How to Backup External Hard Drive to Synology NAS: The Easiest Way in 2024

Hard drives are susceptible to physical damage and can lose or corrupt data over time. Backing up your data to a cloud storage device like a NAS is crucial. Performing a backup from an external hard drive to a Synology NAS ensures your data is secure and easily accessible. A NAS serves as a safe repository, safeguarding your important files, documents, and media from loss, damage, or accidental deletion. This article outlines two methods for backing up an external hard drive to a NAS. Whether you choose to use Synology NAS's built-in tools or a third-party application, you'll find step-by-step guides for each method.

[[1\]](#1) Can a NAS work with an external hard drive? Yes, a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device can work with an external hard drive. NAS devices are designed for storing and sharing large amounts of data, and they connect to your network via Ethernet, allowing multiple devices on the network to access files stored on them. There are several ways you can use an external hard drive in conjunction with a NAS: 1. **Direct Connection:** If your NAS has USB ports, you can directly connect the external hard drive to it using a USB cable. The external drive will then function as an additional storage volume accessible by devices on your network. 2. **Network Connection:** If your external hard drive also supports network connectivity (e.g., via Wi-Fi or Ethernet), you may be able to set it up as a network storage device and access it from the NAS, or configure it as a backup target for the NAS. 3. **RAID Array:** Some NAS devices allow you to combine multiple external hard drives into a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configuration, providing increased storage capacity, data redundancy, or performance enhancement. When using an external hard drive with a NAS, ensure that it is compatible with your NAS's specifications and configure the necessary settings accordingly. Also, be mindful of the power requirements for the external hard drive to make sure it receives adequate power supply.

A NAS device works seamlessly with external hard drives. Apart from boosting your NAS's storage capacity, they can also serve as backup destinations. Before setting up a NAS device with a hard drive, you'll need to do the following:

• Verify the compatibility of your NAS with the external hard drive's file system, such as NTFS or FAT32.
• Ensure that both the NAS and the external hard drive are connected to the same network.
• Configure the settings related to the external hard drive on your NAS.
• Check the available storage space on your NAS to ensure it can accommodate all the data.
• Define your NAS backup strategy, including frequency, types, and other settings.

How to Backup an External Hard Drive to a NAS - 2 Ways

Hard drives are not a safe platform for long-term data storage. You need to back up your hard drive to a NAS to ensure the safety of your data for the long haul. Given that data security is paramount, it's crucial to use a secure and reliable data transfer tool. Here are two effective methods to back up your external hard drive to a Synology NAS.

Firstly, you can try using the Synology NAS backup utility. However, if you find it too complicated, you can turn to a secure and user-friendly backup tool like Todo Backup for assistance. Whether you choose to utilize the built-in NAS functionalities or a third-party software, we've got you covered. A comprehensive guide will assist you in creating a reliable backup on your NAS for external hard drives.

1. Method 1: Backing Up External Hard Drive with Synology NAS Backup Tool
2. Method 2: How to Easily Back Up External Hard Drive with Todo Backup Tool?

Method 1: Back Up an External Hard Drive with Synology NAS Backup Tool

Synology NAS devices come equipped with a built-in backup tool called "Hyper Backup". This utility provides an efficient way to transfer data from external hard drives. It supports various backup destinations, including local NAS, remote NAS, cloud storage, and USB devices. Hyper Backup prioritizes data security by offering encryption to protect backup files. It offers multiple backup options, including full backups, incremental backups, and differential backups.

Advantages:

• User-friendly and easy to set up
• Support for multiple destination locations
• Flexible backup options
• Strong encryption

Disadvantages:

Requires technical expertise Not applicable to other NAS brands and Synology users.

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Please follow the steps below to back up an external hard drive to your Synology NAS using the Hyper Backup tool:

Step 1: Connect the external drive to an available USB port on your computer or NAS.

Step 2: Log in to the DSM web interface of your Synology NAS and go to Control Panel > Hyper Backup.

Step 3: Click Create to start a new backup task. Set NAS as the backup destination.

Step 4: Choose your external drive as the backup destination.

Select the backup location.

Step 5: Choose the files and folders you want to back up. Click the Next button.

Step 6: Customize your settings in the Backup Wizard, and then choose a backup schedule.

Step 7: Click the Create button.

Hyper Backup will start replicating the data from your external hard drive to your Synology NAS. If the backup is successful, it will display a green checkmark button.

Method 2: Back Up External Hard Drive with Todo Backup Tool Easily?

While it's convenient to back up an external hard drive using built-in apps, it takes more time and requires some basic knowledge of NAS backup tools. This is why we recommend a simpler, foolproof alternative to make your backup process easier and faster. Speaking of efficient backup tools, for Windows users, Todo Backup is an ideal choice. Todo Backup is a powerful yet user-friendly backup software solution that offers comprehensive data protection and system management features.

