Back up Hard Drive

[bigal50]

Is there s way to back up a hard drive Windows installation with all the program files then reinstall it on another hard drive. Because the current hard drive is making loud humming sounds. I am sure it’s about to go!!

Albert O.

[Geek-9pm]

What you what is a Disk Clone Program.
Here is an article from archives of Computer Hope.
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/d/disk-clone.htm
The process of disk cloning or disc cloning entails copying the contents from a floppy disk, CD or hard drive to an image file, then to another destination of the user's choosing. The difference between a standard copy and a disk clone is that the intermediate "imaging" step brings over both hidden files, and files currently in use. Disk cloning can save time when creating and formatting a partition and installing operating system software. However, it may also present issues of its own, such as unused sector copying.
Click on link for more...

[Allan]

You want to create an image of the drive or clone it. The best programs for doing so are Acronis True Image (not free) and Macrium Reflect (free).

[2x3i5x]

Also, you can store stuff into the cloud if you wish (google drive, microsoft one drive, dropbox, etc) . That's also a way to backup and retrieve things (if you have working internet of course)