Windows 10: Questions about creating a system Image backup - a bit coinfused

Hi
I want to use the "windows system image backup tool" to an external hard drive which is a backup that already contains
other folders from several computers that I need to keep.
Ive never done this B4 so these are baby questions ; )
Question:
Will the image creator erase any of that info already stored on the external drive if I backup the system image to that drive?
Question:
is the windows image creator a good tool to do this (any problems with it that are known)?

is there some better image backup creator? if so which and why?

any help appreciated*Confused

:)

 

Creating a System Image backup - keeps looping

Trying to help my father save a system image of a new Lanovo ideapad 100S laptop onto an 32MG SD Card (via skype so sorry if I do not have enough info below to explain myself, let me know if you need more).

The C: drive is 21GB so the SD card D: should be big enough?





The backup selects 3 drive and as I don't know what the extra 2 are I have left them selected.





It finds the SD card and saves the first file in the list and then starts on the C: Drive but when it gets part way through it gives a message to insert a disk into D: Drive and click OK. Then apprears to loop back and start the Crive save all over again.
It will continute in this loop until we cancel the backup.





Checked the SD Card at this point and there is a file (I am guessing it is the partial save of the Crive)





BUT once clicked to ok to the insert a disk message the file is wiped to 0KB





Any idea why it is looping and how I can stop it so we can get a system Image saved?

Taken 2 whole days so far just to work out what appears to be happening.

 

Creating a System Image backup - keeps looping

Thought I'd drop my two cents here, the issue with it looping is a relatively simple one and surprised Microsoft people didn't know the correct answer...

The problem is that SD Cards and most USB Flash Drives are formatted FAT32 for the file system. This limits the maximum file size and one file can be to about 4GB. Obviously if the system image is saying the total backup is 21GB that won't work. Unfortunately
this method doesn't know how to span the system image across multiple files, and instead of proper error handling (you reading this Microsoft?) it just loops when it hits the 4GB file limit rather than informing the user the file system is not proper for this
method.

To alleviate the issue, right-click Computer (This PC) and go to Manage then Disk Management. From there you'll see your Removable Media, be it an SD Card or Flash Drive. You'll want to right-click whatever external method you are backing up to and select
Format (Warning: This will delete all data on the media being formatted). From there, change File System to NTFS, make sure Quick Format is selected and hit Ok. After that your external media will properly function with the Windows System Image creation tool.

I hope this helps people in the future, I sat here pondering the same thing as I prepare to swap from a HDD to an SSD in a laptop I'm giving to my dad. It dawned on me after watching it loop a few times that it was stopping with a file around 4GB and my
IT training went into full effect and realized it needed to be formatted as NTFS

 

While I do not know about Windows 10 backup/restore utilities, I do know Macrium Reflect [free and pay-for]. MR will not delete anything on your ext HD unless you "tell it to do so" via its purging choices. I recommend two ext HDs getting your OS and data partitions backups.

 

I have been using the built-in System Image Backup since Windows 7 days. So, I am quite familiar with the program.

RE : Will the image creator erase any of that info already stored on the external drive if I backup the system image to that drive?

No. It will create a folder called WindowsImageBackup. The backup file is stored in there. Contents that are in the external hard drive will remain untouched.




RE : is the windows image creator a good tool to do this (any problems with it that are known)?

Depending on whom you ask this question.
I, personally, have been using it for at least 2 years, and I had been using the system image backup to restore my computer, many times. It has never failed me.

There are many others who come barely short of calling it "garbage".

RE : is there some better image backup creator? if so which and why?

Depending on how do you plan to use the program
Macrium Reflect is the " de facto" in these forums.
It is more sophisticated than the Windows own built-in program, to be sure.
You will have to try it for yourself. What works for others does not necessarily works for you.
Windows own built-in program works for me and I see no reason to switch to something else. But that's just me.

 

Thanks I will look into that software.
I think the idea of a separate ext drive is a good one but I was unprepared for the WIN 10
Forced updates (I have the Home edition : ( (I'd heard all about "cortana the spy" LOL but not this update hell)
and windows is threatening *Wink to download 2 updates that some people have
had real problems with....

 

Thanks for the comprehensive answer - it is much appreciated.
Well off I go : )

 

You are welcome.