for PC

In this section, we will share the most cost-effective and best backup storage for PCs, including their advantages and disadvantages. Please read through it to get more detailed information.

Cloud Storage

Cloud storage offers a simple way for you to securely save data in an off-site location and keep it online for easy access at any time from anywhere. It works by allowing a client device (computer, mobile phone, or tablet) to send and retrieve files to and from a remote data server.

There are many famous and best cloud storage for PC backup on the market, such as Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Amazon Drive, iCloud, and so forth.

✦Advantages: Limited free storage space; keep files online encrypted; no storage device required; file synchronization between multiple devices; easy file sharing; scalable and flexible storage space.

✦Disadvantages: Internet connection is necessary for data access; extra storage space comes at a cost; security and privacy concerns with some storage providers.

External Hard Drive

An external hard drive is a portable storage device that lets you increase the storage space of your computer and safely back up PC files to external hard drive. Usually, around the size of a book, an external hard disk can be connected to any PC or laptop via a USB port, FireWire, or wirelessly.

✦Advantages: Considerable storage capacity; high data transmission speed; easy to use on a plug-and-play basis.

✦Disadvantages: Less portable with a large size; no password for stored data; easy attack from viruses, worms, and malware software.

Network Attached Storage (NAS)

A NAS (network-attached storage) device is a file-level computer data storage server that is connected to a network and allows authorized network users and clients to store and retrieve data from a centralized location. Fundamentally, it is a network drive with some additional features like file sharing and authorization.

✦Advantages: Remote access to files and folders; file access from multiple computers/locations; centralized backup data management.

✦Disadvantages: Performance depends on the protocol; highly dependent on bandwidth; expensive.

USB Flash Drive

A USB drive, usually known as a USB stick, USB thumb drive, or pen drive, is a plug-and-play storage device that can be used to store data on a tiny flash memory chip. When you plug a USB into the computer via a USB port, the computer operating system would recognize it as a removable drive and assigns it a drive letter.

✦Advantages: Portable with small size; inexpensive; high-speed data transfer; high compatibility with most devices.

✦Disadvantages: Low capacity; easy to lose, steal or damage; high risk of malware attack when connecting to a computer; less durability.

Easiest Way to Backup PC to Cloud for Free

If you think cloud storage is the best backup storage for PCs, the easiest and most effective solution to backup PC online is to use a free cloud backup service like CBackup.

This professional backup tool can help you backup Windows to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and other public clouds for free. You can also create computer backups to its CBackup Cloud, with 10GB of free space. With a simple interface, you enjoy its scheduled backup, file filter, email notification, and other convenient backup features. You can follow the guide below to create PC cloud backups with CBackup easily.

Step 1. Install the CBackup client app on your computer and launch it. Create an account for CBackup and sign in.

Step 2. Click Storage on the left panel and select a cloud drive to click Authorize Now, then follow the guide to grant access to your cloud for CBackup.

Step 3. Select Backup and click on Backup PC to Public Cloud.

Note:✎...

To create a PC backup to CBackup Cloud, you do not need to authorize a cloud connection to CBackup but go directly to the Backup page and select the Backup PC to CBackup Cloud option.

Step 4. Choose the computer files you want to back up, and select the targeted cloud as the backup location.

Step 5. If you want to do more backup settings like PC auto backup, just tap on Settings. After that, tap on Start Backup to backup computer to the cloud.

Note:✎...

CBackup also offers cloud-to-cloud backup services like backup Google Drive to OneDrive or vice versa to help you transfer files from one cloud to another without file size and speed limitations.

Best Ways to Backup PC to External Drive/NAS/USB Drive

If you want to back up a computer to an external drive, NAS, or USB drive, you can follow the following tutorial.

Way 1. Backup Windows to External Drive/NAS/USB Drive

Windows comes with a free backup utility, Backup and Restore, that allows you to back up computer files and creates Windows system backup to USB drives, external disks, and NAS storage devices.

Step 1. Click on the Windows Start button > select Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

Step 2. Click Create a system image to do a Windows system backup. Or, you can click on Set up backup to create a personal file backup.

Step 3. On the next screen, determine the location where you want to save the backup - On a hard disk, On one or more DVDs, or On a network location.

Step 4. Confirm your backup settings and click Start Backup to backup computer to external hard drive, USB drive, or NAS.

Way 2. Backup Mac to External Drive/NAS/USB Drive

To back up your Mac to an external storage device or NAS drive, you can use Time Machine, the built-in backup feature of Mac, to achieve that. Here we take backing up a computer to an external drive as an example to show you backup steps:

Step 1. Connect your storage device to your Mac.

Step 2. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Time Machine, and click on Select Disk.

Step 3. Select the name of your disk, then click Use Disk. Then, this too will start making PC backups for you.

Written in the End

If you are seeking suitable backup storage for PCs, this article offers four options for your preferences. Also, there are complete guides on how to back up a computer to different storage devices. Hope they can be helpful to you.