Windows 10 backup is HUGE

My windows 10 back-up is taking over the world !

I back-up to my Synology NAS from my PC and kep most of the settings as default. So it keeps multiple versions and backup of the normal directories - Documents, Photos etc.

After about 3 weeks I logged into my NAS and saw my space had been largely used up - the Win10 back-up had taken up 1.2TB when I would have expected it to be 200-300 GB.

On investigation it had created multiple versions of so many many files which are never touched or changed - downloaded program files, documents, home video files etc and this is what had taken up all the space.

Of course I understand that it would keep multiple versions but surely only when the file had been changed ? Crazy and unusable otherwise.

Any comments or solution. Now turned off and deleted and using Win7 but would rather use Win10 if I can solve this issue.

Thanks all

Download Macrium Reflect, install, then make your image backup to a 2nd drive, either internal or external. Its a Free program and works a lot better than Windows backup, and much be reliable. You can also make a rescue disk, for your DVD or USB drive, which is bootable incase of emergency's. :)

I appreciate the advice which I will certainly investigate.

But I would still be interested to know if my experience matches that of other people or if I have done something wrong. Hard to believe that MS would have included such a feature with a flaw like this. I accept that there may be other products out there that are better but is this really so poor ?

scp said:

I appreciate the advice which I will certainly investigate.

But I would still be interested to know if my experience matches that of other people or if I have done something wrong. Hard to believe that MS would have included such a feature with a flaw like this. I accept that there may be other products out there that are better but is this really so poor ?

All you have to do is read msg after msg over the last year or so on how reliable Windows backup can be. Some love it, some don't. I haven't used any windows backup since.....XP......but its always the user's choice of course.

I'm wondering if you might have your Windows Back Up Utility configured to run daily, which is creating an entire image of your main drive each time it runs.

I have mine set up like that, but if I don't change the defaulted folder / file name, it just rights over itself with a new image. In your case, it seems as if it's creating another new image each time, rather than being replaced- if that's in fact the case.

I agree, Macrium Reflect is great for the price (free), as is AOMEI and EaseUS.