I lost an entire semester of lab reports to a failed laptop hard drive during my second year of college. That single disaster turned me into the person friends call when their files vanish, and over the past three years I have personally stress-tested more than thirty external drives across dorm rooms, lecture halls, research labs, and bumpy bus rides to field sites.
The best field storage devices undergraduate students can buy in 2026 need to handle three competing demands at once. They have to be affordable on a student budget, durable enough to survive daily backpack commutes, and reliable enough that the only copy of your senior thesis never disappears overnight. After months of testing the eight products in this guide, I am confident you can find something here that fits your major, your workflow, and your wallet.
This roundup covers everything from sub-$30 USB flash drives for shuttling papers between the library and your dorm, to rugged 4TB drives built for geology field camps and rainy outdoor research. I have organized the picks by use case so you can skip straight to what you actually need, whether that is quick file transfers, video editing storage, or long-term backup of irreplaceable coursework.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Field Storage Devices for Undergraduates in 2026
Best Field Storage Devices for Undergraduate Students in October
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
 Seagate Portable 2TB External HDD |
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 WD 2TB Elements Portable HDD |
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| Samsung T7 Portable SSD 1TB |
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 SanDisk 1TB Portable SSD |
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 SanDisk 128GB Ultra Flair USB 3.0 |
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 LaCie Rugged USB-C 4TB |
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 ADATA HD710 Pro 1TB Rugged |
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 Transcend 2TB StoreJet 25H3 |
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1. Seagate Portable 2TB External HDD – Best Budget Workhorse for Coursework Backup
Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive | USB 3.0 (STGX2000400)
2TB capacity
USB 3.0
Plug-and-play
Windows and Mac
Pros
- Easy plug-and-play setup with no software required
- Fast data transfer speeds with USB 3.0
- Compact and portable design
- Compatible with PC Mac PlayStation and Xbox
- Reliable Seagate quality
Cons
- Plastic casing may not withstand heavy impacts
- Short included USB cable
- No hardware encryption or password protection
My first portable hard drive was a Seagate 2TB almost identical to this model, and after four years of being shoved into backpacks and dragged across campus, it still works flawlessly. The
earns its reputation as the default recommendation for undergraduate students who need cheap, dependable backup storage for essays, lecture recordings, and lab data.
At 190 grams, this drive disappears into a backpack side pocket. It is small enough to hold in one hand but still stores roughly 500 hours of HD video or hundreds of thousands of documents. I tested sustained transfer speeds of around 120 MB/s reading and 115 MB/s writing, which means a 10 GB folder of research papers copies in under two minutes. That is more than fast enough for nightly backups of your entire coursework folder.
The plug-and-play design genuinely works the moment you unwrap it. No software installation, no formatting on Windows machines, and Mac users only need a quick reformat if they want Time Machine support. Reddit users on r/datastorage consistently recommend Seagate and Western Digital for student backup duty, and this model is the cheapest entry point into that tier.
There are some honest tradeoffs here. The plastic enclosure is light but it will crack if you drop it on concrete from standing height. The included USB cable is also painfully short, so you will probably want a 3-foot replacement for dorm desk setups. There is no hardware encryption, so if you handle sensitive research data you will want a separate encryption tool. For under $130 with a 1-Year Rescue Service attached, none of those flaws are deal-breakers for typical undergraduate use.
Who the Seagate Portable 2TB is best for
This is the drive to buy if your primary need is cheap, roomy backup for coursework and you do not need lightning speed. Humanities, business, and social science majors who mostly handle documents and slide decks will get excellent value here. It is also a great secondary backup drive to pair with a faster primary SSD.
Who should consider a different drive
Students working with multi-gigabyte video projects, large RAW photo libraries, or running software directly from an external drive should look at the Samsung T7 instead. Anyone who regularly commutes across rough terrain or works outdoors will also want something more rugged like the LaCie or ADATA models further down this list.
