Windows 10: Backup and make image

Discus and support Backup and make image in Windows 10 Backup and Restore to solve the problem; Hopefully my annotated screenshot explains my two questions clearly: [img] Terry, East Grinstead, UK 92539 Discussion in 'Windows 10 Backup and Restore' started by Terrypin, Aug 31, 2017.

  1. Terrypin Win User

    Backup and make image


    Hopefully my annotated screenshot explains my two questions clearly:


    Backup and make image [​IMG]


    Terry, East Grinstead, UK

    :)
     
    Terrypin, Aug 31, 2017
    #1
  2. Nejayote Win User

    Windows 10 automatic backup error 0x80070015

    It's true for me too. I got that error for months every time I tried to make a backup including in it an image of C:. But now, if I make an image of C:\\ and a backup separately, in two operations that is, it works wonderfully. If yo get the error and you
    still want to make a backup with the backup tool of Windows 10, you should try to leave the image of C: out of the backup operation and make an image separately.

    Goof luck!
     
    Nejayote, Aug 31, 2017
    #2
  3. BulldogXX Win User
    recovery drive

    Instead of making a recovery drive, why not just make daily image backups?

    An image backup is an exact copy of your computer, compressed into a single file. Image backup software makes it convenient to create backup images automatically every day. Imagine always having an exact copy of your computer that's no older than 24 hours.

    If your computer becomes seriously damaged, just restore an image from before the trouble started. When you restore an image, your computer literally goes back in time to when the image was made.

    Making and restoring images takes just minutes. Why would anyone want to go to the trouble of using a recovery disk when you can have a complete working computer in a matter of minutes.
     
    BulldogXX, Aug 31, 2017
    #3
  4. dalchina New Member

    Backup and make image

    For imaging, use Macrium reflect (free) or one of the other 3rd party tools.

    File History is useful for maintaining backups of changed files, constantly updated (if the storage location is available) so is quite different in purpose.

    Windows 7 Backup and Restore can be problematic and I wouldn't recommend it compared to Macrium etc.
     
    dalchina, Aug 31, 2017
    #4
  5. Terrypin Win User
    Thanks for that fast reply.

    I have Macrium Free but to me it seems dauntingly complicated. Brief attempts with a couple of tutorials have been abandoned until the unlikely day that I have a day or three to spare.

    It's significantly more complex than the 'couple-of-clicks' no brainer of the Windows 7 tool. That's the sort of thing I'm looking for. I'm guessing that's true of many 'non-techie' users with no previous imaging experience, despite being veteran end-users like me.

    But only if it works, of course! What are the weaknesses of the Win 7 facility behind your recommendation to avoid it?
     
    Terrypin, Aug 31, 2017
    #5
  6. dalchina New Member
    If you want sthg that looks simpler try Veeam Endpoint. Then after that Aomei Backupper.

    Actually to start Macrium Reflect on Windows first time is about 3 clicks.
    (Click Backup, Backup Windows, - check all 4 partitions for EFI are selected- then select the backup destination first time, then click Next).

    It's very non-intuitive to start a differential image:
    Click Backup definition files, rt click the one you want, down to Run now, then click Differential

    The only other thing you need to do is to use Other Tasks, Create Rescue Media to make a boot disk.

    That's absolute basics.

    What are the weaknesses of the Win 7 facility behind your recommendation to avoid it?
    a. No report of problems with that have been resolved to my knowledge. (See threads in this forum)
    b. It lacks features.
    c. It can be problematical- not seeing external disks.

    It's a legacy feature, not maintained.
     
    dalchina, Aug 31, 2017
    #6
  7. cereberus Win User
    Read the best Macrium tutorial around by our resident expert @Kari on this site. It goes through it step by step.

    It really is quite easy to use.

    1) MS are deprecating the system image backup tool (i.e. going to drop it) and recommend use of 3rd party tool

    2) Macrium is faster, more reliable, flexible, and gives better file compression.

    3) It has lots of other great features - the 'fix windows boot problem" sorts out all sorts of issues with corrupted boot files, without complicated command line commands.

    4) You can create a boot option, so it will boot to it even without a recovery drive in many cases (still need recovery drive in case drive fails, or C drive gets badly corrupted).

    5) If you decide you like the Free version, then you might consider paying for Home version which adds a lot of other great features.

    In the end, you are comparing a Ford with a Rolls Royce.
     
    cereberus, Aug 31, 2017
    #7
  8. DavidY Win User

    Backup and make image

    The option for System Image Backup is still there if you hunt for it ("More Options" below File History, then "See advanced settings" on the next screen, then the option should appear at the bottom left corner).

