So im going to use MF to image the 2 drives I have installed on my laptop to 2 external M.2 drives but I need to set it up so I can update the image once or twice a week, so what is the best way to do this. TIA
MF? Normally you can either
a. Set up a schedule for imaging (disadvantage- your backup drive must remain connected)
or
b. Create a backup job for manual use - e.g. if using Macrium Reflect, you will be prompted to do that.
You can then use that same job any time you wish, and with your backup drive connected simply launch that job with a few clicks.
A useful trick is to ensure your backup drive is always allocated the same drive letter s wehn the job was created by allocating it a letter late in the alphabet via Disk Management, then set up the backup job.
The backup job can also be configured to manage the image files so your backup drive doesn't fill up.
Last edited by dalchina; 20 Feb 2022 at 12:32.
Thank you for your reply.
There are many youtube guides and a huge help file for Macrium Reflect - if, indeed, that's the program you're referring to.
I don't know that, despite having queried your 'MF'.
Each and every one of us has to learn how to use each program we install.
Macrium Reflect also has a huge built-in help option.
Example of how I start creating a differential image using an exising backup definition:
Example of Youtube video I found for you by searching for:
youtube macrium differential backup
- you can do that too..
How to create Incremental and Differential Backups using Macrium Reflect - YouTube
Many thanks for all your help and patience, yes im referring to Macrium Reflect, my son used to do all my computer things but he now lives in the USA and with different time zones its difficult to get enough time with him to explain to an old timer.
Understood- there are plenty of older people here-- I'm a pensioner!
It's great you're using disk imaging routinely - it's an excellent method of protecting yourself from drive failure, allowing recovery when your disks fail, or your PC won't boot etc.
Depending on what changes you make to your PC and how frequently somewhat determines how often you need to update your disk image.
Once you have a backup job created, you can keep on using that.
However, once you make a major change - say a major Windows upgrade - it's probably best to start all over again with a full image and create a new backup job.
All partitions part of the Windows should be imaged- and you can image any other disk or partition too.
System restore is a useful complement- when it works- there's a tutorial to have it created on schedule. I have one created daily.
SR does not protect user data.
I work on my huge family tree, so data for that changes fast. I have that and a little other data protected by an additional backup method I run more frequently.
New external hard drive arrived and I have managed to image the C drive and creat a boot recovery onto a small usb drive does this look correct?
Last edited by bikeit; 25 Feb 2022 at 13:51.
Not sure from that.. it looks like you've selected all the relevant partitions. I don't know what's on the original disks from that to compare.
You can explore the image file- which I think you've done, and you can inspect your backup job, assuming you've saved it for future use.
I have a simple 4 partition UEFI installation- and here you can see the definition file showing the partitions selected.
Here you can see part of the definition file rules, showing the retention rules (how the files and space on the backup disk are to be maintained) and below, the start of the list of partitions to be imaged.
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