I think, that he was referring more to backup software than to system imaging. A backup software cost me my precious files. I will never ever use any, they are unreliable compared to rock solid copy/paste. You can sue the company, get your money back, but it will not return your files. Google is the worst, I removed the files in the cloud and it removed my local files as well.
I tend to agree. Backup of an OS and installed programs for the typical home user is a good idea, but hardly a necessity. It saves time, but that's about it. I guess some folks here restore images on a weekly if not daily basis. More power to them, but that's not a typical situation. I'm the stereotype of an average user and have restored I think 3 or possibly 4 times in 10 years.I think, that he was referring more to backup software than to system imaging. A backup software cost me my precious files. I will never ever use any, they are unreliable compared to rock solid copy/paste. You can sue the company, get your money back, but it will not return your files. Google is the worst, I removed the files in the cloud and it removed my local files as well.
A backup of personal data is far and away more critical, but I'd never rely on a single method for that. I deliberately don't image my data, but I do use multiple methods, to include both ordinary copy and paste as well as commercial programs designed for the purpose.
Macrium is a good application and I do use it, but it has become something approaching a fetish on this forum, probably moreso than CCleaner.
Most folks can't be bothered. I'd like to see an accurate estimate of what percentage of users world-wide use imaging on their personal PCs. Gotta be under 10%, probably under 5%.
Why use backup software rather than manually copying data?
a. Backup software can run scheduled backups for you.
b. You don't have to think what to back up, provided your data is always in folders (e.g.) you've chosen to back up.
c. Some backup software performs a backup in real time- you change a file, it's backed up there and then.
d. Backups can be incremental or differential (changes).
Think time saving, convenience, automation, saving space on your backups....
Some of the above applies both to selective backups and to disk imaging.
Good backup software will also provide support for restoring data, and for particular programs (e.g. email clients, favourites...)
The best free backup software 2018: protect your essential files | TechRadar
Hi folks
I send stuff to NAS daily - just changed / updated files
Imagine this scenario -- you have say 1TB (or more) of music from all sources - ITunes, ripped CD's etc etc --- what happens if you lose it -- would you ever have time to re-rip zillions of CD's (even if you had them to hand), re-create ITunes or other libraries etc etc.
HDD's do fail - and if you just rely on manual backup using say File explorer - you are bound to miss some files etc etc -- in any case it's a boring task to do when a computer can do it reliably and without you having to think about it.
same with photos, videos etc etc.
For music I know there are service like spotify but I still prefer uncompressed high quality music in FLAC format - and in any case a lot of the online music services don't have stuff available forever and a day - also with proper downloaded music you can copy at leisure to your own devices e.g phones etc and can still use when there's no internet or poor phone connection.
I would suggest if you really don't value backup you should tune into excellent TV program on Discovery channel from time to time -- Aircrash Investigation - brilliant -- shows exactly also value of having backup data which in this case is used to find out whatr caused the accident and help to put in measures that it won't happen again.
Cheers
jimbo
I quit using 3rd party software because it would fail to restore my work when I really needed it to. Sometimes losing precious files altogether for good. I figure why keep going thru all the hassle and time wasted working with those programs, when I can just delete my work myself. Now when I have something I put a lot of effort into that means a lot to me, I just delete it and forget about, why bother anymore. Why bother when all I do now is let IDrive upload it from my computer and store it safely for me, it makes my digital life so much easier. The few times I have needed to restore something, it worked without a problem.
You are comparing oranges and bananas. It depends on what you are backing up eg OS+programs, data, all of it etc.I quit using 3rd party software because it would fail to restore my work when I really needed it to. Sometimes losing precious files altogether for good. I figure why keep going thru all the hassle and time wasted working with those programs, when I can just delete my work myself. Now when I have something I put a lot of effort into that means a lot to me, I just delete it and forget about, why bother anymore. Why bother when all I do now is let IDrive upload it from my computer and store it safely for me, it makes my digital life so much easier. The few times I have needed to restore something, it worked without a problem.
If you have huge upload speeds, then you could indeed save a clone of a disk, or disk images in the cloud.
Few in the UK have that option.
Data vs OS imaging: what happens when your disk dies, or your PC is irreparably unbootable (some problem on disk) and you have to clean install everything, redo all settings, reapply all licenses?
I don't have to worry too much- an hour and a new disk, and I can be up and running as I was.
Those who don't use disk imaging or some procedure with comparable benefits are often those who need a large box of tissues.
They used to be called Mansize tissues.are often those who need a large box of tissues.
(Dalchina's flag indicates he is familiar with the madhouse called the UK - he will understand the reference.)
You're right, I was trying to be carefully gender non-specific.
Kleenex renames its Mansize tissues as 'extra large' after complaints | Daily Mail Online
And it has crossed my mind to consider emigrating to a more rational country... preferably one much more cyclist-friendly.
Wow......Never heard of Kleenex man size or extra large anywhere in the USA. Is that a UK/Euro thing only??
For the last 10 or 20 years, I've had the notion that Kimberly Clark has been making tissues gradually smaller to stay price-competitive. I swear they are smaller than I recall from years ago. I just thought it was part of the same trend as beverage companies moving down from 64 oz to 60 and 59, hoping you don't notice.
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