Backing up system information is essential for Windows 10 users, especially when troubleshooting, diagnosing hardware issues, or preparing for system upgrades. However, many intermediate users overlook key steps or make common mistakes that can lead to incomplete or unusable backups. This guide covers the top 10 ways to backup Windows system information tools in Windows 10, focusing on avoiding pitfalls and making your backup process reliable.
Why Backup System Information?
System information includes details about your hardware, drivers, installed software, and configuration settings. Losing this data can make it difficult to restore your system or diagnose problems. Backing it up ensures you have a reference point for recovery, upgrades, or troubleshooting.
1. Are You Relying Only on Windows System Information (msinfo32)?
Mistake: Many users simply open msinfo32, copy the information, and assume it’s enough.
Actionable Advice: Always use the “File > Export” function in msinfo32 to save a complete snapshot of your system information in a .nfo or .txt file. This file can be opened on any Windows machine and contains detailed, structured data.
2. Do You Forget to Backup Device Drivers?
Mistake: Overlooking driver backups is common, which can make restoring or migrating systems challenging.
Actionable Advice: Use the built-in “DISM” tool or third-party utilities such as Glary Utilities Driver Backup to export all installed drivers. Glary Utilities offers a user-friendly driver backup feature, ensuring you have copies of drivers that might be hard to find later.
3. Are You Only Saving Backups Locally?
Mistake: Saving all your backups on the same drive puts your data at risk if that drive fails.
Actionable Advice: Always save copies of your system information backups to an external USB drive, cloud storage (like OneDrive or Google Drive), or network location. This redundancy protects you from hardware failure or accidental deletion.
4. Do You Overlook Installed Program Lists?
Mistake: Failing to record installed programs makes restoring your environment more difficult.
Actionable Advice: Use PowerShell to generate a list of installed programs:
Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher, InstallDate | Format-Table –AutoSize
Save the output to a text file for reference during system restores or migrations. Glary Utilities can also export installed program lists easily.
5. Have You Backed Up Scheduled Tasks?
Mistake: Scheduled tasks are often forgotten, leading to lost automation.
Actionable Advice: Open Task Scheduler and export important tasks individually using the “Export” option. Store the exported .xml files with your other backup data.
6. Do You Capture Network Configuration Details?
Mistake: Overlooking network settings can make it hard to reconnect after a system reset.
Actionable Advice: Run the following command in Command Prompt:
ipconfig /all > network-info.txt
This saves all network adapter settings, which can be vital for complex setups.
7. Are You Ignoring the Windows Registry?
Mistake: Not backing up crucial registry keys can complicate system recovery.
Actionable Advice: Use regedit to export important registry branches (like software settings or hardware configs):
Right-click the key, select “Export,” and save as a .reg file. Glary Utilities also offers registry backup features for added safety.
8. Do You Miss Taskbar and Start Menu Customizations?
Mistake: Taskbar and Start Menu layouts are frequently overlooked in backups.
Actionable Advice: Back up your taskbar pinned items and Start Menu tiles by exporting relevant folders from:
%AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned
Store these with your other backup files for a smoother post-reinstallation experience.
9. Are You Skipping System Restore Point Creation?
Mistake: Skipping restore point creation before making changes can lead to an inability to roll back if something goes wrong.
Actionable Advice: Always create a manual system restore point before installing new software, drivers, or updates:
Open Control Panel > System > System Protection > Create.
Glary Utilities includes easy access to system restore functions, making this process straightforward.
10. Do You Regularly Review and Update Your Backups?
Mistake: Old snapshots quickly become outdated and less useful.
Actionable Advice: Set a schedule to update your system information backups monthly or after significant hardware/software changes. Use task scheduling tools or Glary Utilities’ built-in scheduler to automate this process.
Final Thoughts
Backing up Windows system information is critical, but many users fall into traps by relying on incomplete snapshots, forgetting key components, or storing data insecurely. By following these top 10 tips and leveraging comprehensive tools like Glary Utilities for tasks such as driver backup, program list export, and registry protection, you’ll avoid common mistakes and ensure your Windows 10 system is always ready for recovery or migration. Regular, thorough backups are the cornerstone of a resilient and well-maintained PC.