Help with suggestions for backups

[alanball]

I know I'm a bit off track from VS, but I've got to buckle down and face up to a decent backup setup to backup my computer. I've been looking at the free backup programs, Aomei Backupper and Macrium Reflect, and would appreciate any advise or suggestions if any of you are using these, or other suitable backup programs.

All advice welcome, thanks.
PS I'm not too tech literate!!

[RobertOZ]

Depends on exactly what you want to backup, when I backup, I use Windows backup and backup the whole system, for what I need it works a treat, many times I have found it necessary to restore using Windows backup. When I purchased my present system, once I had built and configured it, I carried out a Windows backup, doesn't take long and having had this system about 6 weeks now, already have 3 backups, normally carry out a backup before installing new programs

[alanball]

Hi RobertOZ
Thanks for reply. I'm just looking for a simple setup to creat an image file of both my SSD and HDD. As my backup drive will only be connect for the backup operation, I would prefer to have an icon on my home page (as a reminder) which if selected performs the backup setup.
I am not sure if the creation of a new image file will automatically overide the existing file.
Not particularly interested in incremantal backups as the backup can just run. I did see that one of the programs will switch the computer off when finished.

[RobertOZ]

Alan,
As we appear to have similar systems, could you please advise what BIOS versions are currently installed for your motherboard and processor and what Chipset driver is installed

[alanball]

Hi Robert
Yes I will have a look a little later and post results.

[RobertOZ]

Not sure what you mean by image files, a full system Windows backup copies everything currently on your C:/D: drives to your nominated external drive, Windows backup can also turn off the computer on completion and of course it's free being part of the OS. The only thing missing is a desktop icon, other members may be able to advise on creating the icon. As I stated, I normally backup C: drive before installing programs like VS, MEP, adobe etc. had many corrupted installations, especially with VS, prefer that to the system restore option

[RobertOZ]

To create a desktop icon for Windows 10 Backup go to,
C:\Windows\System32|sdclt.exe, right click select Send to, then select Desktop (create shortcut)
The System 32 folder contains 4500+ items, so the file you are looking for is way down the list

[asik1]

Robert, by image he mean a single file that compress and holds the full relevant partition (without the free space).
This is what I do, I use old Norton GHOST and compress my 40/60 G C drive into ~20G image file. That way I can restore the C drive to what ever partition/disk I want.
I can't recommend win image backup as I had great trouble restoring that image using win restore disk.

[lata]

I guess I use Win Image Backup, not had any issues so far.

My C Drive is used to install my programs, all my personal files are saved to other drives.
I create a System Image of the C Drive which is approx. 110Gb and as clean as I can get it.
Should my C Drive become corrupt for any reason I can revert to that System Image.
I usually have 2 images that I roll over.
Of course I would have to play catchup with Windows Updates, plus any programs that I wish to include in the backup.
Then a few files and folders that Corel insist on being on the C drive may need a bit of attention.
I last created a System Image a few weeks ago.

Type “backup” in search – Backup Settings
Select -- Go To Backup and Restore ( Windows 7)
Top left for Create System Image
Once I have created the Image I run Belarc advisor to save a PDF of the computers details

[alanball]

Hi guys, thanks for you responce, sorry I haven't responded but my wife had a bad fall yesterday while out walking and injured her shoulder and had to go to hospital, so been a bit occupied.
I will get back to you RobertOZ with those detail you asked about and digest the other responces.
Thanks again.

[alanball]

Hi RobertOZ

Not too sure if the chipset selection is correct, but I think the Bios is.

[pepegota]

A couple of weeks ago VS went crazy. I could not use it. Many problems ocurred. Fortunately, I have backuped images of my computer. The most recent one failed and the problems continued. I then used a later image file-bingo all is now fine. I just had to do some updating of other programs, but I am now good to go. A good backup program is essential to computing. I would not have a computer without it, else I would spend hours and hours restoring the whole system.
I use Macrium. When I first boot up it presents me with a screen in which I can either continue to Windows or restore from an image backup.
If you do not have a backup system-get one ASAP! Macrium has a cost, but you get what you pay for-well worth it and easy to use.

[alanball]

Thanks for you comments pepegota
I did a backup using Aomei Backupper last night and will compare with Macrium to see which I prefer.

[pepegota]

See if Aomei presents a choice, on bootup, of a screen in which you can either continue to Windows or restore from an image backup. This saves the time of needing a thumb drive or disc to insert and going into the BIOS to change the boot device. However, if the computer is not bootable to the Macrium choice, then you must go into the BIOS. This is not the usual ocurrence. Most times you can get to the Macrium boot selection as I did with my crazy VS problems and restore. This is much better than the free Windows backup which lacks Macrium's amenities. Good Luck!
I

[Davidk]

Free backup programs and the windows version work but leave something to be desired in terms of flexibility. If your PC has multiple drives defined - either physical, in the sense of several units attached internally or externally, and/or logical drive definitions - then a backup program that allows you to:
- backup and recover each drive or partition separately, and
- for recovery purposes, boot from a Cd or usb and run the program to recover a drive partition or file image
is essential.
The latter v important as if you lose your C drive and cannot boot windows and run the program, then any backup images that may exist are pretty much useless. Bear in mind that C is the most used drive on the system: if the hardware fails, it's most likely to be the C drive for that reason; and if software corrupts esp if you are beta testing something, then the OS is as much a target as the app itself.

Whatever you use, there are several golden rules; keep a copy of the program and the backup data images on the local machine, AND off it, where it cannot be corrupted by any event that occurs to your main machine. Professionally, that's off-site, but for a home user that's impractical so off-PC but somewhere accessible within the home. If you use a network, then copies on the PC, on the network and somewhere off PC.

I have 4 hard drives and 12 logical drives on my desktop PC, and all of them are dedicated to storing a specific type of data - eg, the OS, applications, applications data (video, pictures, audio, text documents, email etc) on separate units. That degree of separation allows me to change one without impacting on others, even upgrading app versions without worrying about how that impacts on content source files. My backup regime does a whole of PC backup every 3 months, and the most used drives, where the data is changing often, monthly. It takes few hours at most, and becomes a habit. The off-PC store is a small usb-connected Tb unit from WD or Seagate, large enough to keep a years worth of backups, that I keep in a container on a cupboard shelf. But it has saved my skin from corruption many times, and about every 3-4 years when a hardware unit fails or needs replacing (eg, C drive from HDD to SSD). In either case, it's easier to just recover the whole drive partition than (in the case of software) try to figure out which program was corrupt.

I started this way back when floppy drives were normal and norton ghost did everything I wanted. Times changed and now I use acronis true image, backed up to a network store, and a removable 4tb unit, because the amount of data has exploded beyond the ability of a single removable storage device like floppy, Cd, DVd and BR disks.