How to Take a Backup using NTBackup?

Summary: A backup of crucial data is one of the most important tasks for any computer user. You only realize the importance of backup when you face a data loss situation, accidental deletion or corruption. A backup file can do something for you that no other thing can do. If you lose your crucial data from the computer system due to corruption, it’s only the backup file that can allow you to restore your data. Or, if you accidentally delete some of your files, you can restore them from the backup file. That’s why professionals and data recovery experts strongly recommend backup tasks in a regular manner. However, when you go towards the restoration process of the backup file, you will find that your BKF file is corrupted or damaged. In that case, you can use the Aryson Backup Exec Recovery Tool, which helps restore all the backup data from the Windows NT-Backup, Veritas, and Symantec Backup Exec BKF File.   

How to take a backup?

Backup aka BKF file with .bkf extension is mainly related to the Windows backup utility, commonly known as NTBackup. You can store almost all types of data like files, folders, media and other data files into a BKF file. It’s very easy to take a backup as well as restore data from it. You can use Windows NTBackup utility here:

Step 1: First of all, click Win + R buttons to go the command prompt.

Now type ntbackup and hit enter.

Step 2: The Backup or Restore Wizard will appear on your screen.

Keep Always start in wizard mode box checked. Click Next to continue the process.

Step 3: Now define what you want to do here.

Check Back up files and settings option, and click Next to continue the process.

Step 4: Now define what you want to back up here.

You can either select all information on the computer or specific files which you want to back up. Click Next to continue the process.

Step 5: If you’ve selected Let me choose what to back up option in the previous step, you need to select which files and folders you want to back up.

You can simply place a checkmark in the box next to the files and folders in the tree-structure. Now click Next to continue the process.

Step 6: Now you need to define a location where you want to save the backup file.

Click Browse and select a location on your system.

Step 7: Now type a name for this backup.

Click Next to continue the process.

Step 8: The backup is now ready to start.

You can simply click Finish.

Or you can specify additional backup options by clicking Advanced…

Advanced options

Step 1: First, you need to select the type of backup.

Just click the drop-down arrow under Select the type of backup option. You can choose Daily in the options, and click Next to continue the process.

Step 2: Now select the options you want to use.

Click Verify data after backup box, and click Next to continue the process.

Step 3: Here you need to define the backup options.

You can specify whether to overwrite data, and whether to restrict access to your data. Click Replace the existing backups box, and click Next to continue the process.

Step 4: Now you need to define when you want to run the backup, either now or later.

Click on Later, and then click Set Schedule…

Step 5: On Schedule Job window, you can set how often you want the backups to run.

You can click the drop-down arrow under Schedule Task option, and select Daily.

Step 6: Now you can set at which time you would like to run the backup.

Select any time, and click OK.

Step 7: Windows will ask you to provide the password of the user under which you want to run the backup job.

Enter the correct password twice, and click OK.

Step 8: You can now check the correct schedule. Also, you need to give a name for this scheduled task.

You can use the same name what you’ve assigned earlier for the backup. Now click Next to continue the process.

Step 9: You can now check all the backup settings which you’ve created earlier.

Now click Finish to start the backup job.

Types of Backup – Which Should you Choose?

Before you can actually take a backup, you must choose the right backup type as per your requirement. The three common backup types are Full Backup, Incremental Backup, and Differential Backup.

1. Full Backup

It’s the most basic and complete backup type that makes a copy of your computer data into any other storage media device like a tape drive, disks or CD/DVD. If you want to have a complete copy of your entire data on a single set of media, the full backup type is the best option for you. The key benefit of this backup type is that it just takes a minimal time for data restoration from the backup file. On the other hand, it has a couple of disadvantages. It may take enough time during the backup process, unlike other backup types. Also, it may require more storage space than other backup types.

2. Incremental Backup

The incremental backup type copies only those files which have been altered since the last full backup. In order to perform a full recovery from the backup, the restoration process needs the last backup copy with all the incremental backups until the point of restoration. It can identify, records and preserves only those files which have changed since the previous backup. Incremental backup is quite popular and excessively used backup type because it takes less storage space as well as less time than other backup types like full backup and differential backup.

3. Differential Backup

The differential backup type can only save the difference in your data since the last full backup. It looks quite similar to the incremental backup, but there’s a major difference between these two backup types. The differential backup type stores more data on subsequent operations, unlike the incremental backup type. If you’re using this backup type, it takes less time to complete the backup job than the full backup type. The main advantage of differential backup type is the quicker recovery time. It only requires a full backup and the last differential backup to restore the entire data.

I hope the above information is all clear, and now you’re ready to take a backup.

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