Manually backing up my files is a chore. Is there a better way?

Q  I keep backups of all my working files on a separate hard disk. To do this, after saving a file on the original disk, I select Save As and from the relevant program’s File menu and manually navigate to backup drive.

This is something of a chore. Is it possible somehow to link the original and backup files so that both files are saved simultaneously from a single save action?
Brian Sexton

A  This is such an obviously useful idea that we’re surprised it isn’t a standard feature of Windows. But it isn’t, so you’ll need to find another method to achieve the same thing.

One option would be to set up your two drives in what’s known as a Raid 1 configuration, in which the backup drive effectively acts as a perfect mirror of the main drive.

This would achieve exactly what you want, but whether or not it’s possible depends on the type of PC and the hard disks and it can also be difficult to configure. As you told us nothing at all about your PC, we can’t go further than that in explaining the procedure.

However, a simpler option would be to use automated backup software to copy your working files to the second drive periodically.

There are many options here but a favourite of some Computeractive staff members is Folderclone. With this small program installed, it’s possible to schedule backups of selected files and folders.

As Folderclone is automated, you can essentially set it up and forget about it. And as it works very quickly, it can be scheduled to back up a documents folder every few minutes without the user even noticing.

It’s free to try, so you’ve nothing to lose.