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Making a backup plan and testing a restore

Decide what to back up, how often and where, set up a backup tool on Ubuntu or Windows, and prove that you can get a file back before you ever need to.

30 minbeginnerUbuntu/LinuxWindowsPractical task needs a laptop or desktop

Marking a lesson as read does not prove you can do it. Skills count as demonstrated when you pass the quiz (not yet) and complete the practical tasks (not yet).

By the end of this lesson you will be able to

  • Write a backup plan that says what, how often, where and how long.
  • Describe how to set up automatic backups with Backups on Ubuntu and File History on Windows.
  • Carry out a restore test using a practice folder.
  • Explain the safe order of recovery when a file or a drive is lost.

Having a backup tool is not the same as being protected. Backups fail quietly: the drive is full, the schedule was never switched on, or the wrong folder was chosen. You only find out on the day you need the copy. This lesson shows you how to make a short written plan, set up an automatic tool, and then do the step that most people skip: restoring a file to prove that the whole thing works.

A backup plan answers five questions

A plan sounds formal, but for one person it fits on a postcard. It answers five questions. Writing the answers down means that a tired, worried version of you does not have to think on the day something goes wrong.

Diagram

The five questions a personal backup plan answers.

  1. Step 1: WhatFiles you cannot recreate
  2. Step 2: How oftenMatch what you can bear to lose
  3. Step 3: Where3-2-1: drive and off-site
  4. Step 4: How longKeep older versions
  5. Step 5: TestRestore and open a file
The five questions a personal backup plan answers.
Read this figure as text

A flow of five boxes: what, how often, where, how long and test.

Five steps in a row. Step 1, What: choose the files that you cannot recreate, such as Documents and Pictures. Step 2, How often: decide how much work you could bear to lose, then set a schedule to match. Step 3, Where: use the 3-2-1 idea, with an external drive and an off-site copy. Step 4, How long: decide how many old versions to keep. Step 5, Test: restore a file and open it, and repeat every few months.

What, and how often

Start with what. Back up the things that would be painful to recreate: your Documents, Pictures, Desktop and any folder where you keep school, work or business files. Programs can be installed again, so they matter less. Next, choose how often by asking one question: if the computer died tonight, how much work could I bear to do again? If the answer is one day, back up daily. If you rarely change a folder, such as old family photographs, weekly or monthly is enough.

A starting schedule for a typical learner
Kind of fileChanges how often?Suggested backup
Coursework and documents you edit every dayDailyAutomatic daily backup, plus a cloud folder that keeps versions
Photographs and videosWhen you import new onesWeekly, or straight after importing a batch
Old records and finished projectsRarelyMonthly, and once more after any big change
Whole laptop settings and programsSlowlyNot essential; keep a list of the programs you use

Where, and for how long

For where, follow the 3-2-1 idea from the last lesson: the laptop, an external drive that you keep away from it when you can, and an off-site copy such as cloud storage. For how long, remember that most tools are incremental: after the first full copy, each run saves only the files that changed. That makes later backups quick and small, and it lets the tool keep older versions of a file so that you can go back in time. Choose to keep versions for at least a few months. Make sure the drive is large enough: twice the size of your files is a sensible start.

Setting up automatic backups

Both systems include a simple tool. They have different names but the same ideas: choose folders, choose a place, choose a schedule and press the button to run it once. Menus change between releases, so if a step looks different on your screen, look for the same ideas under a similar name.

Simulated interface: not a real screenshot

A simulated Backups window on Ubuntu showing the four settings that matter.

Backups
Overview
Folders to save
Folders to ignore
Storage location
Scheduling

Last backup: Sunday at 20:15

Next backup: tonight

Automatic backups: On

RestoreBack Up Now
  1. Marker 1: Choose what to copy
  2. Marker 2: Choose where to copy it
  3. Marker 3: Switch on the schedule
  4. Marker 4: Run one backup now
A simulated Backups window on Ubuntu showing the four settings that matter.
Read this figure as text

A simulated backup tool window listing folders to save, folders to ignore, storage location and scheduling, with a Back Up Now button.

A simulated window titled Backups. The left sidebar has Overview, Folders to save, Folders to ignore, Storage location and Scheduling. The Overview shows the last backup date and a note that the next backup is due tonight. Buttons at the bottom read Restore and Back Up Now. Marker 1 points to Folders to save, where you choose what to copy. Marker 2 points to Storage location, where you choose the external drive. Marker 3 points to Scheduling, where you switch on automatic backups. Marker 4 points to the Back Up Now button.

Set up a backup tool

Each tool needs somewhere to put the copies. An external drive is best. For the practice in this lesson you will use plain folders instead, so nothing here is risky.

