Does anyone know if this works in Windows 10: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/pre...80819(v=ws.10) or if there is a different way to exclude folders from a system image created with the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) feature?
I'd never heard of that exclusion feature, but I gave up on Backup and Restore a long time ago.
Is it even available in Win 10 at all?
Certain advanced versions of certain imaging programs DO let you pick and choose what folders and files you want to include in an image, but I have no idea how well it works. I don't have drive space issues and don't like complications, so I just use full images of complete partitions. I think Paragon has such an application? Not sure about paid versions of Macrium.
From the link you gave:
FilesNotToBackup
- 10/08/2009
- 2 minutes to read
Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BackupRestore
This article is 9 years old. and seems to apply to an OS you do not have. In addition, be aware that the Windows Backup and Restore Feature (Win 7 Backup) has been deprecated and no longer in development. MS could drop it at any time.
Just so you are aware......
Do either or you have any recommendations for software to do a system image backup that allows you to exclude certain folders?
Yes, but....
An "Image" backup is by definition, all of it, every byte. Exclusion of files/folder no longer makes it an "Image". Maybe we're just talking semantics here, but need to point that out. Macrium can do both Full Image backups and File/Folder backup of your choosing. But the File/Folder option is only in the paid version.
Maybe you have some folders on your C: drive that could be stored elsewhere?
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect
Investigate Paragon Backup and Recovery.
Paragon has a bunch of other programs like Hard Disk Manager, but I'm not sure if the others allow excluding folders.
I've used their Adaptive Restore product and was impressed.
A good outfit, but I can't vouch for how well the exclusion feature works.
Why bother with exclusion unless you have drive space issues?
I'm guessing you won't find a free product that will allow exclusion.
Two MS articles to support the fact Windows 7 Backup and Restore is deprecated:
"
System Image Backup (SIB) Solution
We recommend that users use full-disk backup solutions from other vendors."
I just want to have an image backup of my system with my custom windows settings and programs installed, so I can restore it to this state if I need to. I will use that SyncBackFree program to do daily backups of all my media files, documents, emails, profiles etc. My system settings / programs usually don't change that much, so I'll likely not do a system image more than once per year. I could just drag all my files to an external drive then do a system image, but I figured that if I can just exclude certain folders, it would be easier.
I found this program, which seems to do it. Acronis True Image 2017: how to exclude a file or folder from a backup | Knowledge Base
Acronis is often frowned at around here for a lot of reasons.
Most imagers here use Macrium.
Aomei Backupper is also good.
Paragon Backup and Restore Free is good. It might allow exclusion, I'm not sure. It might allow exclusion WHEN RESTORING, but not when making the image?
But your requirement for folder exclusion limits your choices unless you want to pay.
Most would suggest that you put your data on a separate partition, D for instance.
Then NOT include the D partition in your image.
But I'm guessing you keep data on C?
I do put a lot of my files on an external drive. For instance, I have over 150GB of audio samples that go to various programs I use and they are solely on an external drive, because I don't need a backup copy of them, since I can download them again if that drive fails.
However, for files like: emails, documents, media files etc., that are unique, I need to have more than one copy of them, so I keep one copy on my C: drive and then a backup copy on my D: drive.
I checked out Paragon and it looks pretty great. It does have an exclusion feature, but it might only be on the paid version. I'll have to check and find out.
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