    But I wouldn't bother as Microsoft are deprecating System Image Backup and recommending you use 3rd party tools.
    (I see cereberus has beaten me to it on that bit.)
     
    DavidY, Aug 31, 2017
    #8
  9. Terrypin Win User
    Thanks all, much appreciate those informative replies.

    OK, I'm sold. I will set aside time to try my first Macrium image within the next few days.

    One key question that's always troubled me (about any imaging program): how can I be sure it will work? Especially with that first attempt when I'm at my least confident. I have a 256 GB SSD ( C ), plus an internal, well-used, 4 TB HD, and external USB drives of 3, 2, and 1 TB respectively. But from the research I did a year or so ago, after upgrading to this Win 10 PC after 15 years with XP, I cannot make an image of C and restore it to anywhere but C in order to reassure myself it works. This 'hope for the best' aspect seems a major issue to me.
     
    Terrypin, Aug 31, 2017
    #9
  10. dalchina New Member
    You can opt to verify your image when you create it.

    After that, there is of course the question of the image remaining valid- and bear in mind you also will be likely dependent when you restore an image on two separate image files- the base image (1st, biggest, slowest) and a differential image file. The base image file could be months old when you finally need to restore it.

    Further, when creating the image, you get a 'free' check on the state of your disk- if Macrium can't read it you'll probably get a CRC error.

    Image files are compressed, so there will be an inherent check on that when you come to read it- which includes each time you create a differential image.
     
    dalchina, Aug 31, 2017
    #10
  11. f14tomcat Win User
    After you have created your image, you can, thru Macrium, "mount" it. It will look just like a separate disk drive, with all of the partitions you backed up. You can explore the folders and files, just like any other drive. This may give you some confidence that it has worked correctly. Just look around in the "mounted" image and assure yourself all looks ok. You can even copy files from the "mounted" image to verify them. When done, go to My PC and eject the "drive" with Macrium. This may give you a more warm and fuzzy feel!

    TC
     
    f14tomcat, Aug 31, 2017
    #11
  12. Terrypin Win User
    Thanks both, that's reassuring.
     
    Terrypin, Aug 31, 2017
    #12
  13. cereberus Win User

    Backup and make image

    One good way to be confident is to restore the image in a virtual machine.

    With hyper-v this is a piece of cake, using viboot as you do not even need to restore the image.

    Another way is to simply restore image to another physical drive, and swap drive temporarily.
     
    cereberus, Aug 31, 2017
    #13
  14. Bree New Member
    I Use it, and I have found it to be 'fragile' and temperamental. When it works the restored image is fine, but it is all too easy to break its ability to find and recognise a perfectly good image that should be restorable. Apparently innocuous name changes or copying can make an image unrestorable.

    Anyway, Microsoft themselves recommend using something (anything) else. It's a deprecated feature for the upcoming Fall Creators Update.

    Features removed or Deprecated in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update
     
  15. You cannot be sure it will work, with 100% certainty. None of the imaging programs are fool-proof and you shouldn't expect that.

    The premise of imaging is just to save you time---the time necessary to do a complete manual re-installation if it came to that. Macrium gives you a very high probability of saving that time, but not absolute certainty.

    Macrium is probably beyond 98 or 99 % reliable and you can drive down the uncertainty by using best practices with it and by doing "pretend" restores or actual test restores to a spare hard drive you may have laying around.

    You need to confirm that any recovery boot media you have made with Macrium will actually boot your PC. Recovery media is useless if it won't boot your PC. Don't assume it will.

    You should gain familiarity with the menu choices you will be faced with during restoration. The way to do that is to pretend your hard drive dropped dead and then walk part way through the restoration process when the heat is OFF, not when the heat is ON after a real hard drive failure--far enough and often enough that you are confident in your understanding of the procedure.

    Better yet, do an actual restore to that spare hard drive and confirm to your own satisfaction that it will IN FACT boot your PC. I say IN FACT.

    I'd rely on periodic full images, rather than the more complex differentials.

    All you need is the storage space necessary for the images--which typically amounts to between 40 and 60 percent of the used space on the partitions being imaged. That is: if C is 200 GB with 80 GB occupied, the Macrium image file of the necessary partitions will be somewhere near 40 GB in size, give or take. It's a single file with an MRIMG extension and you save it anywhere you want on some other drive, just like it was a picture of your cat.

    I'd back up that MRIMG file just as you would any other important file, using a garden variety "file by file" data backup program---of which there are many. I use SyncBack Free.
     
    ignatzatsonic, Aug 31, 2017
    #15
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