My new rig is running great.  My main storage is M2.  I have a backup drive, SATA 2.5 inch.  Basically what is the best way to backup my system so if my primary drive dies I can get back up and running quickly?  I tried windows but it keeps wanting to use the cloud.  Basically how do I make my second drive a mirror copy that could be bootable if need be via bios.

This one might be good for you: https://www.easeus.com/backup-software/tb-free.html

Though Windows should still have a local backup option with Windows backup

Perfect, much appreciated.

My personal preference is to keep all my files on a different ssd than my C:// drive. That way if my C drive (OS) becomes corrupted, I just reinstall windows on it and I’m good to go.

Well, that doesn't help much with aggressive malware/ransomware. They also scan and alter the data on the other connected drives.

An external drive, which get only connected for the backups / copying of data is a bit more secure.

To be more specific. I only use my windows rig for gaming and theater. All of my day-to-day stuff is done on my Mac. Therefore, I never get malware. Just had windows fail to boot and had to reformat the C drive, a few times. Backing up files looks tedious, but I’m sure it’s worth it for most folks.