Forum Discussion
Question regarding a specific type of backup for data
Hey yall! Hope you are doing well today. Had a question regarding types of backup. I’m looking for something free and simple (excluding drive costs) and found something called file history on control panel. Is this a decent backup? I’m simply trying to create a simple backup as I pretty much only use my pc for games and school work.
I’m not opposed to doing a total snapshot of my pc but I think if I’m not mistaken takes way more drive space than just file history. Plus sometimes a subscription service
Would say a 2tb external ssd be enough? More or less? And I should also state the pc I’ll be backing up is a dual nvme system. I have a 1tb boot drive with a bunch of stuff on it and a 2tb drive with also a bunch on it. How much space would I need and would I need two externals in this case?
2 Replies
File History is a decent, built-in, free backup tool in Windows for backing up your personal files and documents. It continuously saves versions of files in your Libreries, Deskt0p, Contects, and Fav0rites, allowing you to restore previous versions if needed. It’s simple and doesn’t require extra cost beyond your existing storage.
You are absolutely on the right track thinking about backups, especially for games and schoolwork. Let me break it down a bit:
File History, Good for Simplicity
File History is actually a decent free option if you are mainly concerned about personal files like documents, photos, and school work. It won’t back up your installed programs or Windows settings, though just the files in your libraries (Documents, Desktop, etc.).
Alternative: Full System Image
If you're open to doing a full snapshot (aka system image), that backs up everything — apps, settings, and files. But yes, it uses a lot more space and isn’t incremental like File History. You can create one using the “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” tool built into Windows — it’s still available in Windows 10/11.
External Drive Size Estimate
Since your internal drives total 3TB (1TB + 2TB), here’s what to consider:
For File History, 2TB could be enough, depending on how many personal files change frequently and how many versions you want.
For full system images, ideally you’d want a 4TB external SSD (especially if you want to back up both NVMe drives with some room to spare).
Do You Need Two External Drives?Not necessarily. You can:
Use one 4TB external SSD and create folders for each internal drive's backup, or
Use a tool like Macrium Reflect (free) for full disk cloning or imaging, it gives you more control and compression options.
