Windows 10: System Image vs File Back-Up

Since Win 10, Macrium Reflect, and Aomei Backupper all have the means to extract files from a system image is there any benefit to using standard back-up files any more, other then maybe quicker access to the files?

:)

 

Best Suggestion for Backing Up before a Fresh Reinstall?

Hi Robert,

If you have files or folders elsewhere that you want backed up, you can move them into one of your existing libraries or create a new library. To help you decide between creating a
system image or backing up with File History, we suggest that you check this
thread, and look for
Annu Singh's post.

We would appreciate it if you could get back to us and provide us your feedback.

 

System image back up vanishes!

Hi and thanks to all respondents for the comprehensive replies on this thread

I have changed to Administrator status and can now see all the folder/file content and size of the System Image back up.

Best regards to all

 

A disk image gives you the best of both worlds. If there's a problem with an update or improperly written program screws up your operating system you will have to do a fresh install of your OS and software, and then recover your data from the file back up. With the disk image you will have the ability to restore your system to the exact condition concurrent with the timing of the disk image.

 

I do a system image weekly using Macrium Reflect and also back up my files whenever I make changes to them, or create a new file.

 

Thanks for the responses!

 

I personally, stand by system images. Backups still leave unwanted crap behind that was there before the restore was initiated.

 

Glad to help. I have done system images since my Windows XP days and they have saved me from having to do a new install many times, when things go bad.

 

Yeah about preventing a reinstalation. I always keep an image of just windows, drivers, and updates for when the image was made, and revert to that before I consider a fresh install.

 

Ditto! It's always the perfect replacement to a fresh install without the hassles.


Also the beauty of incremental disk images allows you to recover files you might have purposely deleted but find you need again.

 

As always it depends on the circumstances. If there is enough storage available images are king because they allow both, restoring only certain files or the whole disk/ partition. But not if storage is an issue. In this case it can be useful to restrict the backup to the files that are actually worth a backup.

I create images of all disks because storage is not an issue and it saves me the hassle of deciding what files to include. But I also have a daily backup jobs of my most important data (familiy photos, music archive...), every night those are copied to my NAS.

on the other hand backups of the os should clearly be images, only with images are you able to restore a crashed system to it's former state.

 

Thanks again for the helpful info!