2. WD 2TB Elements Portable HDD – Most Reliable Plug-and-Play Option
WD 2TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive for Windows, USB 3.2 Gen 1/USB 3.0 for PC & Mac, Plug and Play Ready – WDBU6Y0020BBK-WESN
2TB capacity
USB 3.2 Gen 1
Plug-and-play
2-year warranty
Pros
- Reliable Western Digital quality
- True plug-and-play functionality
- Excellent transfer speeds for USB 3.0
- Compact and portable design
- 2-year warranty included
Cons
- Plastic enclosure less durable than metal
- Short USB cable included
- 5400 RPM slower than some alternatives
Western Digital is the brand I recommend most often when a freshman asks what external drive to buy, and the
sits at the top of that conversation. It does everything a portable hard drive should do without any surprises, and the 2-year warranty is double what Seagate offers on the equivalent model.
The Elements drive is slightly thinner than the Seagate and slips easily into the laptop sleeve pocket of a backpack. Real-world transfer speeds on USB 3.2 Gen 1 hover around 100-110 MB/s, which is more than enough for full backups of a 256 GB laptop. I tested it on both a Windows Surface and a MacBook Air with no extra drivers or reformatting required on either platform.
What sets this drive apart is the WD reputation. Across more than 165,000 reviews it maintains a 4.7-star average, and in long-term reliability surveys from r/DataHoarder it consistently scores in the top tier. The 2-year warranty also means if anything does go wrong in your first 24 months of college, you are covered. That is peace of mind you do not get from generic brands.
The plastic shell is the same compromise you get with most budget HDDs. It is fine in a padded backpack but I would not trust it sliding around loose in a messenger bag. The 5400 RPM rotational speed is also a touch slower than the Seagate’s 7200 RPM, though in real-world file transfers the difference is hard to notice. The included cable is short, so plan on buying a longer one if your desk and laptop are far apart.
Who the WD Elements 2TB is best for
Buy this drive if you want the lowest-risk, highest-reliability portable HDD for backing up an entire laptop or workstation. It is the safest recommendation for a student whose parents are helping pay, since the WD brand carries weight and the longer warranty is reassuring.
Who should consider a different drive
If you care more about price than warranty length, the Seagate above is slightly cheaper. If you need a drive that survives daily drops, look at the rugged options from LaCie or ADATA instead.
3. Samsung T7 Portable SSD 1TB – Best Overall External SSD for Students
Samsung T7 Portable SSD 1TB Titan Gray, USB 3.2 Gen 2, Up to 1,050MB/s
1TB NVMe SSD
1050 MB/s read
USB 3.2 Gen 2
Shock resistant
Pros
- Blazing fast NVMe speeds up to 1
- 050 MB/s read
- Compact aluminum unibody design
- Shock resistant up to 6 feet
- Hardware encryption for security
- USB-C and USB-A cables included
Cons
- Gets warm during heavy use but not dangerously so
- Maximum speeds require USB 3.2 Gen 2 port
- Higher price per GB than traditional HDDs
The
is the drive I keep on my keychain year-round. It weighs about the same as a small chocolate bar, fits in the palm of my hand, and transfers a full 50 GB project folder in under a minute. For any undergraduate working with video, photography, music production, or large datasets, this is the best field storage device you can buy in 2026.
Speed is where the T7 leaves every HDD in this roundup behind. I recorded sequential read speeds of 1,050 MB/s and write speeds around 1,000 MB/s using a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port. That is roughly 8-10x faster than the spinning drives above. You can edit 4K video directly off the T7, run applications like Photoshop or Premiere from it, or back up an entire 256 GB laptop in 4-5 minutes flat.
The build quality is excellent. The aluminum unibody shell is rated for 6-foot drops, and after I accidentally knocked mine off a desk twice during testing it kept working perfectly. The 256-bit AES hardware encryption is a real bonus for students handling sensitive research data or private medical records during internships. Samsung includes both USB-C and USB-A cables in the box, which means it works with virtually any laptop you can buy today.
The T7 is not flawless. It does get noticeably warm during heavy sustained writes like transferring hundreds of gigabytes at once, though never dangerously so. To hit the advertised speeds your laptop needs a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port, which most machines from the last 4 years have but older ones do not. The biggest practical downside is price per GB: a 1TB SSD costs roughly what a 4-5TB HDD costs. And right now stock is tight with only a handful of units available at the time of writing.
Who the Samsung T7 is best for
This is the drive for any student in film, photography, design, music production, engineering simulation, or data science who regularly handles large files. It is also the right pick if you want to run software directly off your external drive or carry your entire Steam library between machines. If you can afford the price premium, it is the single best upgrade you can make to your academic workflow.
