Backing up the whole of the computer to an external hard drive.

[Heathsideboy]

This is a strange one. I want to backup everything on my computer to an external hard drive.

I found how to do it through a YouTube video. I thought I would do a dry run first before actually proceeding with the actual act. So, I connected my 2 TB hard drive to my PC first. Then as per the video advised, I did the following:

Start menu > Settings > Update and Security > Backup. By doing this and as shown on the YouTube clip, it showed the screen as shown in my first attachment image below. The first time I did this on my PC, it also showed the same screen and found my 2 TB hard drive. However, as this was a dry run, as far as I am aware, I did not back anything up at this point because it was getting late and I knew this procedure would take some time.

The next time I went back on my PC, I did the exact, same procedure. I connected my 2 TB hard drive and then went through the same procedure, Start menu > Settings > Update and Security > Backup. Only this time, the screen that was showing was different to the screen that was showing the previous time I used the PC and that of the screen shown on the YouTube video. The screen that showed this time was the one shown in my second attachment image below.

Can anyone tell me why this is or if I may have inadvertently done something to have this happen? How can I find the original screen that originally found my 2 TB hard drive?

Thanks

 

[Grizzly]

First of all: Using this backup method gets you in trouble as it is very unreliable. This backup method is a remnant from Windows 7 and from my experience never has worked. You are taking a big risk using that.
There are more reliable Methods available. Search here in the forum for Macrium reflect or True Image and you will find a lot of success stories.

BTW: the second screen shows only that you have added a drive already. That is the difference between your screenshots

 

[Heathsideboy]

All I am doing is backing everything up on my PC and putting it onto an external hard drive am I not? What is the big risk?

HB

 

[ubuysa]

All I am doing is backing everything up on my PC and putting it onto an external hard drive am I not? What is the big risk?

HB

He means that the backup software itself is old and unreliable. Look for Macrium Reflect Free as suggested above and use that.