External Drive Backup + Factory Reset

Braedyn Beal 0 Reputation points
2023-10-09T23:24:37.6266667+00:00

Would you be able to backup videos and other files to an external drive, unplug/remove the drive, factory reset/reformat the PC, replug in the drive, and access those files? Or would you have to reformat the external drive on the system in order to use it, resulting in a waste of time and files?

Windows Server Backup
Windows Server Backup
Windows Server: A family of Microsoft server operating systems that support enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.Backup: A duplicate copy of a program, a disk, or data, made either for archiving purposes or for safeguarding valuable files from loss should the active copy be damaged or destroyed.
464 questions
0 comments

1 answer

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Wesley Li-MSFT 4,391 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2023-11-02T07:09:24.1666667+00:00

    Hello

    Yes, you can definitely backup your videos and other files to an external drive, perform a factory reset/reformat on your PC, and then access those files from the external drive without needing to reformat it. Here’s a general process:

    Backup Files: Connect your external drive to your PC. Copy the files you want to backup from your PC to the external drive. You can do this by dragging and dropping the files in File Explorer.

    Safely Remove the External Drive: Once the transfer is complete, make sure to safely eject the external drive. You can do this by right-clicking on the drive in File Explorer and selecting ‘Eject’.

    Factory Reset/Reformat PC: You can now proceed with the factory reset/reformat of your PC. Make sure the external drive is not connected during this process.

    Reconnect External Drive: After the factory reset/reformat is complete, you can reconnect your external drive to the PC. You should be able to access your backed up files without needing to reformat the external drive.

    Remember, it’s always a good idea to keep multiple backups of important files in case one backup fails or gets corrupted. Also, ensure that your PC is free of malware before transferring files to avoid infecting your external drive.

    0 comments