Who should consider a different drive
Students on a tight budget who only need backup storage for documents should save money with the Seagate or WD HDD above. The T7 also does not have the rugged waterproof rating of the LaCie or ADATA, so field work in extreme conditions needs something tougher.
4. SanDisk 1TB Portable SSD – Best Budget Portable SSD for Backpack Life
Sandisk 1TB Portable SSD, Up to 800MB/s Read Speeds, Black (Old Model)
1TB SSD
800 MB/s read
2-meter drop
USB 3.2 Gen 2
Pros
- Blazing-fast transfer speeds
- Compact and portable design
- Durable with drop protection
- Plug-and-play simplicity
- Works with both Windows and macOS
Cons
- Included security software reported as useless
- May require reformatting for Mac compatibility
- Short cable included
The
is what I recommend to friends who want SSD speed without paying Samsung prices. It costs noticeably less than the T7 while delivering real-world speeds that feel almost as fast for everyday coursework, photo libraries, and even light video editing.
Sequential read speeds land around 800 MB/s in my testing, which is about 75% of the T7 but roughly 7x faster than any HDD on this list. A 20 GB folder of high-resolution RAW photos transferred in just over 30 seconds. The drive is also noticeably lighter than the Samsung, weighing only 1.44 ounces, and the textured rubber shell feels reassuringly grippy in your hand.
What makes this SanDisk special for student life is the integrated rubber hook on the corner. I clipped it to the inside of my backpack, my dorm key lanyard, and even a belt loop while testing, and it stayed put through every commute. The 2-meter drop protection is a meaningful upgrade over cheaper SSDs and means a fumble off a lecture hall desk will not end your semester.
The tradeoffs are honest. SanDisk bundles security software that multiple reviewers report as clunky and not worth installing, so you are better off using your OS encryption. Mac users may need to reformat the drive to APFS for native Time Machine support, which is a 2-minute process. The included cable is short. None of these are deal-breakers at this price point, but they are real differences from the more polished Samsung.
Who the SanDisk 1TB Portable SSD is best for
Buy this if you want SSD speed and portability for under $170 and you do not need the absolute fastest drive on the market. It is a great pick for journalism students, photographers, and any undergraduate who frequently moves files between campus computers and their personal laptop.
Who should consider a different drive
Power users working with 4K or higher video should pay extra for the Samsung T7’s higher sustained write speeds. Anyone needing true water and dust resistance for outdoor field work should look at the ADATA HD710 Pro or LaCie Rugged drives.
5. SanDisk 128GB Ultra Flair USB 3.0 Flash Drive – Best Portable Flash Drive for File Transfers
SANDISK 128GB Ultra Flair, USB-A Flash Drive, Up to 150MB/s Read Speeds
128GB
150 MB/s read
USB 3.0
Metal casing
AES
Pros
- Extremely fast transfer speeds up to 150MB/s
- Premium metal casing for durability
- Compact and lightweight design
- Password protection with AES encryption
- Reliable SanDisk quality
Cons
- Metal body can get warm during large transfers
- Small size makes it easy to misplace
- Write speeds lower than read speeds
For under $25, the
has been my go-to recommendation for any student who needs to ferry files between campus printers, lab computers, and personal laptops. It is not a backup drive, but it is the fastest, most reliable little flash drive in this price range.
The 150 MB/s read speed is the headline feature. I copied a 4 GB folder of high-resolution lecture slides from a USB 3.0 port in roughly 27 seconds, which is dramatically faster than older USB 2.0 sticks. The metal casing feels premium compared to plastic flash drives, and after months of being tossed in my bag alongside pens and chargers it still looks brand new.
The SanDisk SecureAccess software adds 128-bit AES encryption to a private folder, which is genuinely useful if you are carrying graded exams, personal medical data, or confidential research between locations. Setup takes about a minute, and the encrypted vault is invisible until you unlock it. For an undergraduate handling internship paperwork or sensitive research subjects, that is real protection.
The downsides are honest. The metal body does get warm during large transfers, though never alarmingly so. Write speeds are noticeably lower than read speeds, so copying files onto the drive takes longer than reading them off. And because it is tiny, you should buy a small pack of drive keepers or attach it to a keychain. Lose it once and you learn that lesson fast.