Ubuntu 24.04 has a backup tool called Backups, which is the program Déjà Dup. Use it to copy your files to an external drive or another location. If you cannot find it, install Déjà Dup Backups from the App Center.

On Ubuntu 24.04 (Backups)

  1. Step 1: Open Backups

    Click Activities, type Backups and open the result.

    You should see: A window opens with an overview and settings for folders, storage and scheduling.

  2. Step 2: Choose folders to save

    Open Folders to save. By default your Home folder is included. Check that the list covers Documents and Pictures.

    You should see: Your chosen folders appear in a list. Remove any you do not need.

  3. Step 3: Check folders to ignore

    Open Folders to ignore. Some folders, such as the Trash, are ignored on purpose. Check that nothing you need is on the list.

    You should see: You can see exactly which folders will be skipped.

  4. Step 4: Choose a storage location

    Open Storage location. Plug in your external drive and choose it, or pick a local folder for practice. Cloud and network choices appear in some releases.

    You should see: The location shows the name of your drive or folder.

  5. Step 5: Turn on scheduling

    Open Scheduling, switch on automatic backups and choose how often they run and how long to keep them.

    You should see: The overview now says that automatic backups are on.

  6. Step 6: Run the first backup

    Go to the overview and click Back Up Now. The first run takes longest.

    You should see: A progress bar runs, then the overview shows today's date as the last backup.

The restore test

A restore means copying files back from a backup to your computer. A restore test is a rehearsal: you take a file out of the backup on purpose and check that it opens and is the right one. You should do it once when you set the tool up, and again every few months. It shows whether the folders were chosen correctly, whether the drive can be read and whether you know the steps while you are calm.

Diagram

The backup routine is a cycle, and the test is part of it.

Backup1Back up2Check3Restore a testfile4Review
  1. Back upRuns on schedule
  2. CheckDate and free space
  3. Restore a test fileOpen it to be sure
  4. ReviewUpdate the plan
The backup routine is a cycle, and the test is part of it.
Read this figure as text

A cycle of four steps: back up, check, restore a test file and review.

A cycle with four steps and the word Backup in the centre. Step 1, Back up: the tool copies your files on schedule. Step 2, Check: look at the last backup date and the free space. Step 3, Restore a test file: copy one file back and open it. Step 4, Review: change the plan if folders, drives or needs have changed. Then the cycle returns to step 1.

Rehearse a restore with a practice folder

On Ubuntu 24.04 (Files)

  1. Step 1: Make the practice files

    In Files, open Documents and create a folder called restore-practice. Inside it create three text files named budget-notes.txt, reading-list.txt and class-times.txt, each with a line or two of made-up text. (Use Text Editor and Save As if Files does not offer New Document.)

    You should see: The restore-practice folder holds three small files.

  2. Step 2: Make a backup copy

    Create another folder in Documents called restore-practice-backup. Select the three files, press Ctrl+C, open the backup folder and press Ctrl+V.

    You should see: Both folders now contain the same three files. The second folder stands in for your backup drive.

  3. Step 3: Lose a file

    In restore-practice, right-click reading-list.txt and choose Move to Trash.

    You should see: The file disappears from the folder. The Trash lists it.

  4. Step 4: Restore it from the copy

    Open restore-practice-backup, click reading-list.txt, press Ctrl+C, go back to restore-practice and press Ctrl+V.

    You should see: The file is back in the practice folder.

  5. Step 5: Check it

    Double-click the restored file and read it. Compare the size in Properties with the copy in the backup folder.

    You should see: The text is what you wrote and the sizes match.

Real tools do the same job with extra help. In Backups on Ubuntu you open the overview and choose Restore, then pick the date of a backup and the files you want. In File History on Windows you open Restore personal files, browse to the folder and use the arrows to step through earlier versions. Whichever tool you use, restore into a new folder the first time. That way you cannot overwrite a newer file by accident, and you can compare the two.

Recovering safely when something is lost

When a file is missing, the order in which you look matters. Start with the easiest and safest place and move outwards. Do not panic and do not save new work onto a drive that you think is failing, because writing to it can overwrite what you want back.

Diagram

Where to look, in order, when a file has gone missing.

  • Is the file in the Trash or Recycle Bin?
    • YesDo thisRight-click the file and choose Restore.
    • NoDoes your cloud service keep deleted files or versions?
      • YesDo thisOpen the service's website or app and look for Deleted files or Version history.
      • NoIs the file in your backup?
        • YesDo thisOpen the file to check it is the right one before you copy it over anything.
        • NoIs the drive making odd noises or failing to appear?
          • YesDo thisDo not save new files to it. Ask a trusted, qualified person about recovery.
          • NoDo thisLearn from it: add the folder to your backup plan today.
Where to look, in order, when a file has gone missing.
Read this figure as text

A decision tree that starts with checking the Trash or Recycle Bin and moves on to cloud versions and the backup.

