Stop Losing Your Precious Files: Master the Art of Full Backup on Windows 7 Today!

Losing your files is a nightmare, especially if you have no backup. It can happen to anyone, at any time. Whether it is due to a system crash, malware attack, or accidental deletion, the consequences can be devastating. All the hard work, memories, and important documents gone in a flash. To prevent such a disaster, it is crucial to create full backups regularly. If you are using Windows 7, here is a step-by-step guide to mastering the art of full backup.

Step 1. Choose Your Backup Destination

The first step is to choose where you want to save your backup. You can use an external hard drive, USB flash drive, network location, or DVD. Make sure that the destination has enough space to accommodate the backup files.

Step 2. Open Backup and Restore

Click on the Start button, go to Control Panel, and select Backup and Restore. Alternatively, you can type “backup and restore” in the search box on the Start menu.

Step 3. Select Backup Now

Click on the Backup Now button on the right-hand side of the window. You can also choose the “Set up backup” option to schedule automatic backups.

Step 4. Choose What to Backup

You can either let Windows choose what to back up, or you can select individual folders and files manually. To do this, click on “Let me choose” and check the boxes next to the items you want to backup.

Step 5. Configure Backup Settings

You can choose to create a system image, which is a complete copy of your Windows installation, along with your personal files. This is useful if you need to restore your entire system at once. You can also choose whether to encrypt your backup with a password, and whether to run the backup automatically on a schedule.

Step 6. Start Backup

Once you have configured the backup settings, click on the Save settings and run backup button to start the backup process. This may take some time, depending on the size of the files and the speed of your computer.

Step 7. Verify Backup Completion

Once the backup is complete, you should see a message confirming that the backup was successful. You can also click on “View Details” to see a log of the backup process. Make sure to check the backup destination to verify that all the files are there.

Conclusion

Creating a full backup of your important files should be a part of your regular computer maintenance routine. Windows 7 makes it easy and convenient to do so, with the Backup and Restore feature. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your files are safe and secure, and avoid the nightmare of losing them forever.

Microsoft has ended support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020, which means that your device is no longer receiving security and maintenance updates, and there’s no more support from the company. 

If you are still using Windows 7, it’s now the time to upgrade to Windows 10, but before going through the process, it’s recommended to create a full backup with a copy of the installation as well as a copy of your settings, apps, and files, in case you need to roll back.

In the case that you are moving to a new clean installation of Windows 10, it’s also recommended to create a backup of your files stored on Windows 7, which you can then restore in the new installation.

In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to create a full backup and a file backup to protect your installation and files before upgrading to Windows 10. In addition, you will learn the steps to restore your computer if the upgrade presents any problems, and the steps to restore your files on Windows 7 on your new Windows 10 installation.

  • How to create full backup on Windows 7
  • How to restore full backup on Windows 7
  • How to create file backup on Windows 7
  • How to restore Windows 7 file backup on Windows 10

How to create full backup on Windows 7

To create a full backup of your Windows 7 device, use these steps:

  • Open Control Panel.
  • Click on System and Security.
  • Click the Backup and Restore option.
  • Windows 7 back and restore option
  • Click the Create a system image option from the left pane.
  • Create system image backup option
  • Select the On a hard disk option.
  • Select the external hard drive to backup your device.
  • Select backup destination
  • Click the Next button.
  • Click the Start backup button.
  • Start backup on Windows 7

Once you complete the steps, the backup process will begin, and at the end, you will be prompted to create a recovery disk, but you can ignore the option as you can use a Windows 7 installation USB media to access the recovery settings as needed.

Open Control Panel.

Click on System and Security.

Click the Backup and Restore option.

Windows 7 back and restore option

Click the Create a system image option from the left pane.

Create system image backup option

Select the On a hard disk option.

Select the external hard drive to backup your device.

Select backup destination

Click the Next button.

Click the Start backup button.