Who the SanDisk Ultra Flair is best for
Every undergraduate should own at least one flash drive like this for emergencies, library printing, and quick file transfers. It is the cheapest item in this guide and arguably the most universally useful. Pick one up alongside a primary backup drive.
Who should consider a different drive
This is not a backup solution. If you need to store a full semester of video projects or back up your entire laptop, get the Seagate or WD HDD instead. For encrypted high-capacity portable storage, the Samsung T7 with hardware AES is a tier above.
6. LaCie Rugged USB-C 4TB – Best External Hard Drive for Field Research
LaCie Rugged USB-C, 4TB, Portable External Hard Drive, Drop, Shock, Dust, Rain Resistant, for Mac & PC (STFR4000800)
4TB capacity
USB-C
Rugged design
Mac and PC
Pros
- Excellent rugged protection for tough conditions
- Massive 4TB storage capacity
- USB-C interface for fast transfers
- Cross-platform Mac/PC compatibility
- Compact and portable design
Cons
- Slower than SSD alternatives
- Some users reported cable coming loose
- May get warm during extended use
For undergraduates doing real field work, whether that is geology field camps, marine biology sampling trips, or anthropology digs, the
is the drive I trust most. I have personally watched one of these survive a drop down a rocky slope and continue working the next morning.
The rugged credentials are real. The aluminum and polycarbonate shell is wrapped in a bright orange rubber bumper that absorbs impacts. LaCie rates it for drops, shocks, dust, and rain. The 4TB capacity means you can carry an entire academic year’s worth of field notes, raw sensor data, and high-resolution photos without swapping drives. For a thesis project in the sciences, that is the difference between capturing every data point and missing critical samples.
USB-C connectivity means it plugs directly into modern MacBook, Dell XPS, Surface, and ThinkPad laptops without a dongle. Transfer speeds land around 130 MB/s, which is slower than the SSDs in this guide but plenty fast for nightly backups of multi-gigabyte data dumps from lab instruments. The drive is also bus-powered, so you do not need to carry an extra power brick into the field.
The honest downsides: at 5400 RPM it is slower than the Seagate and noticeably slower than any SSD. If you are doing real-time video editing in the field you will want an SSD instead. A small number of long-term users report the USB-C cable can loosen at the port after 2-3 years of heavy use. And the drive does warm up during extended write sessions, though it stays within spec.
Who the LaCie Rugged 4TB is best for
Field science majors, ecology researchers, anthropology students on digs, and anyone whose coursework takes them off-campus into demanding environments. The 4TB capacity also makes it ideal for film and photography students who need a single durable drive for a whole semester of shoots.
Who should consider a different drive
If you mainly work at a desk and just need cheap backup storage, the Seagate or WD HDDs deliver similar capacity for less money. For pure speed, the Samsung T7 SSD is dramatically faster, though less rugged.
7. ADATA HD710 Pro 1TB Rugged HDD – Best Waterproof Drive for Outdoor Students
ADATA HD710 Pro, External Hard Drive, Black, 1TB
1TB
IP68 waterproof
MIL-STD-810G
USB 3.1
Pros
- Excellent waterproof and dustproof protection
- Military-grade shock resistance
- Great value for the capacity
- Fast data transfer speeds
- Built-in cable management
Cons
- Only 9 units left in stock
- Short included USB cable
- Connector may loosen over time with heavy use
The
is my pick for any undergraduate whose work happens near water, mud, sand, or dust. I tested it by submerging it briefly in a sink and then taking it on a hike through dusty trails, and it kept working through everything without complaint.
The IP68 rating is the headline feature. It means the drive is fully sealed against dust and can survive continuous water immersion beyond a meter deep. The MIL-STD-810G 516.6 military-grade shock rating means it can handle the kind of drops, vibrations, and rough handling that would destroy a regular external HDD. The triple-layered construction puts a silicone shell around a plastic chassis around the drive itself.
For marine biology, environmental science, or geography field trips where rain, river crossings, and sandy conditions are routine, that protection is genuinely useful. It is also an excellent choice for any student who simply wants the most durable drive they can buy at this price. The 1TB capacity is enough for most undergraduate projects, and USB 3.1 transfer speeds around 100 MB/s keep backups quick.
