Backup in different smaller size disk or one bigger disk?

One aspect to think of ... the larger the disk, the more data can be stored. But that also means the more data can be lost if the disk goes pear-shaped

A good alternative is 2 smaller disks with alternate backups. If one goes down, there is still every second backup on the other.

comcom said:

5. I am trying to save money so I am thinking it is ok to buy a used disk to store backup as it is unlikely that both the disk that store data and the disk that store backup will be faulty at the same time, is it a good idea or bad idea to use used disk to store backup? I guess used disk might fail faster.

Lightning strike, power surge >>>> all disks gone. 2nd hand disks not a good idea anyway (no warranty)

"1. Is there any difference if I store Jan and Feb backup into one 6TB 3.5 hard disk vs if I store Jan backup into one 4TB 3.5 hard disk and Feb backup into another one 4TB 3.5 hard disk?"

Yes.
By alternating between different backup disks your backup scheme is much more resilient.
- If your 6TB disk went wrong you would lose all backups.
- If one of your two 4TB disks went wrong, you'd still have the previous month's image to fall back on.
I alternate my backups - this month it's backup disk #1, next month it will be #2, the month after it will be back to #1, ...

2 - Probably not

5 - Having alternating backups on a pair of disks is a resilient scheme whether the disks are new or used.


All the best,
Denis

I will never understand people making huge backups. Why? It takes a lot of time, money and performance.
Keep system partition small to make efficient backups. Mine (20GB) takes 2 mins to create and to restore.
Even if you do not use a cloud sync, just keep disks in raid and backup them separately to save space.

Even better option is to backup and store your system (OS and programs) in one backup, separate from your personal data files

create a data partition and move your personal data files to there (read up on how to chnage the location of the Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Music etc personal system folders.

If you've got a lot of music and/or pictures and/or videos, consider separate backup for larger file collections

Consider creating image backups for system (OS and programs) - Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper - and native format for user data files (SyncbackFree)

@comcom


1. Keep the "used space" on your Windows drive.... small. Less than say... 40GB
2. Install large programs or games on a storage drive, instead of the Windows drive.
3. Your backups will be (at default settings), about half the size of the "used space" on the Windows drive.
4. I have TWO storage drives, and I use the free program, Karen's Replicator, to keep the data on both, the same.

Karen's Replicator the Backup Utility for Windows v3.7.6 Released May 25, 2020 | Karen's Power Tools | Karen's Software

Do NOT use Karen's to "backup" the Windows drive. Use proper backup software, like these...
Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES | Windows 11 Forum


This is my Disk Management, for example...




Because I use Karen's to copy Disk 1 to Disk 2 (storage drives, both), if one storage drive fails, I still have the other.
Karen's can be set to run on a schedule, or just run manually.
I run Karen's manually about every other day... so there's only a few new things, to copy from Disk 1 to Disk 2.

comcom said:

Do you still use Macrium Reflect to backup your Disk 1?

My understanding is your Disk 2 acts as a backup for Disk 1.

The only thing I use Macrium for is to backup my Windows partition and EFI partition on Disk 0.

Disk 1 is my "working" drive. It where I save things.
Disk 2 is just a copy of Disk 1, in case Disk 1 ever fails.

That's what I use Karen's Replicator for. To copy any changes on Disk 1, to Disk 2.

comcom said:

I wonder why you don't use proper backup software (e.g. Macrium Reflect) to backup Disk 1, why you prefer to use Karen's to copy Disk 1 to Disk 2?

Because the entire Disk 2 ...IS my backup of Disk 1.
Disk 1 is 4TB, and Disk 2 is 8TB. Karen's is a tiny program that uses no resources to speak of.

And to be completely honest... Macrium's User Guide is 485 pages. MR is bloated like most other software.
I'm from the "try and use tiny un-bloated software school", where ever I can.
And like all other backup software these days... they tried to make MR do... everything.
This is what I used back in the Windows XP days... Why? Because it was simple, un-bloated and made protected backups.
If they had something like this today... I'd be using it.






Storage is so cheap these days, I'd probably use Karen's for everything.
BUT... Macrium Reflect (paid) has Image Guardian, which protects my backed up images.
And that is the reason I use Macrium at all.

I've always used backup software, that protected it's images. I just feel that's the smart thing to do.
Unfortunately, they charge for that, these days. AND... most software is way bloated as well.

It's the same with Bitdefender paid. It has 13 modules of which I use three.
But try to find AV/firewall software these days that just does that.
I miss the old perfect Zonealarm firewall, too.


I have this theory... programmers think they will be let go if they ever stop coding.
So, they keep adding junk to everything. It's why we need such powerful computers to do simple things.

When they code software, they should make "basic" programs that you can add plugins to, if needed.
Instead they make huge ungainly programs with everything and the kitchen sink, included.