Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
I backup my own files [which are on a separate partition/disk to my OS with its applications] and I make system images.
I have two large external drives for backups. This week my system images & my file backups will be made on one of them and next week it'll be the other.
For system images I use a free sawn-off version of Acronis that is available for computers containing Seagate, Samsung, Maxtor disks [there is also a free version available for WD, SanDisk, G-Technology]. I am limited to making full system images but that's only 10-20 minutes while I have a pot of tea. Backing up my own files and settings takes longer than that.
If a drive contains only straightforward files, such as music files or Word documents, then you can use any file backup method including simply copying them to an external drive.
File backups allow you to restore individual files or all the files to their backed-up state.- So if you accidentally overwrite a file or folder, you can restore it from the backup.
- Ideally, you would backup your files every time you changed any of them. Some people backup their files every day. I do mine a couple of times a week but also run an automatic backup of my key files every hour.
- I use the built-in Windows 10 utility RoboCopy for most of my file backups including the key files' automatic hourly backup.
- - It takes a bit of study and it takes a bit of getting used to.
- - I use it within batch files. They also take a bit of study and a bit of getting used to.
- Getting some ready-made Windows component or third-party backup utility to handle your file backups instead avoids having to study anything. Some third-party backup utilities can make the whole thing seamless & pain-free.
If a drive contains anything like a program that is installed then drive imaging is more appropriate.
Drive imaging allows you to restore a whole drive to its backed-up state.- So if a Windows fault or update wrecks your OS, you can restore the whole OS drive to its backed-up state.
- System images can turn a disaster into a mere inconvenience.
- When you see the term system imaging, it means the same as drive imaging or disk imaging. It just indicates that the drive that was imaged was the system drive, the one with the OS on it.
- Ideally, you would backup your system every time you change any of its components or settings. Some people image their systems every day. I image mine once a month so I have an image ready for use before the next Windows update.
- All imaging utilities allow you to make a boot disk of some kind so that you can boot from it to restore an image even if Windows refuses to start.
- - You are therefore not fully protected until you have made & tested the boot disk. I made & tested two boot disks for mine in about 2016 to raise the chances that, in some future emergency, at least one of them will work.
- - Some imaging utilities can also be set up as a 'dual boot' so you can choose to boot straight into it instead of Windows if Windows is wrecked. That might be regarded as an acceptable alternative to having a separate boot disk.
- Just to avoid confusion about two very similar terms you might see people use, do note that restoring a system image does not mean the same as System restore, a Windows functon.
- - System imaging & restoring system images is reliable and effective.
- - System restore can be convenient when it works.
- Many imaging utilities also allow you to pick out and copy back individual folders or files but it's probably best to regard that as a bonus that might never get used.
Don't use Windows imaging.
MS said not to in their announcement of Windows 10 Version 1709 and have never withdrawn that warning
imaging deprecated in Ver 1709 - TenForums
Macrium Reflect [free edition] is often recommended in this forum for making system images. Other utilities are available but this one is so commonplace that you can get plenty of help for it.
- I understand that many TenForums members use the free version and find it perfectly satisfactory.
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect - TenForumsTutorials
Macrium Software Macrium Reflect Free
Macrium USB - TenForums
Macrium Reflect KnowledgeBase - user guide [version-independent link]
It can also make bootable system images. That facility is called viBoot.
Macrium viBoot - Macrium KB
Macrium viBoot - Create Virtual Machine using Macrium Image - TenForumsTutorials
Amongst the other system imaging utilities are:
1 Acronis True Image - Normally paid for but- Owners of these disk brands can get free limited-capability versions from those companies.
- These free versions depend on the presence of that brand of disk both to make system images & to restore system images.
- The free versions allow full system imaging but not the incremental/differential imaging that the paid-for version allows.
- Their own-branded USB stick can be enough to allow them to work but an SD card is not.
- They cannot necessarily detect a branded disk connected in a non-standard way [such as in a caddy in a DVD bay] and the only way to find out is to try it. This has varied over time/versions.
- Their willingness to restore images in the absence of a branded disk has also varied over time/versions.
2 AOMEI Backupper Standard Edition - Free Backup Software for Windows - Free version
3 EaseUS ToDo Backup - Free version
4 Paragon Backup & Recovery - Free version
[Links 2-4 provided by Paul Black]
While you're thinking about backups, consider Backup and Restore Device Drivers - TenForumsTutorials as well.
All the best,
Denis