Start backup on Windows 7

How to restore full backup on Windows 7

To restore a backup to rollback to a previous Windows 7 installation, use these steps:

  • Start device with Windows 7 USB media.
  • Quick note: To start your computer with a bootable media, you may need to change the BIOS or UEFI settings. This process usually requires pressing one of the function keys (F1, F2, F10, or F12), the ESC or Delete key. For more specific instructions, it’s recommended to check your manufacturer support website.
  • Click the Next button.
  • Click the Repair your computer option from the bottom-left corner.
  • Windows 7 setup
  • Select the “Use recovery tools” options and “Windows 7” from the list.
  • System recovery options on Windows 7
  • Click the Next button.
  • Click the System Image Recovery option.
  • Windows 7 system recovery option
  • Select the Use the latest available system image option.
  • Select image recovery
  • Click the Next button.
  • Click the Next button again.
  • Windows 7 format and partition drive
  • Click the Finish button.

After you complete the steps, the device will go back to the previous installation, and you can start the upgrade process to Windows 10 one more time.

Start device with Windows 7 USB media.

Click the Repair your computer option from the bottom-left corner.

Windows 7 setup

Select the “Use recovery tools” options and “Windows 7” from the list.

System recovery options on Windows 7

Click the System Image Recovery option.

Windows 7 system recovery option

Select the Use the latest available system image option.

Select image recovery

Click the Next button again.

Windows 7 format and partition drive

Click the Finish button.

If you continue to have problems using the in-place upgrade process, then you should try to upgrade using a clean installation of Windows 10.

How to create file backup on Windows 7

If you only want to backup your files, you can connect an external drive to your computer and simply copy the files over, or you can use the file backup option on Windows 7.

To create a file backup on Windows 7, connect an external drive with enough space, and use these steps:

  • Open Control Panel.
  • Click on System and Security.
  • Click the Backup and Restore option.
  • Under the “Backup” section, click the Set up backup option.
  • Windows 7 setup file backup
  • Select the external drive to backup your files.
  • Select file backup destination
  • Click the Next button.
  • Select the Let me choose option. (The Let Windows Choose is also a good option, but it includes a system image, and these steps are meant to create a file backup that you can restore on Windows 10.)
  • Windows 7 choose backup items
  • Check the Back up data for newly create users and your account Libraries options.
  • Use the Computer option to select additional files you may need to include in the backup.
  • Clear the Include a system image of drives option.
  • Select files to backup on Windows 7
  • Click the Next button.
  • (Optional) Click the Change schedule option to define when the system should perform regular backups.
  • Click the Save settings and run backup button.

After you complete the steps, your files will copy over the external drive, which you can use to restore in your new installation of Windows 10.

Under the “Backup” section, click the Set up backup option.

Windows 7 setup file backup

Select the external drive to backup your files.

Select file backup destination

Select the Let me choose option. (The Let Windows Choose is also a good option, but it includes a system image, and these steps are meant to create a file backup that you can restore on Windows 10.)

Windows 7 choose backup items

Check the Back up data for newly create users and your account Libraries options.

Use the Computer option to select additional files you may need to include in the backup.

Clear the Include a system image of drives option.

Select files to backup on Windows 7

(Optional) Click the Change schedule option to define when the system should perform regular backups.

Click the Save settings and run backup button.

How to restore Windows 7 file backup on Windows 10

To restore your files on Windows 10, connect the drive with the Windows 7 file backup to your computer, and use these steps:

  • Open Control Panel.
  • Click on System and Security.
  • Click the Backup and Restore (windows 7) option.
  • Under the “Restore” section, click the Select another backup to restore files from option.
  • Windows 10 restore Windows 7 files
  • Select the Windows 7 file backup.
  • Windows 10 select backup
  • Click the Next button.
  • Click the Browse for folders button.
  • Select the folder with the files that you want to restore from Windows 7.
  • Click the Add folder button.
  • Select Windows 7 folder to restore
  • Click the Next button.
  • Select the In the following location option.
  • Select restore location on Windows 10
  • Click the Browse button.
  • Select the folder location to restore your files.
  • Click the OK button.
  • Click the Restore button.
  • Click the Finish button.

Once you complete the steps, the folder with the files from Windows 7 will restore to the folder destination that you specified.

Click the Backup and Restore (windows 7) option.

Under the “Restore” section, click the Select another backup to restore files from option.

Windows 10 restore Windows 7 files

Select the Windows 7 file backup.

Windows 10 select backup

Click the Browse for folders button.

Select the folder with the files that you want to restore from Windows 7.

Click the Add folder button.

Select Windows 7 folder to restore

Select the In the following location option.

Select restore location on Windows 10

Click the Browse button.

Select the folder location to restore your files.

Click the OK button.

Click the Restore button.