How to Back Up VMware VM to External Hard Drive

In today's digital age, virtual machines have become increasingly popular for efficiently managing and distributing data. However, as reliance on virtual machines grows, the need for a reliable backup solution becomes crucial. One simple method to perform these backups is by using an external hard drive. This article will guide you through two straightforward ways to back up VMware virtual machines to an external hard drive and recommend a trustworthy backup tool – Todo Backup – to carry out this process.

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Before commencing the backup process, make sure you have selected an external hard drive and connected it to your computer. It is crucial to confirm that the hard drive has sufficient capacity to store your virtual machine data and that your computer recognizes it correctly.

Utilize the Todo Backup tool for backup purposes.

First, click on New Task on the left to create a backup task.

2. Next, choose the specific data to protect against future loss. For example, here System Backup is selected to back up the entire virtual machine. Alternatively, you can choose to back up disks, files, emails, and so on, based on your preference.

3. Next, click on Browse... to choose the location for the backup. Here, click on Computer and select the path of the external hard drive that you have prepared. Once done, click on OK.

Set the external hard drive as the destination

After you set up the backup task, click Start Backup to begin backing up your VMware virtual machine. Your data will be safely stored on your external drive.

Todo Backup tool also offers advanced settings to cater to personalized needs. You can schedule one-time, daily, weekly, or monthly backups and choose from full, incremental, or differential backup types. The backup cleaning feature helps optimize storage space by automatically deleting old backups. Within the backup options, you'll find additional customization tools such as encryption, compression, and email notifications.

Utilize VMware's built-in cloning feature for backup.

Since the snapshot feature built into virtual machines only captures the state of the computer and not the chosen storage path, cloning is used for data backup.

1. First, open VMware and right-click on the system you wish to back up. Select "Manage" > "Clone."

2. Review the Clone Virtual Machine wizard in the pop-up window, and click Next.

3. On the Clone Source page, select the default option, Current state of the virtual machine, and click Next to proceed.

4. On the Choose Clone Type page, select Create a full clone, then click Next to continue.

5. Next, you can customize the name of this backup virtual machine for future reference, and select the external disk as the target location that you have prepared. Then, click Finish to start the clone backup job.

Backup VM to external hard drive with Clone Virtual Machine Wizard

Conclusions

Backing up your VMware virtual machines to an external disk ensures the safety and accessibility of your data, thus minimizing the risk of losing crucial information. Todo Backup offers a simpler and comprehensive solution compared to traditional backup methods. With its rich features and functions, it is an ideal choice for both enterprise and individual users.

FAQ: How to Back Up VMware Virtual Machines to an External Hard Drive

1. How do I copy a VMware virtual machine to another computer?
This process involves system migration, and we highly recommend using a reliable third-party tool, such as Todo Backup, to assist with it. The System Transfer feature in such tools can effectively handle this task.

**2. Does a virtual machine have its own storage space?** Yes, a virtual machine does have its own dedicated storage space. This storage is allocated from the physical storage on the host machine. When you create a virtual machine, you assign it a specific amount of storage. This storage is typically represented on the host computer's hard drive as one or more files. Within the virtual machine, this storage appears as a disk drive connected to the computer.

**3. Are virtual machine snapshots equivalent to full backups?** No, virtual machine snapshots are not the same as full backups. A snapshot is an instant copy of the running state and data of a virtual machine at a specific point in time. However, it does not contain all the data and does not protect against disk failures or data corruption. Snapshots are primarily used for short-term solutions, such as testing and software updates. For comprehensive data protection and recovery, a full backup is necessary.

**4. Can I run a virtual machine from a USB drive?** Yes, but you might experience some performance loss. As long as your usage doesn't involve a lot of writing to files, the virtual machine should work okay. Smaller virtual machines will work better than larger ones.

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Start a live chat with our tool experts to customize a backup solution for your business. We can also assist you with:

• Starting a free trial
• Getting a quote
• Scheduling a free demo

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