backup program for windows 10

1-20-2020
Stats: windows 10 pro 64 bit uefi, version # 1909, 2 SSDs,
external HD to store the image on.

I know this has been discussed before but I need
someone to come down to the dummy level if they would
be so kind.

What I want to do is a simple image of my 2 SSDS and be
able to restore them when needed. It would be ok if I
could just image the Windows SSD and restore it. Then
I could just copy the 2nd SSD(my data) to the HD.

Macrium Reflect (the free version) and I do not get along.
I am able to backup the image but not able to restore it.
AND I do not know if it is backing up both SSDs.
Clonezilla-live which I have used for years doesn't work
for me on Windows 10. So the end result is I have NO
backup at the present time.

I might have to spring for some money but don't want to
buy a program that is complicated. It is not necessary
for a simple image program.

I am at a loss as to what to do.....
I will be happy to supply any other data that is needed.
Thanks for any help.

Macrium Reflect Free is what I use. It can take some getting used to, but IMHO it is well worth it.

Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect

Macrium Reflect free user here too. Previously I used Acronis True Image, and Paragon Backup and Restore....but found that I could do just as well with Macrium Reflect free, without having to pay.

@Jacee

aomei backupper pro giveaway

jps99 said:

What I want to do is a simple image of my 2 SSDS and be
able to restore them when needed. It would be ok if I
could just image the Windows SSD and restore it. Then
I could just copy the 2nd SSD(my data) to the HD.

Hmmm......OS on 1 SSD and data on the other.

Is there an over-riding reason why you would want to image BOTH, as opposed to imaging the OS SSD and just using a file-by-file data backup program for the other?

Are you trying to make ONE image file containing partitions from BOTH SSDs?

Thank you for responding Ignatzatsonic.
Either way would be ok with me.
Simpler If I could back up both SSDs at the same time.
But the other way will work for me.
I like to keep the OS SSD separate from My Data.

The difficulty is with the testing of the restore of
the OS. I do not have a HD that is big enough to
store Windows 10.

jps99 said:

Thank you for responding Ignatzatsonic.
Either way would be ok with me.
Simpler If I could back up both SSDs at the same time.
But the other way will work for me.
I like to keep the OS SSD separate from My Data.

You can backup data with an image, but that has shortcomings and is unnecessarily complex.

I'd think your path of least resistance would be:

1: periodic full images of the OS SSD, including ALL partitions on that disk. Use whatever imaging program you are comfortable with. Confirm that you know what you will do the minute your OS SSD drops dead---how do you then boot and restore. Make a new image from time to time, anywhere from daily to quarterly, depending on the rate of change on the OS disk.

2: separate and unrelated file by file backup of all files on the data SSD, using any of several free programs built for that purpose. FreeFileSync, Karen's Replicator, SyncBackFree, etc. Run this frequently, probably daily if not hourly.

You can always have these apps run automatically via scheduling, but I like to do it manually just to keep my head in the game and not be lulled into complacency by relying on "automation" and then be subjected to later disappointing surprises.

jps99 said:

The difficulty is with the testing of the restore of
the OS. I do not have a HD that is big enough to
store Windows 10.

??

Do you mean you don't have an HD big enough to do a "mock" restore of an image as if your OS drive had failed.

Or do you mean you don't have a drive big enough to contain an image file of the OS drive?

How much space do you have occupied on C? The image file will be somewhere around half of that size if no data is involved.