How to Backup External Hard Drive to Synology NAS (2024 Easiest Way)

PAGE CONTENT:

Can NAS Work With an External Hard Drive
How to Backup External Hard Drive to NAS - 2 Methods
FAQs on How to Backup External Hard Drive to Synology NAS

Backing up your data on an external hard drive to a cloud storage device like Synology NAS is essential, as hard drives are prone to physical damage and can be lost or damaged over time. This ensures the safety and accessibility of your important files, documents, and media from loss, damage, or accidental deletion. Two methods are available to backup your external hard drive to NAS: using Synology NAS's built-in tool or a third-party app, with step-by-step guides provided for each method.

Can NAS Work With an External Hard Drive

Before setting up a NAS device with an external hard drive, you should choose the right NAS device that is compatible with your external hard drive, select a compatible external hard drive, format the external hard drive to a file system that is compatible with your NAS device, configure the NAS device to recognize and use the external hard drive as a storage device, and test the setup by transferring files from the NAS device to the external hard drive and vice versa. By following these steps, you can set up a NAS device with an external hard drive and use it as a storage and backup destination.

Check the compatibility of the external drive with your NAS and ensure the file format is compatible, such as NTFS or FAT32.
To ensure that both the NAS and the external hard drive are connected to the same network, you can either connect them directly to the same router or connect them both to a switch and then connect the switch to the router. This will allow them to communicate with each other and facilitate data transfer between them.
Configure settings related to the external hard drive.
Ensure your NAS has sufficient storage space to hold all data before transferring files.
Define your NAS backup strategy, I.e., backup frequency, type, and other settings.

How to Backup External Hard Drive to NAS - 2 Methods

To ensure long-term data security, it's recommended to back up your external hard drive to a more reliable platform, such as a Synology NAS. This can be achieved using a secure and reliable data transfer tool, prioritizing the safety of your data. Two effective methods exist for backing up your external hard drive to Synology NAS.

You can try the Synology NAS backup tool, but if you're not comfortable with the required knowledge, you can use a simple backup tool like Qiling Disk Master instead. Alternatively, you can use built-in NAS features or third-party software, and we have comprehensive instructions to help you create a reliable backup of your external hard drive on your NAS.

Method 1. Backup External Hard Drive via Synology NAS Backup Tool
Method 2. Backup External Hard Drive with Qiling Disk Master Easily🔥

Method 1. Backup External Hard Drive via Synology NAS Backup Tool

Synology NAS devices have a built-in backup tool called Hyper Backup, which allows transferring data from external hard drives to various destinations, including local NAS, remote NAS, cloud storage, and USB devices, while prioritizing data security through encryption and offering full, incremental, and differential backup options.

👍Pros:

Easy to use and set up
Supports multiple destinations
Flexible backup options
High encryption

👎Cons:

Requires technical expertise
Not available on other NAS brands and Synology users

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To back up your external hard drive to a Synology NAS using the Hyper Backup tool, follow these steps: first, create a new backup job in Hyper Backup and select the external hard drive as the source; then, choose the NAS as the destination and select the desired backup type (e.g.

Step 1: Plug the external hard drive into your computer or the NAS's USB port.

synology nas with an external hard drive

Step 2: To access the Hyper Backup feature on your Synology NAS, log in to the web interface and navigate to Control Panel > Hyper Backup.

hyper backup page in synology nas

Step 3: To start a new backup task, click on the "Create" button and select your NAS as the backup destination.

select nas device hyper backup

Step 4: Select the external hard drive as the backup location.

select backup location

Step 5: Select the files and folders you want to back up, then click the "Next" button.

select files

Step 6: In the backup wizard, you can customize your settings and choose a backup schedule to suit your needs.

customize setting in backup wizard

Step 7: Click on Create button.

hyper backup successful

Hyper Backup will start copying data from your external hard drive to your Synology NAS, displaying a green check button if the backup is successful.

Method 2. Backup External Hard Drive with Qiling Disk Master Easily🔥

Though using the built-Backing up an external hard drive in the app can be convenient, but it requires more time and basic knowledge of NAS backup tools. For a hassle-free alternative, consider using Qiling Disk Master, a powerful and user-friendly backup software solution that offers comprehensive data protection and system management capabilities for Windows users.

