Windows 10: Good method to back up Win 10 system?

That says it all because I'm a back up freak.

TYIA

:)

 

Outlook 2007 and Windows10

It should work in win 10 but always a good idea to back up your data.

 

Windows 10 Backup

It is simply used to differentiate the method of the backup from the win 10 version (called file history) It is a perfectly good way of backing up but realize when you use the built in backup it requires a bootable PC to get to the backup. It is more
secure to use a 3rd party backup (like Acronis true image home) in case the computer becomes unbootible

 

I am not sure my answer is best, but I would make an image of your drive to an external one. Not sure there is much more, as making an image backs up everything on the drive(os to files). Here is a webpage that goes over some tools including backup image. http://www.howtogeek.com/220986/how-...ecovery-tools/

 

Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free

 

If your a backup freak, you can't beat a NAS. I use one for backing up OS drive images, personal data, and backup plans.

 

Frequently create images from your important drives (system, multimedia file...) using a renown backup solution (Macrium, Paragon...). I do this approx. once a week. Plus I have daily synch jobs (using PureSync) to synch my most important files to my NAS (music collection, pictures...). And there is another external hard disc in a drawer at my office that I take home once a month to backup my most important data (music collection, pictures collection with pictures of the little girl of my wife...). This way my most important data would even survive a catastrophic event like a fire or a flood. This way I feel pretty save because I know I would be able to restore my data under almost any circumstances.

 

+1 for Macrium Reflect. I find it easy to use and it works great with Windows 10.

 

I also use Macrium reflect free.

 

Using Macrium Reflect and saving the images onto an external hard drive is the way I do it.

 

EaseUS ToDo Backup Free is a good option. I used it on my dad's system to restore his 8.1 system due to a boot error. The restore function worked great. Though, it did take a few hours to restore to his SSD drive since you have to tick "Optimize for SSD" which of course takes longer to restore. It worked after this was done.

 

I use Uranium Backup for file backups.

 

Another vote for Macrium Reflect Free here. They also added incremental backups. I haven't fully explored it yet, but it's imaging and restore functions have always worked 100% for me for years.

 

I have just spent a couple of days Trying to work out which Tool to use as the one I have used for years 'ShadowProtect desktop' has not been updated to work in Win10 yet.
I liked the look of easeUS and gave it a try. At every point I got errors That took a while to overcome. In the end when I finally made a backup image, I found that it will only restore an image to a drive where you have deleted the Volume, just reformatting it won't work. Most Backup programs will overwrite anything on the drive but easeUS is very fussy. Worse in my opinion it doesn't explain why it won't do it just gives a nonsensical error message.
When I restored an ssd to a normal HD it booted very slowly to a black screen with my cursor on it ! So I tried restoring to an identical SSD
It did exactly the same. YMMV but I gave up at that point after spending half a day mucking around with it.
I would not trust my data to it. This was the paid for home version BTW.

I have just tried to do exactly the same two drives in Macrium reflect free version. The normal HD takes over 9 minutes to boot on my 8 processor system! but at least it booted and seemed to work fine as well! I tried rebooting to see if it sped up but it didn't.
I then tried the identical SSD as before and it booted in 50 seconds which is the same as I am getting on the original.
I have backed up over the network as well which easeUS won't do and I must say I can't complain for a free version..

The only thing is I will need the paid for version for two PC's and the price is a bit steep.

I am now going to give the free trial of NovaBackup 17 a go as that's a bit cheaper lol

Mike

 

Hi there

I have a BIG issues with Macrium Free -- Note the LATEST release and the FREE not the PRO (Paid for) version.

1) To create BOOTABLE restore / backup system (IMO if you can't do a "Bare Metal Restore" then the system isn't worth having --if your system becomes Unbootable then you are stuck-- how do you restore !!).

2) The latest version of Macrium Free doesn't have the old Linux ISO (don't panic -- stand alone bootable backup programs are usually Linux based - they bring you straight into a decent like Windows GUI so no Windows user needs to know anything about the underlying OS). You need to create a WINPE type of system -- IMO far too complex to do for a typical novice. Just give the user a bootable ISO.

3) Macrium Free relies on VSS - this can cause problems if you are running out of space on the drive you are backing up.

4) You can't MOUNT the backup image to restore say a file or a selection of individual files.

So I chose Acronis -- OK it went through a couple of HIDEOUS releases but the latest one (2015) is fine and very reliable. Creates bootable USB media too (and if you WANT a WINPE system you can create one too).


Here's the documentation about Macrium Free (V6) not supplying the Linux based bootable ISO any more.

V6 for bootable ISO -- this shows that the latest release of Macrium Free no longer has the Linux boot ISO. V5 had it OK so upgraders - your bootable ISO won't be the same.

Linux ISO download


Sometimes - especially for important things like Backup it's better to pay a small amount of money for a robust commercial version -- a lot of companies now are really squeezing out a lot of functionality in their FREE offerings to make them not worth having.

@mpooley -- With Acronis you are licensed on ONE machine but the bootable media can be used on any machine you care to use - so backup / restore from a bootable media. !!!


Cheers
jimbo