How to create a system image with a SDD and HDD combo

Hi! I'm one of those folks that has an SSD and HDD combo. I spent about 25 hours this weekend doing my first OS reinstall since I built it (2017). I would like to short cut this process by creating a system image to restore my system back to where it is now for the next time.

How should I go about doing this? Should I try to image both in the same image? Should I do 2 separate images? Or should I image the C: drive and then copy all the files from the F: drive into a zip file? Any help would be appreciated.

Windows is up to date (no updates available).

Staticasaurus said:

Hi! I'm one of those folks that has an SSD and HDD combo.

Fill out your system specs.

That link says you have 3 hard drives.

What partition contains your data?

Do you have any programs installed anywhere other than the C partition?

Ideally post a screen shot of Windows Disk Management so we can see your partition details.

If you really mean just "system image", presumably all of that is on whatever drive contains C, so you'd most likely make one image file that contains ALL partitions found on that drive. But you have 3 drives and we don't have further detail.

ignatzatsonic said:

Fill out your system specs.

That link says you have 3 hard drives.

What partition contains your data?

Do you have any programs installed anywhere other than the C partition?

Ideally post a screen shot of Windows Disk Management so we can see your partition details.

If you really mean just "system image", presumably all of that is on whatever drive contains C, so you'd most likely make one image file that contains ALL partitions found on that drive. But you have 3 drives and we don't have further detail.

My system specs are in the link.

My Windows installation is on my C: drive, which is the m.2 SSD.
My programs (that arent on my C: drive) are on my F: drive, which is one of the 1TB drives.
My documents are on my 2nd 1TB drive, and will not be included in the image.

I want to back up my C and F drives, since the F drive relies on the C drive. However that needs to be done. Just don't know which way to do it.

- - - Updated - - -

ignatzatsonic said:

If you really mean just "system image", presumably all of that is on whatever drive contains C, so you'd most likely make one image file that contains ALL partitions found on that drive. But you have 3 drives and we don't have further detail.

A year from now, I want to wipe the C and F drives, and use the images/zip files/whatever I created to restore my drives to the condition they are in right now (technically when I make the images, but whatever). I didnt do any special partitioning, so what is there is what windows does by default.

Staticasaurus, that "link" doesn't bring me to your system specs

I just have to guess, because we can't see your partition details via Windows Disk Management.

Guessing:

Make a single image file containing ALL partitions on the SSD.

Make a second image file containing ONLY F.

Save them both to another drive, likely an external, but possibly the other internal.

Alternatively, you could make just ONE image file that contains ALL partitions on the SSD and F.

I'd probably do the former to keep it simpler in my mind.

But all of that is a guess based on a guess of your partitions.

Macrium is the default tool to use in these parts.

MeAndMyComputer said:

Staticasaurus, that "link" doesn't bring me to your system specs

My system specs is literally a list of parts. Click the link (or copy and paste it), and look at the parts I have. The only think that isn't there is Windows 64 bit. Its not difficult.

- - - Updated - - -

ignatzatsonic said:

I just have to guess, because we can't see your partition details via Windows Disk Management.

Guessing:

Make a single image file containing ALL partitions on the SSD.

Make a second image file containing ONLY F.

Save them both to another drive, likely an external, but possibly the other internal.

Alternatively, you could make just ONE image file that contains ALL partitions on the SSD and F.

I'd probably do the former to keep it simpler in my mind.

But all of that is a guess based on a guess of your partitions.

Macrium is the default tool to use in these parts.

I don't understand why its a guess. Its default settings, isnt that the same for everyone if you don't change it? Heres the screen shot

Staticasaurus said:

- - - Updated - - -
I don't understand why its a guess. Its default settings, isnt that the same for everyone if you don't change it? Heres the screen shot

Have a good day.

ignatzatsonic said:

Have a good day.

Look man, don't be mad at me that the screen shot shows you exactly what I said it would. Default setting partitioning; we all know what that looks like. I'm not an idiot or a novice, and I know exactly what I would have to do to affect default partioning, and I know I didn't do any of that. I just have never done anything with images before; even though I'm pretty sure I have a good idea of what to do, I wanted to double check the logistics before I did it, and found out I screwed up a year later.

As I'm sure you've figured out, there are 2 recovery partitions because this drive has had 2 installs of Windows on it. That about the only non standard thing about it. Pretty simple, and pretty cut and dry.

Does the screen shot match what you expected or no? If not, does your advice still apply?

- - - Updated - - -

idgat said:

Why are programs not all on C:\ ? One of those cases where it seemed like a good idea at the time, but when it comes to what you want to do now, all sorts of issues arise.

What's the chance of un-installing those F:\ drive programs and re-installing on C:\ drive (appears to have 300GB spare), then only one drive to be considered for imaging.

Honestly, a habit that carried on from when SSD's first came out: write reductions. Thats not exactly an issue now, but I also know that I play games with hefty updates; 500 GB was going to close to max out the drive, and I didn't want to spend for a bigger SSD.

Chances of moving the programs are pretty nil. It took me 25 hours to install all of that, which is why I want to do the imaging stuff. Next time though, I will keep your advice in mind. Since write limits arent really that much of a factor anymore, I should be more willing to spend on a bigger SSD.

Staticasaurus said:

I don't understand why its a guess. Its default settings, isnt that the same for everyone if you don't change it? Heres the screen shot

Your system is not default settings. Very few users have programs installed anywhere other then their C: drive. Personally, I don't understand why a person would, especially in your layout where you have little on your F: drive. The purpose of an SSD is to speed up the entire system (although some users are obsessed with shaving off a few seconds of boot time). So why bottleneck the system by putting your programs that you use on a slow spinner HDD? Especially when there is only 90 GB used on the F: drive and you have 321 GB free on the SSD?

But anyway attitudes and opinions set aside, if it were me, I would just image all the partitions on Disk 0 and Disk 1 into 1 backup image file using Macrium Reflect free.