Windows 10: Macrium Free - absolutely no reason to avoid taking backups 4 Mins !

Takes me 3 or 4 minutes per PC to backup my System disks which do not include any data which I keep on separate drives, data from those drives is backed up using a file sync program, so only changes are mirrored in the backups, after the initial first backup it just takes a few minutes. Actually I have two backup drives, both 4TB drives so I do actually backup the backups as well.
OS I backup weekly or after some major event such as before and after a cumulative update, I just keep 3 Macrium backups.
These days it's pretty painless to do regular backups, not like it used to be waiting for hours for a tape backup to complete! Only ever needed to use Macrium to restore once due to a disk failure, was up and running in a few minutes after replacing the SSD, a lot less painful than reinstalling everything.

 

Well personally, daily backups take none of my time they all run automatically as scheduled. they also automatically delete older versions so my back up drives never get too full. Any screw up in my OS, I can restore a Partition back up of C: in less than 10 minutes and not have to reconfigure anything. Clean Installing for a simple OS screw up is crazy in this day and age especially if you actually use your computers for many things including work.
My Data files are stored separately. I have a folder that contains the files I use every day I name it important files this gets backed up real time. My long-term stored data also gets backed up separately and of course, it takes longer but not much since incremental only back up changed files. I would find a clean install a total waste of a lot of my valuable time in almost every case. Back up take up none of my daily time since they are scheduled items running themselves.

 

I totally agree. Data can be backed up by many ways ranging from simple copying in file explorer, onedrive/google etc, file history backup, or one of dozens of 3rd party apps, often automatically in background.

It makes sense to keep os+programs drive lean and mean.

I use a pragmatic strategy ie. backup OS drive with Macrium once a week (or before/after major build upgrade), backup critical data (photos, word/excel etc.) continuously to cloud, and back up rest of non critical data (videos mostly), once a month (just using file explorer), acccepting if drive fails I may need to download any videos again not backed up but I have fast broadband so no big deal.

In the end, there is no right or wrong answer - a person should devise a strategy that suits them. One thing is for sure, the only WRONG thing is not to backup critical data by any means appropriate.

 

I suppose I have to try to answer this as I started and now wished I had not.

There are reasons. The most obvious I can think of is security. If you make a backup from any FDE will write in plain.

You could argue (and indeed I would) that if you encrypted your laptop with bitlocker (for example) and then backed up your laptop with Macrium (for example) and it didn't cross your mind that your Macrium backup would be open for all to see then this is a problem.

But perhaps not.

Encryption is important (essential really) and you should consider if and how your backups are encrypted.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't make a backup - just think about it. Is it encrypted? Where is it? And so on.

Perhaps there is another reason not to do a backup but off the top of my head I can't think of one. I will think it over.

 

Hi there.

Question : If one stores backup OFF Computer and off Cloud - why in the world would you need to worry about security or encryption.

If data is accessible on the Internet by any manner then that's another issue but if your backups are stored OFFLINE then unless these are stolen / house burns down -- in which case you'd have other more important things to worry about than computer data there's no reason to encrypt anything -- and saves any problems if stuff needs to be restored on different computers.

Things like Bitlocker are an abomination for an average home user -- even for not so an average home user. !!

Many times I've seen people not able to recover data encrypted with bitlocker -- the only practical use of that system seems to me is that if a company laptop is lost or stolen the data on it is useless to the "perp" or whoever is using the lost / stolen computer. Why you would even THINK of using that type of system on a home PC is beyond me -- I doubt if the average hacker is interested in your music / videos downloaded from some torrent site etc or even obtained via iTunes / Spotify etc.

Encryption just adds unnecessary complication to a typical users data - especially if you are simply backing up music files etc.

If it's work related stuff being stored on other peoples servers / public cloud servers then another issue -- but I assume most people here aren't working for CIA, MOSSAD etc. !!!!

Cheers
jimbo

 

I'll have to admit I do not know what an FDE means. But that aside, my backup(s) are kept on a removable external drive and stored in a fireproof safe. I do not cloud backup anything. I still assert there are 0 reasons to not do backups.

 

Full-disk encryption (FDE) is encryption at the hardware level. FDE works by automatically converting data on a hard drive into a form that cannot be understood by anyone who doesn’t have the key to “undo” the conversion.

 

FDE means Full Disk Encryption. It means that the whole disk is encrypted rather than just some files - this means that temporary files and so on are not available if you lose your device. Windows, Linux, MacOS, Android all do this.

I have twice left my laptop in the pub (I got it back once though in the late '90's) and I have lost more mobile phones than I care to think of.

If your disk is encrypted no-one can see your embarrassing photos. Or bank details. Or whatever.

If you encrypt your disk and don't encrypt your backup then your backup is as much of a risk to you in terms of identity theft as your original device.

As you keep your backups in a safe I think that is pretty safe but personally I would encrypt it as well.

I'm not saying not to do backups - just that there is something else to consider.

 

Understood. *Smile

 

Hi,
Not sure why anyone would leave the disk.. with system images installed silly is what silly does I suppose *Smile

 

Not following you. Slow Saturday morning........*Wink

 

Hi,
Saying only time I personally have my backup disk connected is when I'm either creating one or restoring one *Smile
Otherwise it's in a drawer.

 

*Thumbs

 

Macrium Image Guardian (not on free version) prevents other tools manipulating online backups. Of course, nothing can protect an online backup if pc gets controlled remotely.

 

I am so glad I found this forum and learned of Macrium. I was having fits with my old backup program(acronis) trying to boot up and work correctly. I still cannot believe I had not heard of Macrium before lol. This is such a great program! It is able to use a network when booted from the USB or DVD. Saved me such a headache with that. Now I have a clean install of both my PC's saved and know for a fact I can see them over the network and restore them if needed. Already done it twice. *Devil