Qiling Disk Master offers a range of features, including flexible backup types, disk cloning, encryption, scheduling, and retention policies, making it suitable for all users. It provides robust recovery options and automates tasks, ensuring the security and accessibility of data. The software offers various recovery options, including file-level recovery, system restoration, and dissimilar hardware recovery, and can also help back up Windows to NAS easily, with an intuitive interface and affordability.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, 100% Secure

Features of Qiling Disk Master:

🗳️Incremental and Differential Backup	Capturing only the changes made since the last backup reduces space usage and backup time. This method also stores the changes made since the last backup, not the entire dataset.full backup, allowing efficient data restoration.
🔑Strong Encryption	The software uses AES encryption to secure your data during transmission and storage, keeping it confidential and protected from unauthorized access.
🔬Compression Technology	Qiling's advanced compression technology reduces the size of backup files without compromising data integrity, optimizing storage usage on your NAS while ensuring efficient data restoration.
🪄Flexible Scheduling	You can set specific backup times and frequencies to ensure that your data and other important files are safely stored, preventing potential losses due to hardware failure, software corruption, or other unforeseen events.file is automatically backed up to an external hard drive or to the NAS, preventing data loss.

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To back up an external hard drive to Synology NAS, follow these steps:

Step 1. When using Qiling Disk Master for the first time, click on the "Backup" tab page to start backing up your files.

Step 2. Since you're going to back up files and folders on your computer, go on with the "File" backup mode, where you can select pictures, videos, documents and all other types of files to back up.

Step 3. Select the files, folders or directories you want to back up by following the paths.

Step 4. To ensure the backup is safely stored, please select a backup location, such as an external hard drive or a cloud storage service, to save and retain the backup. This will help protect the data from being lost in case of a system failure or other disaster.

Step 5. Qiling Disk Master allows users to save backup files to various devices, including local hard drives, external USB drives, SD cards, network drives, NAS drives, and even cloud drives, specifically Qiling's own cloud drive. We recommend choosing the cloud drive for important backups due to its greater accessibility, flexibility, and safety.

Step 6. To set up an automatic and intelligent backup schedule for the next file backup task, go to the "Options" setting. There, you can choose to encrypt confidential files, compress the backup image to save space, or customize a backup scheme to specify when the next backup should start.

Customize an advanced and automatic backup task here:

Step 7. Click "Proceed" to start the file backup process, which will display completed backup files in a card style on the left area.

The Concluding Thoughts

In today's digital world, safeguarding your data and ensuring its accessibility is crucial. Whether you're backing up personal or professional data, security cannot be compromised. To achieve this, it's essential to select reliable backup software that offers robust encryption tools. Two efficient methods for backing up an external hard drive to a Synology NAS were highlighted: Synology Hyper Backup and Qiling Disk Master.

Qiling Disk Master offers comprehensive features to simplify the backup and restore process, making it an all-in-one software for various devices. Unlike Synology's in-built Hyper Backup solution, which is exclusive to NAS devices, Qiling Disk Master provides multi-platform compatibility. Its features include flexible backup options, encryption, scheduling, and robust recovery capabilities, ensuring maximum data protection.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, 100% Secure

FAQs on How to Backup External Hard Drive to Synology NAS

When managing your data and storage solutions, consider the best practices and available options. This FAQ section addresses common queries about transferring files from external hard drives to Synology NAS, providing guidance on the process and available solutions.

1. How do I transfer files from an external hard drive to a Synology NAS?

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

Connect the external hard drive to your computer.
Access the Synology NAS web interface using a web browser.
Navigate to the File Station app on your Synology NAS.
To transfer files from an external hard drive to File Station, locate the external hard drive under "Local Drives" or "USB", then select the files or folders you want to transfer.
To transfer files from an external hard drive, simply select the desired files or folders on the drive and drag them to the desired location on your computer. This can be done by clicking and dragging the selected items from the external hard drive's file explorer window to the corresponding folder on your computer.
Once the files have been transferred to the NAS, you can access them from any device connected to the network. The NAS will also provide a centralized storage solution for all your files, making it easier to manage and share them with others.

2. Is it OK to use a normal HDD in a NAS?

You can use a regular hard disk drive in a NAS, as many NAS devices are designed to accommodate standard SATA HDDs, but consider factors like reliability, durability and compatibility when selecting an HDD.

3. Is a NAS better than an external hard drive?

A NAS (Network-Attached Storage) is generally a better choice than external hard drives for users with extensive data management needs, offering superior functionality, scalability, and collaboration capabilities. In contrast, external hard drives are more straightforward but lack the advanced features and accessibility of a NAS, making them less suitable for users with complex data requirements.