Upgrading to Windows 10? Make a backup first!

Acronis
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office
formerly Acronis True Image
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Often times, major updates to an operating system can cause problems for individual users. What is the best way to avoid them? Clone your hard drive, so that, if something goes wrong during the update, you can restore your system immediately.

Update: Microsoft announced a few days ago that the development of the latest version of the Windows 10 update (called Windows 10 Creators Update) had entered the final "bug piñata" testing phase. Which means that it will be out by April 2017. The release of Windows 10 has taught us a lesson. Read on, so you know how to protect your most sensitive data and ensure a smooth Windows 10 update as well.

Best protection when upgrading

In addition to helping you understand Windows 10 Creators Update, on this page, we will give you more details about cloning your hard drive and also about hard drive cloning software. We hope you find it useful when you are running the Creators Update.

Another Windows 10 update will be available shortly and many individuals are thinking of upgrading their personal computers. If you are among them, follow the 7 tips that we offer below, so that updating Windows 10 is a positive experience and you do not lose any data.

7 tips to prepare your upgrade to Windows 10

1. Plan the upgrade. If you have multiple computers, don't rush to install Windows 10 on all computers at once. Choose one of the computers and upgrade to Windows 10. This will help you figure out what to do and what not to do, and at the same time, it will make the installation process easier on the remaining computers.

2. Make sure your computer can cope with the update. If you have recently purchased a computer running an older version of Windows, you will most likely be able to upgrade to Windows 10. However, if your computer is more than three years old, you may want to consider purchasing a new computer that can work well with Windows 10. When new operating systems are installed on older computers, they tend to perform much slower. Sooner or later, you will use more advanced applications that require more computing power. When that time comes, you will have to upgrade your equipment anyway. Plan ahead, so your computer can run the most advanced applications, avoiding double upgrades.

3. Make a backup of your old computer. Before you upgrade to Windows 10, you will have to make a backup of all the information and applications that you have on your original computer. If you perform an update without first backing up your files and system, you may end up losing data. Unexpected computer crashes could damage or even delete your files, so make a backup of everything before updating. Windows 10 is not a simple Windows update, rather, it is the implementation of a new system in which the installation process can erase many folders that contain important data or files.

4. Use disk image technology for backups, don't settle for file copies. Windows, even XP, is a complex operating system in which some data is not in files. Think for a moment about your passwords, preferences, and everything in your computer's applications or system settings that you don't save in a file or folder. For the same reason, use a backup solution with hard drive image technology that simultaneously backs up your entire system while backing up individual files. If you choose a solution that is limited to only backing up files, you will not be able to restore systems or applications once you have installed the new operating system.

What is a hard drive clone?

When you clone a hard drive, you take all the data off one computer and make an exact copy on another hard drive. All information is copied from the original drive, including:

  • files and folders
  • programs and their patches
  • preferences and settings
  • and the entire operating system

5. Make a backup of everything. Over time, you may have saved documents to desktop files, temporary files, or even the trash. These forgotten folders must be included in the backup. And don't forget about hidden partitions either. These partitions, which can be found on Acer, Asus, HP, and IBM computers, allow you to restore your computer to its original state. This vitally important partition must be included in the backup.

6. Follow the 3-2-1 rule for backups. According to the 3-2-1 rule for backups, you must create 3 backups, save them in, at least, 2 different types of storage, and save one of these copies at a remote location.

7. Keep old backups after upgrade. Once you have switched to Windows 10, make sure you keep old backups of your data. You may need to use them again when upgrading to a newer version of Windows.

Acronis True Image, the number 1 personal backup software.

Before moving to Windows 10, don't risk it all by not having backups! If you follow the 7 simple tips above, upgrading to Windows 10 will be a smooth experience.

If you need a backup solution or want to upgrade the one you already have, first take a look at what Acronis offers. We have the award-winning Acronis True Image 2018, the world's number 1 personal backup software. Learn more and get it here!

About Acronis

Acronis is a Swiss company, founded in Singapore. Celebrating two decades of innovation, Acronis has more than 1,800 employees in 45 locations. The Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud solution is available in 26 languages in over 150 countries and is used by 20,000 service providers to protect over 750,000 businesses.