System Backup to Image fails to write to 2nd partition of boot drive

I am trying various pieces of backup software (True Image, an old version - Easeus Todo, a new version and a few others) - I use a bootable 'Rescue Media' (USB flash drive created by the software in question - each is different) to boot the PC which has a single SSD drive with 2 partitions - a 60GB 'System Drive' and a (approx) 180GB Data drive. I am trying to backup the 'System Drive' (Windows) to an image on the 2nd partition (Data Drive).

After selecting all the various options (in any of the softwares) and then commencing with the backup, the software goes through the complete process of writing the image and at the end of the backup reports that the image was created successfully. When I boot back into Windows 10, the image file is not present - or not visible. The drive space reports such that I can see that the image file has been written to the drive (there is that much space missing from the reported size in windows) but it is not visible.

This has happened 3 or 4 times with different backup software; so I am wondering if there is some weird kind of protection that Windows 10 is implementing that stops the Rescue Media being able to write a visible file during the backup.

For information - if I attach a second SSD by USB to the PC and write the image to that during the backup - it appears as expected.

All the various software packages write different kinds of files.

If anyone has any experience of this I would be really interested to hear about it.

Thanks for reading.

Windows 10 21H2 19044.1165 (although I have a feeling this is not version dependant)

Hey thanks for the responses guys, appreciated.

First off, I always send out a machine with an image of the system drive on a second partition - the owner can copy it somewhere else; but it means that when things get screwed up (software wise) there is a way back to where we started. Not dissing anyone here but I too have been at this since 1985 and those images have saved a lot of aggravation through the years ! All their Data is also on that second partition, safe from resets using images, but again, they should have it backed up elsewhere as well of course.

I have not yet tried Macrium Reflect Free - will give it a go certainly.

I am interested in why this is happening with these Win10 machines, not had it before and trying to learnj something I guess. I will report back after trying Macrium though.

Thanks again, always appreciate help even if I do seem stuck in my old ways. Regards

Your problem appears to be that Windows is hiding the image, not that it is not being created. Try Wiztree to look at the contents of the data partition before and after image creation - it should be able to show where the space has gone. It can show things that are otherwise well hidden.