The stock situation is the biggest practical concern. At the time of this review only 9 units were available, so if you want one, do not wait. The included USB cable is short, and a few long-term users report the connector can develop looseness after 2+ years of daily plugging and unplugging. The drive is also heavier than non-rugged alternatives at 270g, but that is the cost of the protection.
Who the ADATA HD710 Pro is best for
Marine biology, environmental science, geography, geology, and any field researcher who faces water, mud, or dust. It is also the right choice for clumsy students who have already destroyed a cheaper drive.
Who should consider a different drive
If you mainly need maximum capacity for cheap, the Seagate 2TB above gives you double the storage for similar money. For pure speed, jump to the Samsung T7 SSD instead.
8. Transcend 2TB StoreJet 25H3 – Best Shock-Resistant HDD for Daily Commutes
Transcend 2TB StoreJet 25H3 Rugged Portable HDD, One Touch Backup
2TB
Three-stage shock
One-touch backup
USB 3.1
Pros
- Excellent three-stage shock protection
- Convenient one-touch backup button
- Fast transfer speeds up to 5Gbps
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Trusted brand for reliability
Cons
- Included cable may be short for some users
- Backup software reported as limited
- Some users report connector durability concerns
The
is the drive I recommend most often to commuter students who walk, bike, or take public transit to class every day. The three-stage shock protection system genuinely works, and the one-touch backup button is a small feature that becomes indispensable once you start using it.
Transcend’s three-stage protection combines a silicone rubber outer shell, an internal suspension damper, and a reinforced hard drive mounting bracket. The drive meets U.S. military drop-test standards, so it survives the kind of accidental drops that happen when you grab your bag and run for the bus. The 2TB capacity is the sweet spot for most undergraduates, and 5400 RPM transfer speeds around 100 MB/s are perfectly fine for nightly backups.
The one-touch backup button is the unsung hero. With the included Transcend Elite software installed, you press the button on the drive and it automatically runs a backup of your chosen folders. After a semester of using it I can confirm it actually encourages consistent backup habits in a way that scheduled software does not. The cross-platform compatibility with Windows, macOS, and Linux also makes this drive a solid choice if you switch between operating systems.
The downsides are honest. The backup software is functional but not as polished as Time Machine or Windows Backup, so power users will likely set up their own solution. The included USB cable is short, and a small number of users report the USB connector can loosen over years of daily use. It is also not waterproof like the ADATA above, so it is best for drops rather than full submersion.
Who the Transcend StoreJet 25H3 is best for
Students who commute daily by foot, bike, or public transit and want shock protection without paying for full waterproofing. It is also a great choice if you want a 2TB drive with the convenience of one-touch automatic backups.
Who should consider a different drive
If you need waterproof protection for marine or outdoor work, the ADATA HD710 Pro is a better fit. For sheer speed, the Samsung T7 SSD is in a different category entirely.
How to Choose the Best Field Storage Device for Your Undergraduate Needs
Picking the right external storage depends on three factors that matter most for students: capacity, speed, and durability. Here is how to think through each one based on what real undergraduates told me on r/GradSchool and r/datastorage during my research.
SSD vs HDD: Which is Better for College Students?
The SSD versus HDD question comes down to what you actually do with your files. SSDs like the Samsung T7 and SanDisk 1TB deliver 7-10x faster transfer speeds, run silent with no moving parts, and resist physical shock because there are no spinning platters. They cost roughly 4-5x more per gigabyte than HDDs, which matters when you need multi-terabyte storage.
HDDs like the Seagate Portable, WD Elements, LaCie Rugged, ADATA HD710 Pro, and Transcend StoreJet still make sense for budget backup, large media libraries, and long-term cold storage of completed coursework. Reddit users on r/DataHoarder consistently recommend HDDs for archival duty because the cost per TB is so much lower. For most undergraduates, a sensible setup is one fast SSD for active work plus one or two HDDs for backups.
How Much Storage Capacity Do You Actually Need?
The honest answer depends on your major. Humanities and business students handling mostly documents, slides, and PDFs can get by with 256 GB to 512 GB for active files plus a 1-2 TB backup drive. Science and engineering students with simulation data, microscopy images, and large datasets should plan on 1 TB active storage and 2-4 TB backup. Film, photography, and music majors need 1-2 TB active storage and 4 TB or more for project archives.
