How do I create a backup of system and data files?

lbeck · 05 Sep 2015

Pardon me if this is a question already addressed in the forum. I've looked at the tutorials including "How to Create a System Image in Windows 10" and am not sure that what I want to do is totally addressed. A redirect or reference to a URL away from this forum is fine.

I have purchased a new computer that came with 8.1 and immediately upgraded to 10. I have an external 2 TB HDD that I used with my retired computer that ran Win 7. I removed my data drive from the retired computer, installed it in the new computer, and have reinstalled programs. Now that I'm satisfied with what I have on the new computer I want to reformat the 2 TB HDD and use it for my new backup to:

image my boot drive so that I can recover my system if needed
back up important data files (but not all) to save in case my data drive fails
schedule running backups that will save only changed files if possible
enable file recovery in case I mistakenly delete a wanted file, or want to revert to an earlier version

I've downloaded Ed Bott's "Introducing Windows 10 for IT Professionals Preview Edition" But that doesn't cover what I want to do. I've also preordered his "Windows 10 Inside Out" book to be delivered in December. But given this is a new computer that I'm working with I'm reluctant to fly without a backup case of an early failure of the hardware.

I've looked at the Windows 10 backup and recovery program and it's a little different from 7. I'll appreciate advice on how to proceed before I reformat my backup HDD.

Thanks

topgundcp · 06 Sep 2015

Use either Macrium Reflect Free or AOMEI Backupper

Night Hawk · 06 Sep 2015

I use a simple strategy here that will work for you as well since you also have a 2tb drive available not only for creating system image backups but storing files of all types apart from being on the C drive as well as on the secondary storage drive(s). I plan to be adding in a second 2tb drive to replace another 1tb drive I pulled out of an external enclosure since the 2tb drive just got in is now over half full!

How do I create a backup of system and data files?-backup-backup.jpg

That not only backs up the main build but includes system images from a second system also seeing a 10/7 dual boot as well as a few other laptops! The blue check marks will point to the user account folder duplicated from 10 as well as utiilty folders stored locally on the OS drives as well as backed up on the primary storage. Things like antivirus and OS reg tweaks as well as other small programs without cds are stored there as well as other folder stashed that may contain any personal files.

In the event the storage fails as one of the two previous 1tb began having problems prior to 10's arrival a second back up drive will store a good deal of the things kept regularly on both C and storage drives. Backing up the Backup will insure the overall best results when having the extra drive space available in case even a system image turns out to be corrupted. The rest is simply reinstalling all the programs fresh again while some of those folders are backed up manually.

lbeck · 06 Sep 2015

Top gun - thanks but I'm hooping to use the backup recovery software that comes with 10. I have Acronis 2012 but found the native win 7 utility little more useful for me.

night hawk - again, I'd like to use the windows utility. I have some spare drives also. All less than a TB but enough to store an image if my c drive.

my objective is to set it and forget it using the win 10 utility unless there are reasons that won't work or warnings that problems will ensue with my plan. I actually needed to use the Windows 7 utility after drive failure about a year ago and it made me a believer of backups. I found the restore pretty straightforward.

any suggestions on using windows 10 for my backups?

topgundcp · 06 Sep 2015

Well, If you want to use the native Windows Backup. Here's the link:
System Image - Create in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

WhyMe · 06 Sep 2015

@lbeck

Don't forget to create a bootable recovery disk or installation disk to access your backups or images for when or if disaster strikes

lbeck · 06 Sep 2015

Thanks to all. I suppose that I need to create a system image as shown in the tutorial. Maybe as I go through the process I will see that there is a way to backup only selected folders and that there is a way to schedule recurring backups. This is what Win 7 B/U did. I was also hoping that there is a mechanism for "rolling backups" that deletes the oldest backup when your B/U HDD gets full.

Bottom line is that I just need to jump in. Some of this will likely be apparent as I go through the process. I'm just a little timid regarding formatting my current recovery HDD prior to beginning the process.

Lee

WhyMe · 06 Sep 2015

@lbeck

Have a look at this thread from a couple of weeks ago re Windows options and the bootable media you need to create.
https://www.tenforums.com/performance...-vs-image.html

FYI, I do not use it myself (as I use Paragon), and I know you said you wanted to use Windows options, but a specialist program such as aforementioned Macrium Reflect, will do exactly what you want with regard to having configurable auto-scheduling plus simplicity of use. They will also massively reduce the amount of time needed to backup or restore due to better compression. Maybe you might want to try it for just a month. You'd be able to assess its capabilities and whether it fully meets all your requirements. If you don't like it, then stay with Windows option...

lvgandhi · 06 Sep 2015

What I have done is shared in this link given below.
Change from HDD to SSD in ASUS S400CA latop

Night Hawk · 06 Sep 2015

lbeck said:

Top gun - thanks but I'm hooping to use the backup recovery software that comes with 10. I have Acronis 2012 but found the native win 7 utility little more useful for me.

night hawk - again, I'd like to use the windows utility. I have some spare drives also. All less than a TB but enough to store an image if my c drive.

my objective is to set it and forget it using the win 10 utility unless there are reasons that won't work or warnings that problems will ensue with my plan. I actually needed to use the Windows 7 utility after drive failure about a year ago and it made me a believer of backups. I found the restore pretty straightforward.

any suggestions on using windows 10 for my backups?

The version of Acronis T.I. you have is 2yrs, newer since I still use the 2010 Home edition on 10 without problems. I prefer Acronis over the using the system image backup option in Windows since Acronis compresses data down further to save on drive space! I back up a few laptops as well as a second desktop with complete images and why I will now be adding another 2tb or larger drive in. From the pair of 1gb drives replaced lately I have about 920gb left out of the 1.81gb total available space and just got the drive in a couple of weeks back.

Besides system images being stored I mostly back things up manually as I go along and download multiple times to see the same things end up on the two OS drives as well as on the storage drives. Manually backing things up verifies that each file has it's own backup in case it gets lost! With downloads multiple times in case of a bad download.

lbeck said:

Thanks to all. I suppose that I need to create a system image as shown in the tutorial. Maybe as I go through the process I will see that there is a way to backup only selected folders and that there is a way to schedule recurring backups. This is what Win 7 B/U did. I was also hoping that there is a mechanism for "rolling backups" that deletes the oldest backup when your B/U HDD gets full.

Bottom line is that I just need to jump in. Some of this will likely be apparent as I go through the process. I'm just a little timid regarding formatting my current recovery HDD prior to beginning the process.

Lee

Here I solved the problem of even needing a system image backup since the OS drive can end up being totally wiped and still find each and every file stored away safely on one of the other drives. Any important files are never even saved on the main C regardless of which version I boot into but custom saved over to one of the other storage drives if not both in the event of a bad file copy or save. I gave up on burning data disks years ago!