Does IDrive Backup External Drives? Yes!

Quick Search:

• Understanding IDrive and External Drives
• Benefits of Backing Up External Drives with IDrive
• Preparing Your External Drive for Backup
• Let’s Make IDrive Backup External Drives
• Troubleshooting Common Backup Issues
• Additional Tips and Considerations
• Conclusion
• Additional Tip: Best Way to Transfer Data Between IDrive e2 and Other Clouds

Understanding IDrive and External Drives

IDrive is an online backup service where one can safely store and protect all the important files. In contrast, external drives are physical devices themselves, which are connected to the computer and enhance the storage capacity of one's computer.

What is IDrive?

IDrive is a cloud backup company that securely and efficiently stores and protects your data. It supports features such as automatic backups, remote access, version control, and disaster recovery. >> Be straightforward: how to use IDrive.

Types of External Drives

There are two major types of external drives: Hard Disk Drives and Solid-State Drives.

• Hard Disk Drives: Traditional devices for storing data, HDDs function on the principle of rotation of disks. They are much cheaper but offer lower reading and writing speeds compared to SSDs.
• Solid-State Drives: SSD is a new kind of device based on flash memory for storing data. They are much faster, more reliable, and quieter as compared to HDDs, though they are costlier.

Benefits of Backing Up External Drives with IDrive

Backing up your external drives with IDrive offers several benefits, including:

Data Protection and Security

IDrive uses advanced encryption to protect your data from unauthorized access. It also provides features like version control and disaster recovery to help you recover lost or deleted files.

Remote Access and Accessibility

With IDrive, you can access your backed-up files from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. This is especially useful if you need to access your data while traveling or in case of a computer failure.

Version Control and History

IDrive keeps multiple versions of your files, allowing you to revert to previous versions if needed. This is helpful if you accidentally overwrite or delete important files.

Disaster Recovery

In the event of a disaster like a fire, flood, or theft, IDrive can help you recover your lost data. You can simply restore your files to a new computer or external drive.

Preparing Your External Drive for Backup

Before backing up your external drive with IDrive, it's important to prepare it properly.

Step 1. Formatting Your Drive

Ensure that your external drive is formatted in a compatible file system, such as NTFS for Windows or APFS for macOS.

Step 2. Organizing Your Files

Create a well-organized folder structure on your external drive to make it easier to manage and find your files.

Step 3. Creating a Backup Schedule

Decide how often you want to back up your external drive. Consider factors like how frequently you modify your files and the importance of your data.

Let’s Make IDrive Backup External Drives

To start backing up your external drive with IDrive, you'll need to set up your IDrive account and configure the backup settings.

Step 1. Installing IDrive Software

Download and install the IDrive software on your computer.

Step 2. Creating an IDrive Account

Create an IDrive account and choose a suitable backup plan.

Step 3. Choosing Disk Clone Option

Select "clone/computer backup" in the bottom-left corner, then choose "Disk Clone".

Step 4. Performing a Backup

Map the external drives to a disk on your computer in advance, then, according to the screenshot, configure the backup settings, such as backup frequency, file types, and encryption options.

Once you've set up IDrive, you can start backing up your external drive.

• Initial Full Backup: The first backup will be a full backup, which will copy all of your files to the IDrive cloud.
• Incremental Backups: After the initial full backup, IDrive will perform incremental backups, which only backup the changes made since the last backup.

Step 5. Verifying and Testing Your Backup

It's important to verify and test your backup to ensure that it's working correctly.

• Checking Backup Status: Use the IDrive software to check the status of your backups and identify any issues.
• Performing a Test Restore: To test your backup, restore a few files to a different location and verify that they are intact.

Troubleshooting Common Backup Issues

If you encounter any problems during the backup process, try the following troubleshooting tips:

Slow Backup Speeds

If your backups are slow, try backing up during off-peak hours or increasing your internet speed.

Backup Failures

If the IDrive backup failure occurs, check for errors in the IDrive software or ensure that your external drive is connected properly.

Connection Problems

If you're experiencing connection problems, check your internet connection or try connecting your external drive to a different USB port.

Additional Tips and Considerations

Here are some additional tips and considerations for backing up your external drives with IDrive:

Encryption and Security Best Practices

Enable encryption to protect your data from unauthorized access. Use a strong password for your IDrive account and keep it secure.

Cloud Storage vs. Local Backup

Consider the advantages and disadvantages of cloud storage vs. local backup. Cloud storage offers remote access and disaster recovery, while local backup can be faster and more reliable in some cases.

Choosing the Right IDrive Plan

Select an IDrive plan that meets your storage needs and budget. Consider factors like the amount of data you need to back up and the features you require.

Conclusion

Backing up your external drives with IDrive is a simple and effective way to protect your important data. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your files are safe and accessible whenever you need them.

Additional Tip: Best Way to Transfer Data Between IDrive e2 and Other Clouds

As an S3 data storage service, IDrive e2 is loved by many users and enterprises. However, migrating data between IDrive e2 and many popular cloud services is a tricky problem. Here, you can use the cloud file manager --- MultCloud introduced below to easily complete it.

MultCloud supports connecting IDrive e2 and other 30+ cloud services, and moving, syncing or backing up data between them at will, without manual uploading and downloading, just a few steps.

Let's start moving files between IDrive e2 and other clouds.

Step 1. Enter the MultCloud homepage, and then register an account using email and account authorization.

Step 2. Log in to MultCloud, click "Add Cloud", then select the corresponding IDrive e2 symbol, and finally add it to MultCloud according to the prompts. After that, add other cloud accounts in the same way.

Step 3. Enter the "Cloud Transfer" interface, select the file or folder in IDrive e2 as the source, and select the path in other cloud accounts as the destination. After configuring other options, click "Transfer Now".