which is better , regular schedule backups or backup with system image

Hello @icco,

As ignatzatsonic has stated, use something like Macrium Reflect or AOMEI Backupper Standard because . . .

Windows Built-In Imaging:

DOWNSIDE:

It is common knowledge that most of the time you CAN'T trust ANY of the MS built-in Backup or Image facilities because they just DON'T work. The System Imaging facility is a deprecated feature which is NO longer being developed or updated [ it used the same executables in every version of W10 ]. Even MS say that the built-in System Imaging facility should NOT be used . . .

System Image Backup (SIB) Solution
We recommend that users use full-disk backup solutions from other vendors.

SOURCE: > Features Removed or Deprecated in Windows 10

I hope this helps!

Hi, the two are different and complement each other.

Disk imaging: means you can recover from e.g. non-bootable situations and other O/S or data/file system corruption by restoring an image.

Even if you need to replace the imaged disk, you can restore the new one to a previous good state.

The downside: if you're restoring the Windows partition, all data on it is likewise restored to a previous state.

Backup: two basic distinct approaches:
- synchronised (continuous on-the-fly) backup
- scheduled backup
...then there's maunual back of course.

The first means you have an almost continuously current backup, but the backup destination must be on line.
The second means you do have an option of keeping the backup destination safe off-line between backup events.

(Whether to keep your disk image backup destination on line or not is another importan decision - in both cases off line and physically separate is safer of course).

Thus a good strategy is
a. Disk imaging permitting restoration and hopefully avoiding clean installs in many- but not all- cases.

supplemented by

b. Data backup - of a form appropriate to your use.
Consider the data on your Windows partition - ideally minimise this - keep personal data off C: free of O/S maintenance.

Fast changing mission critical data should be synchronised for the greatest safety.

For greater security ensure you have off-line backups. (Think viruses, power outages, lifetime of storage media..).

Then consider purely data partitions.
Adopt a backup strategy appropriate to
- the importance of the data
- the rate of change of the data

Here you have a choice- you could use disk imaging- or a data backup program. It becomes a matter of convenience.

Oh, and don't forget System Restore... when it works, it's great- 'cos no changes are made to installed progs or user data. Thus a good complement to disk imaging- just don't rely on SR alone to save you.

Note that disk image files can be mounted, and files read and copied with file explorer in the usual way.