Files are your most important assets, but they’re not everything that’s unique about your PC. You also have personalized settings and apps installed, and backing up your files alone won’t let you recover apps and settings.
If you’re doing everything the Windows 8 way, File History is sufficient for local backups (but you still need an off-site backup). When I say “the Windows 8 way,” I mean:
● Using only Windows 8 apps You don’t need to worry about backing up Windows 8 apps. If their files get corrupted, you can just download them again from the Store.
● Signing in with a Microsoft account If you sign in with a Microsoft account, as opposed to a local account, Microsoft automatically backs up your settings.
If your PC bursts into flames and you’re doing everything the Windows 8 way, you simply buy a new PC, sign in with your Microsoft account, and then restore your files with File History. If your hard disk melts, you just replace the disk, reinstall Windows, sign in with your Microsoft account, and then restore your files.
Many Windows 8 users will have desktop apps, however, and File History doesn’t back up desktop apps or their settings. In the event of a disk failure, you could simply reinstall your apps and reconfigure them. That can be more difficult than it sounds, however, because settings are often complex (for example, configuring Photoshop plug-ins), and you’d better have records of the product keys you need for every desktop app, or you’re going to need to purchase another copy or contact the software developer (which might not be an option).
If that sounds too difficult for you, you can use the system image backup capabilities, which haven’t changed since Windows 7. A system image creates an exact duplicate of your entire system disk, including desktop apps, all their settings, and all your files. You can restore a system image by replacing a failed hard disk, booting from the Windows 8 disk or a system repair disk that you make, and then recovering the system image.
Creating a system image
To create a system image backup, use the Search charm to search Settings. Type file recovery, and then select Windows 7 File Recovery. Next, click Create A System Image, and choose where you want to store the backup.
Creating a system repair disc
After creating a system image, Windows prompts you to create a system repair disc using a writable CD or DVD. You can also manually create a system repair disc.
The system repair disc is a disc you can boot from that allows you to run basic repair tools and restore a system image backup. You need the system repair disc only when Windows won’t start. However, it’ll be too late to make a disc at that point, so it’s a good idea to make one in advance, label it properly, and keep it handy.
Creating a recovery USB flash drive
If your PC doesn’t have a CD/DVD burner, you can use a USB flash drive for your system repair disk. Your flash drive needs to be at least 256 MB (most flash drives are much larger), and Windows is going to erase everything on it, so double-check that you’re not using it to store anything you love.
Connect your flash drive, open the ‘Search charm’, select ‘Settings’, and then type ‘recovery’. Select ‘Create A Recovery Drive’ and follow the prompts that appear to create a recovery drive. Then, label the recovery drive and keep it someplace you can find it if your PC fails. You should create a new recovery drive after installing major updates, such as a service pack or a new version of Windows, because previous versions of Windows often required the recovery drive to be created with the same version of Windows as is installed.
You must read Restoring Apps & Settings in Windows 8 if you are done with backing up your apps & settings in Windows 8.
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