Why can't we use system backup and restore anymore?

You can still use it for file backups. Its now called Back up and Restore (Windows 7)

MS told us not to use it for making system images when they released V1709 [but some people do - some have problems whilst others don't].
MS never gave a reason.

imaging deprecated in Ver 1709 - TenForums


All the best,
Denis

These processes captured or restored the registry and software, but not user files, such as word documents.

Perhaps you are thinking of System Restore.

This exists in Win 10. You may need to enable it.

There is a useful tutorial in the searchable Tutorial for scheduling the creation of restore points.
I choose to have one created daily.



This is a useful complement to two other approaches:

a. The routine and regular use of 3rd party disk imaging e.g.
Macrium Reflect
Aomei Backupper
Easeus Todo Backup
etc

All of the 3 above have free and paid for options.

b. Specific data backup e.g. for critical and faster changing data
Many programs available - and some versions of the above support data backup too.

Using these 3 approaches in the appropriate manner can provide a robust backup with different options depending on the circumstances.

Win 10 also offers File History.

However, from what I've seen, 3rd party offerings are the least troublesome and best supported.

Carla Rogers said:

Back in the old days, when Windows XP was the latest version of Windows, I believe around the year 1750, when the first Thanksgiving was held, Windows came with a feature called "System Backup and Restore" by those who didn't know its official name.

Today, I cannot find utilities that provide the same functions. Here is what I could find:

.. How to make a full backup of Windows 10
.... Create an image of a Windows 10 hard drive (problem: copies everything, external device needed)
.... Create a clone of your hard drive (problem: copies everything, external device needed)
.... Create a backup with Windows File History (problem: excludes regsitry, group policies)
.... Build a NAS system (problem: hurts my brain)

Apart from contributing to the destruction of civilization currently pursued by Microsoft's founder, I can find no reason for discontinuing Windows System Backup and Windows System, Restore. Obviously, we are not supposed to tell anyone that reason.

Obviously, from this topic and others... you are trying to accomplish some great task, while keeping your ancestors happy. It's possible that if you told us "what" you are trying to accomplish, it would be easier for us to help with the "how".

Back in the early days of this country, some friendly Indians showed us how to... grow better crops, survive in the wilderness, and how to use backup software with backups stored externally or internally.

They also showed us how to find the cheapest storage solutions in the great hunting grounds, called PCPartpicker.

Carla Rogers said:

Today, I don't see anything analogous.

As explained above, the thing you want still exists & is called System restore.
There is a TenForumsTutorial about it.

Denis

---

It's really worth making time to browse through the Tutorial index - there's a shortcut to it at the top of every page.

- At the foot of the Tutorial index is a shortcut to download it as a spreadsheet.
- I download a new copy each month.
- By downloading it as a spreadsheet I can benefit from Excel's excellent filtering capabilities when I search for topics of interest.

- Tutorials are also listed by category at Tutorials - there's also a shortcut to that at the top of every page.
- Both tutorial lists are searchable.
- You can also search for TenForumsTutorials in many general search engines, such as Google, by adding site:tenforums.com/tutorials after your search term. For example,
taskbar toolbars site:tenforums.com/tutorials

You can search TenForums using the search box in the top-right corner of all TenForums webpages or using Advanced Search - TenForums
- You can also search TenForums threads in many general search engines, such as Google, by adding site:tenforums.com after your search term. For example,
Search for drivers by HardwareID site:tenforums.com
- [This is what the search box in the top-right corner of TenForums webpages does automatically]

I gave you quite a full - but sadly unacknowledged post - so on that basis I will wish you good luck- I'm out.

@Carla Rogers


Oh I remember XP and even before. It was in Windows XP that I finally switched to "backup software".
And as you mentioned... Backup software, backs up and restores "everything".

So I was faced with a problem. How to give up inferior methods like System Restore and Windows backup yet still not "lose" all things changed in my User files, when restoring from a backup.

Well, it turns out that wasn't possible. So... I needed to change the way I did things.

My best solution...

1. Keep the used space on my Windows drive... tiny.
2. Install any large programs or games, on a storage drive, rather than on the Windows partition.
3. Then, I could make frequent backups and restores... quickly.

This would still erase the changes to my User files, when restoring from a backup.
So I also decided that using Microsoft's Libraries was not a smart thing to do.

So... on my storage drive I created a few folders.
Things like Pictures, Texts, Music, Videos, etc. Every program I've ever used has a Save feature, that allows me to browse to any folder, to save my files. So I don't need to use the Libraries... AND, even if I have to restore from a backup, my "User" files so to speak, don't get erased because they are on a storage drive.


Then, with regards to my storage drive's safety... I just got another storage drive, and use Karen's Replicator to copy my main storage drive, to my 2nd storage drive. All in all it looks like this.,...











Benefits...

1. I don't have to rely on System Restore, which doesn't always work properly.
2. I can make a backup or perform a restore, in two minutes.
3. May backups are small. Approx. 1/2 the size of my 38 GB C: drive, or 19 GB.

Here's my story, it's sad but true
About a System Restore that I once knew
It took my files then it ran aground
And then everything that I knew was down

Yeah, I should have known it from the very start
That System Restore would break my heart
Now listen people what I'm telling you
That System Restore will make you blue yeah

System Restore likes to run aground
It'll work for you then it'll let you down
Now people let me put you wise
System Restore will make you cry

Here's the moral of the story from the guy who knows
System Restore will bring you woes
Ask any fool who's used it before, they'll say
You keep away from that System Restore.