Can I Set Up a Drive That Both Windows and Linux Can Access for Backups?

Absolutely, Linux Mint can read NTFS partitions, which is what Windows uses. Just make sure you disable fast boot in Windows and, if your NTFS partition is encrypted, provide the Bitlocker recovery key to Linux Mint. If everything's set up correctly, you should be able to access your files without any issues. Just a heads up: mounting the NTFS partition as read-only can prevent problems, since Windows can sometimes get finicky about Linux writing to NTFS. Alternatively, consider using exFAT or FAT32 if you want maximum compatibility, but be cautious about risks like file corruption since those aren't journaled.

Yes, you can definitely do this! ExFAT might be a safer bet since Linux handles it well, and it should allow read/write access. I used NTFS in the past and had occasional issues where Windows would complain about needing repairs. Also, if you're thinking of a NAS for easier backups, that's a fantastic idea! If you have an old computer lying around, you could repurpose it as a NAS. I’m running an old device with NAS4Free (now XigmaNAS). Just remember the 3-2-1 backup rule: have 3 copies of your data, on 2 different types of media, with 1 copy off-site. For me, that means a USB drive, a NAS, and some cloud storage.