A decision tree. Start: Is the file in the Trash or Recycle Bin? If yes, restore it from there. If no, ask: Does your cloud service keep deleted files or old versions? If yes, restore from the cloud bin or version history. If no, ask: Is the file in your backup? If yes, restore into a new folder and open it. If no, ask whether the drive itself is failing; if so, stop using it and ask a trusted, qualified person for help.

Common mistakes

  • ✖ Instead of: Setting up the tool and never checking that it has run.

    ✔ Do this: Look for the last backup date and the files in the destination after the first run, and again every few months.

  • ✖ Instead of: Restoring straight over the original file.

    ✔ Do this: Restore into a new folder, open the file and compare it, then decide what to keep.

  • ✖ Instead of: Choosing only the Documents folder and forgetting Pictures or the Desktop.

    ✔ Do this: Open the folders-to-save list and check each place where you keep files that matter.

  • ✖ Instead of: Keeping the backup drive always plugged in and next to the laptop.

    ✔ Do this: Unplug it when the backup finishes if you can, and keep an off-site copy as well.

If something goes wrong

Backups on Ubuntu says there is not enough space.
Choose a bigger drive or a different location, remove folders you do not need in Folders to save, or shorten how long old backups are kept.
File History is not available or asks for a drive.
It needs an external drive or a network location. Plug in a drive, wait for it to appear in File Explorer and try again. Some editions or settings may hide the option; the OneDrive folder backup is an alternative.
I cannot find Backups in Activities.
Install Déjà Dup Backups from the App Center, then search for Backups again. Names vary a little between releases.
The restored file will not open.
Check that the file extension is unchanged, try another version or date, and make sure the program that opens it is installed. If many files fail, the backup may be damaged; this is why you test.

Key terms

Restore
To copy files back from a backup to your computer after they were lost or damaged.
Incremental backup
A backup that, after the first full copy, saves only the files that have changed since the last run.
File History
A Windows feature that saves versions of the files in your user folders to an external drive or network location.
3-2-1 rule
Keep three copies of your data, on two kinds of storage, with one copy kept somewhere else.
Version history
A record of earlier states of a file, so that you can go back to an older one.

Practise it for real

Reading is not the same as being able to do it. Complete these on your own computer, then tick only what you have actually done. These ticks are your own honest record: nothing checks them for you.

Guided exerciseNeeds a laptop or desktop

Rehearse a restore

On your laptop, follow the restore steps in this lesson using the restore-practice and restore-practice-backup folders. When you finish, delete the practice folders only if you want to; they hold no real data. Write down how long the rehearsal took and which step felt least clear.

You have succeeded when:
Independent challenge

Challenge: write your own backup plan

On one page, write a backup plan for your own laptop using the five questions in this lesson: what, how often, where, how long and test. Include the name of the tool you will use (Backups, File History, OneDrive folder backup or another), the date you will do the first restore test and one thing that could stop the plan from working.

You have succeeded when:

Knowledge check

7 questions. You need 80% to pass. Mistakes here are part of learning, and you can retry as often as you like.

  1. Question 1.Which question helps you decide how often to back up?
  2. Question 2.If a backup tool shows no errors, you can be sure that you will be able to restore from it.
  3. Question 3.Put the steps of a restore test in order.
    1. Open it and compare it with the original
    2. Copy it back from the backup
    3. Choose a file and note its size
    4. Remove the file from its folder
  4. Question 4.Joseph's external drive suddenly clicks and no longer appears in File Explorer. He has not backed up the drive anywhere else.What is the best next step?
  5. Question 5.Match each tool or idea to what it does.
  6. Question 6.Why should you restore into a new folder the first time?
  7. Question 7.Kamau's documents will not open, and a message on the screen demands money. His backup drive is plugged in.What should he do first?

Summary

  • A backup plan answers five questions: what, how often, where, how long and test.
  • Ubuntu has Backups (Déjà Dup); Windows has File History and the OneDrive folder backup.
  • Incremental backups save only changes, so later runs are fast and old versions are kept.
  • A restore test proves the backup works; do it once now and every few months.
  • Recover safely: check the bin first, restore into a new folder and stop using a failing drive.

Checklist: can you do these?

Marking a lesson as read does not prove you can do it. Skills count as demonstrated when you pass the quiz (not yet) and complete the practical tasks (not yet).

Related lessons

References and further reading

Official sources for details that can change between versions.

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