Windows 10: Creating a new differential backup after a restore

Can I create new differential backup after restoring an existing one? Let’s take the following backup set as an example:

00 – Full Backup
01 – First Differential
02 – Second Differential
03 - Third Differential

If I restored to the second differential backup, could I then create a new differential backup and continue the set? What would happen to the third differential backup (03 above) if I did that? I am using the free version of Macrium Reflect 7.1.

:)

 

Restore a windows 10 backup on a new phone

To answer your last question: You cannot re-try while using the phone, restoring a backup works only while in the setup process.

 

Restore a windows 10 backup on a new phone

Hi

I've just upgraded to a Lumia 550 from a Lumia 535 which was running an insider programme version of Windows 10.

I'm in the setup process on my new phone and it's asking me if I want to restore a recent backup from my previous phone. I want to do that but my new phone doesn't have an SD card yet and I was using lots of the storage on my old phone, so I'm worried that
the restore might fail because I don't have enough storage. Is there some way I can find out or do I just have to try it and see. And if it fails will I be able to re-try once I've added an SD card in my new phone?

Thanks

 

A differential image represents the difference between the base image and your imaged disks or partitions as they currently are, as you probably know.

So creating a new differential image simply allows you to restore what you have imaged, and only requires you have that differential image file and the base image file. The other differential image files are not relevant to that.

So if you no longer need the older differential image files, you could delete them.

 

Sure you can do that. Each differential is independent of other diffs (unlike more space efficient incrementals in paid versions).

Each differential contains all changes since last full backup. So it does not matter which you select, and can create new ones.

As they are independent, you can delete older ones to save space.

 

Returning to the example, after restoring the second differential backup, are there any guidelines about the best type of backup to do next (full vs. differential)? Let’s assume the second differential is only two days old and very little has changed since it was captured. I’m trying to understand if the fact that I restored affects what to do next.

 

What I’m not clear about is this: is there anything about a restored environment that would make you want to do another full backup afterwards vs. continuing the existing backup set with another differential?

 

A base image is a bigger file and takes longer to generate.

A differential file is smaller and faster to generate.

All you need to restore your system is either:
A base image
or
A base image + a differential image corresponding to that base image.

How you use that is entirely up to you.

 

You are still not getting it - each diff is independent. It does not matter in the slightest if you restore to some intermediate state after the original full backup. When you create a diff, it just compares PC today against full backup done originally.

 

Nothing different about the restored environment. Eventually it makes sense to take another full, as your differential files continue to get larger and larger and take longer since its everything that changed since the first full backup.

 

Possibly yes......

Although creating a new incremental or differential based on a restored image will work, you might be surprised just how big that new image is. Although outwardly nothing has changed, the reality could be that pretty much everything has......

An analogy. You are making an image of all the books in the local library. You restore that image and everything is put back exactly where it was... almost. Now suppose each row of restored books was a little to the left or right of where they were before. It makes no difference to the user, but the program imaging the books thinks every one is now different and so creates a new differential or incremental image to reflect that. The result is that the differential or incremental image can be almost as big as starting a new full sequence off.

 

I assumed Macrium Reflect worked this way, but I wanted to be absolutely sure before basing my backup strategy on it.

I used to use Windows System Image Backup (SIB) and learned the hard way not to make assumptions about it. I once tried to reinstall Windows 10 on an old, problematic laptop. I assumed that if it didn’t work out I could just restore it with a Windows SIB image that I captured just prior to the reinstall attempt. Bad assumption. When I tried to restore, Windows SIB could not find the image file on the external hard drive. Very frustrating. I think it had something to do with a change to a volume name that SIB didn’t like. Anyway, lesson learned. Don’t make assumptions when it comes to something as important as a system image.

I decided to try Macrium Reflect after I found out that Windows SIB was being deprecated in the Fall Creators Update. It has worked great so far.

 

Differentials are an order of magnitude smaller - the OS hardly changes in size.

You should always do a full image backup after a build upgrade which is when most files change. I do not think diffs can handle a build upgrade but never tried it.

Unless you are writing GBs of data a day to C drive, differentials are normally quite small.

Your analogy is incorrect as Macrium is far more clever than that. Files do not get restored in same location - it uses smart sector copying.

 

I was basing my comments on experience with Acronis in years gone by. Personally, I would never continue backing up a restored image to a pre-existing chain, whether incremental or differential.

Although I agree that you should always do a new full image after a major upgrade, there is no technical reason why a differential or incremental would fail... it should after all correctly identify the sectors that have changed and perform the backup accordingly.

 

Differentials are not chained, only incrementals.