Backing up Windows 10 OS

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  1. Posts : 134,237
    Windows 11 Pro (x64) 23H2 Build 22631.3296
       #21

    Word Man said:
    OK, sorry, didn't mean to rain on your parade. Thought it could help any future readers is all.
    Grrrrrrrr ....its ok......thanks.....
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 1,871
    W10 pro x64 20H2 Build 19042.610
       #22

    OldMike65 said:
    Ok so let me ask you a question on Windows image backup then. Say you can't boot to your C drive, to restore any of your windows image files, and the users boot files on their c-drive are corrupt, how would you restore one of your Windows image backups??
    I would use the Windows 'System Repair Disc' which I created from the Windows 'Backup and Restore (Windows 7)' panel which offers the advanced repair options including restoring from a Windows image.

    The image I would use would depend on whether the bootable media could see the latest current image which is stored on the same internal disc (different partition of course) as the OS and system reserved partitions. Assuming it could (and it should) then that image is never more than 24 hours old. If it could not, then the next available image is on an external drive and this could be up to 7 days old (I store week end and then full month end images. Month end images are kept for 12 months, week end images are deleted in a rolling sequence).

    If the main disk had a problem then that would probably be a good excuse for a replacement and a clean install. All my user files are backed up in 3 separate locations and also duplicated on a second PC.

    So no worries... I have a backup strategy that works for me.

    Edit... I also use 'File History' with a 15 minute setting which means that copies of any user files are never more than 15 minutes old. File History has actually proved extremely useful over the few months I have used it as it retains copies of all files created and deleted... and sometimes you want an old file or picture long deleted... and with file history its there. All brow-sable manually and available for a copy and paste if required.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 15,441
    Windows10
       #23

    Mooly said:
    I would use the Windows 'System Repair Disc' which I created from the Windows 'Backup and Restore (Windows 7)' panel which offers the advanced repair options including restoring from a Windows image.

    The image I would use would depend on whether the bootable media could see the latest current image which is stored on the same internal disc (different partition of course) as the OS and system reserved partitions. Assuming it could (and it should) then that image is never more than 24 hours old. If it could not, then the next available image is on an external drive and this could be up to 7 days old (I store week end and then full month end images. Month end images are kept for 12 months, week end images are deleted in a rolling sequence).

    If the main disk had a problem then that would probably be a good excuse for a replacement and a clean install. All my user files are backed up in 3 separate locations and also duplicated on a second PC.

    So no worries... I have a backup strategy that works for me.

    Edit... I also use 'File History' with a 15 minute setting which means that copies of any user files are never more than 15 minutes old. File History has actually proved extremely useful over the few months I have used it as it retains copies of all files created and deleted... and sometimes you want an old file or picture long deleted... and with file history its there. All brow-sable manually and available for a copy and paste if required.
    The basic strategy here is sound and well suited to an nas server.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 65
    Windows 10 home
    Thread Starter
       #24

    Thanks once again,I am taking the easy route and using the Windows "Create a Recovery Drive" leaving the box ticked "Back up system files to the Recovery Drive".Will this be ok to use on my two laptops or will I have to do one for each?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 15,441
    Windows10
       #25

    tommo said:
    Thanks once again,I am taking the easy route and using the Windows "Create a Recovery Drive" leaving the box ticked "Back up system files to the Recovery Drive".Will this be ok to use on my two laptops or will I have to do one for each?
    It will definitely work on both pcs if both are eufi, or both are legacy bios. Not certain if the boot disk is clever enough to handle one pc being legacy bios, and one being eufi (in part because the windows system has not been developed for several years).
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 81
    Windows 10
       #26

    It is a mistake to use Windows backup. If you move the image set to another drive, you lose the ability to select the incrementals.
    You are stuck with the last (full, including ALL the incrementals) backup. That is the only selection.
    At least that was my experience when I tested it on Win 7.
    I found this unsuitable, and used Macrium reflect instead.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,871
    W10 pro x64 20H2 Build 19042.610
       #27

    Enlighten me a little here :)

    Windows Backup I understand to be the File/Folder imaging utility. I don't know if that is incremental or not.

    Windows 'Create a System Image' (not just file and folder backup) as far as I know only does full backups. When you create a new image it overwrites the previous one. That's how I understand it to operate. You think they are incrementals, in which case you would be offered a tree of backups to restore from ?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 81
    Windows 10
       #28

    Yes, I'm talking about imaging here. Sorry for using the term backup. I have read that the Win10 imaging utility is the same as was used in Win 7. I haven't confirmed that, and may be wrong about that. I'm not even going to test that assumption.
    But Win 7 was incremental imaging, unless you renamed the image target, in which case you another full image would be created. Which would then have to be renamed if you wanted if you wanted to make a full image subsequently.
    Without renaming you were presented with a tree of images, based on time/date of the image.
    But if moved to another drive the tree was lost, and you could only restore the full image.
    There may have been a way to get at the incrementals, but I wasn't interested in that.
    It was simpler to move to Macrium for imaging, since I had no need for incrementals, and prefer to name my images once, and move them as desired.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 2,297
    Windows 10 Pro (64 bit)
       #29

    I've not had to restore image on 10 yet but I used Windows in built system image on 7 a few times. It always worked 100 % reliable. Since getting 10 I have taken a few images and it's ok doing them but as mentioned I've not had s scenario requiring a restore yet. The only thing will say is it's not fast (at least for me). Takes an hour or two even with SSD drive (as boot OS, I also backup my supplementing mechanical drive too) and using USB 3.0. But I guess the fact my image is around half a terabyte could have something to do with it. But I would say in my experience it works well enough
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 1,871
    W10 pro x64 20H2 Build 19042.610
       #30

    Clive K said:
    But Win 7 was incremental imaging, unless you renamed the image target, in which case you another full image would be created. Which would then have to be renamed if you wanted if you wanted to make a full image subsequently.
    Without renaming you were presented with a tree of images, based on time/date of the image.
    I'll give this a fair try then and not rename each backup as its created. When I've completed a few I'll see what the restore options are.

    I did have a suspicion about the incremental thing a little while ago but concluded (maybe wrongly) that it wasn't doing proper incrementals or that it was a full base image and that the incremental nature of the next backup didn't reflect changes to the OS. Post #42 below,

    System Image - Create in Windows 10 - Page 5 - Windows 10 Forums

    OK, so I need to prove what happens......

    Scottyboy99 said:
    The only thing will say is it's not fast (at least for me). Takes an hour or two even with SSD drive (as boot OS, I also backup my supplementing mechanical drive too) and using USB 3.0. But I guess the fact my image is around half a terabyte could have something to do with it.
    I would say my backup speed is around 10-12Gb a minute which tallies with my 'couple of minutes' to do a full image from hitting the go button. My C drive stands at around 21-22Gb space used. That is on an SSD and creating the initial image to a separate partition on that same SSD (important images I move and store externally as previously mentioned)

    I've certainly found it 100% reliable though, as have you.
      My Computer


 

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