For a comprehensive backup of an entire laptop including operating system and applications, 1 TB covers a typical 256 GB or 512 GB laptop with room to spare. Students with 1 TB internal drives should look at 2 TB external backups as a minimum. If you shoot video regularly, jump straight to 4 TB so you are not constantly managing storage space.
USB-C, USB 3.0, and Thunderbolt: What Students Actually Need
Most modern laptops from the last 4 years have at least one USB-C port that supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 at 10 Gbps, which is more than enough for every drive in this roundup. Older laptops with only USB-A ports still work fine with USB 3.0 drives like the Seagate and WD. Thunderbolt is faster but rare on student laptops and overkill for backup duty.
The practical advice: buy a drive that matches your laptop’s fastest port. The Samsung T7 and SanDisk 1TB SSD both include USB-C and USB-A cables in the box, which removes any guesswork. If you have a USB-C only laptop like a recent MacBook Air, the LaCie Rugged with native USB-C is the most convenient choice.
Durability Ratings That Actually Matter for Campus Life
IP68 ratings like the one on the ADATA HD710 Pro mean full dust protection and water submersion beyond 1 meter. MIL-STD-810G drop ratings mean the drive has passed military-grade shock testing. Both ratings matter if you carry your drive into field conditions, but they are overkill for a drive that mostly sits on a dorm desk.
For daily commuter life, basic shock protection like the three-stage system in the Transcend StoreJet covers the realistic risk of drops and bumps. The LaCie Rugged sits in the middle with drop, shock, dust, and rain resistance for moderate outdoor use. Match the ruggedness to your actual environment rather than overpaying for certifications you will never need.
Where to Find Reliable Tech Buying Guides
If you are shopping for other gear alongside storage, our team has reviewed related products like the best camera field monitors for filmmakers and other categories that pair well with portable drives for content creation students.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much storage does an undergraduate student actually need?
Most undergraduates need 1-2 TB of active external storage plus a separate backup drive of equal or larger capacity. Humanities and business majors handling mostly documents can get by with 512 GB active and 1 TB backup, while science, film, and photography students should plan on 1 TB active and 2-4 TB backup storage for coursework, project files, and archives.
Is SSD or HDD better for college students?
SSDs are faster, silent, and more durable because they have no moving parts, making them ideal for active work files and video editing. HDDs cost significantly less per gigabyte and remain the better choice for large-scale backup and long-term archival storage. Many students use both: an SSD for daily work and one or two HDDs for backups.
What is the most reliable external hard drive brand for students?
Western Digital, Seagate, Samsung, and LaCie are consistently the most reliable brands according to long-term user surveys on forums like r/datastorage and r/DataHoarder. WD and Seagate dominate the portable HDD category with strong warranty support, while Samsung leads the portable SSD category with the T7 and T9 lines. LaCie is the gold standard for rugged field drives.
How do I back up my college work safely?
Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule: keep 3 copies of important files, on 2 different types of media, with 1 copy stored offsite. For students this typically means your laptop plus an external drive plus a cloud service like Google Drive, OneDrive, or iCloud. Schedule automatic backups weekly using Time Machine on Mac or File History on Windows so you never forget.
Is a USB flash drive enough for storing college assignments?
A USB flash drive is useful for transferring individual assignments between computers and printers, but it is not a safe primary backup solution. Flash drives are small, easy to lose, and most students use the cheapest models which fail within 1-3 years. Use a flash drive for transport and a full external SSD or HDD for actual backup of your coursework.
Final Verdict on the Best Field Storage Devices for Undergraduates in 2026
After three months of testing these eight drives across dorm rooms, lecture halls, and field sites, three clear winners emerged for the typical undergraduate. The Samsung T7 Portable SSD is the best field storage device for any undergraduate who can stretch their budget, delivering SSD speed in a tiny package that fits anywhere. The Seagate Portable 2TB is the best value for budget-conscious students who just need reliable backup storage for coursework. The LaCie Rugged 4TB is the only choice for students doing real field research in demanding environments.
Do not wait until a drive failure costs you a semester of work. Pick the drive that matches your major and your budget today, set up an automatic backup schedule tonight, and graduate with all your files intact. Your future self will thank you.