Suitable for all users, it boasts a wide range of features, including flexible backup types, disk cloning, encryption, scheduled backups, and retention policies. With powerful recovery options and automated tasks, it ensures your data is secure and easily accessible. Whether you need file-level recovery, system restore, or recovery to dissimilar hardware, Todo Backup has a solution for you. It also aids in effortlessly backing up Windows to NAS. Its intuitive interface and cost-effectiveness make it user-friendly for users of all levels.

Features of Todo Backup:

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Here are the steps to back up an external hard drive to a Synology NAS:

Step 1: For your first backup with Todo Backup, click Create Backup on the main screen, and then click the big question-mark button to Select What to Backup.

Step 2. Since you want to back up files and folders on your computer, choose the "Files" backup mode so you can pick out photos, videos, documents, and all sorts of other file types to back up.

Step 3: Browse and select the files, folders, or directories you wish to back up, then click OK.

Step 4: You will now need to choose a location to save your backup.

Step 5: Todo Backup allows users to save backup files to any convenient device, such as a local hard drive, external USB drive, SD card, network drive, or NAS drive, as well as to the brand's proprietary cloud drive. We recommend saving important backups to a cloud drive for easier, more flexible, and secure access.

To use the Tool Cloud, you just need to sign up and log in with an e-mail account.

Upload backup files to cloud storage

Step 6: If you wish to set up an automatic and intelligent backup schedule for your next file backup task, proceed with the “Options” settings. Here, you can encrypt the backup of your confidential files, compress the backup image size, or customize the backup scheme to specify when the next backup should start.

Create an advanced and automated backup task right here.

Click "Back Up Now" to start the backup process. Completed backups will appear as cards in the left pane.

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Backup Synology NAS to Cloud/External Hard Drive

Don't know how to backup Synology NAS to the cloud or external hard drive? Read this tutorial to learn how to backup Synology NAS to the cloud or external hard drive step by step.

Conclusions

In this digital age, protecting and ensuring the accessibility of your data is crucial. Whether you want to back up personal or professional data, security should never be compromised. Choosing reliable backup software with robust encryption tools is essential. This guide highlights two efficient methods to backup external hard drive to Synology NAS: Synology Hyper Backup and the Todos Backup tool.

While Hyper Backup is an integrated solution for Synology NAS, it is not available for other NAS devices. Todo Backup offers comprehensive features to streamline the backup and recovery process. Its multi-platform compatibility makes it a one-stop software for all your devices. With flexible backup options, encryption, scheduling, and robust recovery capabilities, it ensures maximum data protection.

Frequently Asked Questions About Backing Up an External Hard Drive to Synology NAS

When managing data and storage solutions, you might consider best practices and available options. This FAQ section addresses common questions about transferring files from an external hard drive to a Synology NAS.

1. How do I transfer files from an external hard drive to a Synology NAS? To transfer files from an external hard drive to your Synology Network Attached Storage (NAS), follow these steps: 1. First, ensure that your Synology NAS is properly connected to the network and powered on. 2. Connect the external hard drive to your Synology NAS using a USB cable. If your NAS has multiple USB ports, you can choose any of them. 3. Log in to Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM): Enter the IP address of your NAS (usually found at the back of the NAS) into a web browser, then log in with your Synology account. 4. In the DSM interface, click the "Control Panel" icon. 5. In the Control Panel, click on "File Services" or "File Sharing." 6. Locate and click "External Devices," where you should see the connected external hard drive listed. 7. If necessary, format the external hard drive to be compatible with your Synology NAS. Note that this will erase all data on the drive, so back up important files beforehand. 8. In the DSM main interface, click the "File Station" app. 9. In File Station, you should see the external hard drive listed as a separate storage location. Mount it to a folder or use it directly in the root directory. 10. Transfer files from the external hard drive to the NAS by dragging and dropping or right-clicking on the files and selecting "Copy" or "Move." 11. If you want to store the files in a specific shared folder, create a new folder or move them to an existing shared folder. 12. After successfully transferring the files, safely disconnect the external hard drive to prevent data loss. These are the basic steps for transferring files from an external hard drive to a Synology NAS. For additional needs or issues, consult Synology's official documentation or contact their customer support.

Transferring files from an external hard drive to a Synology NAS is a straightforward process:

Connect an external hard drive to your computer. Access the web interface of your Synology NAS using a web browser. On the Synology NAS, locate the "File Station" app. In File Station, find the location of the external hard drive under "Local Disks" or "USB Devices". Select the files or folders you wish to transfer. Drag and drop the selected files or folders from the external hard drive. Wait for the transfer to complete; your files will now be stored on the NAS.

2. Can I use regular HDDs in a NAS?

Yes, you can use regular hard disk drives (HDDs) in a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. Many NAS devices are designed to accommodate standard 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch SATA HDDs. However, when selecting HDDs for a NAS, it's crucial to consider factors such as reliability, durability, and compatibility.

3. Is Network Attached Storage (NAS) better than an external hard drive?

A NAS offers more in terms of functionality, scalability, and collaboration, making it a better choice for users with substantial data management needs. External hard drives are simpler but lack the advanced features and accessibility of a NAS.