Disk Backup

[Ben Cap 89]

Hi,

 

Recently, I've decided that it is within my best interest to make the investment to add another large disk drive in my system specifically for backups.

 

Although I will have a backup drive, I have no backup software. What do you guys recommend for backing up my system and all of my files?

[Sam Nicholson 0]

EaseUS Todo Backup (http://www.todo-backup.com/) or Paragon Backup & Recovery 2012 (http://www.paragon-software.com/home/br-free/)

 

I personally use O&O's software, but only because I am a returning customer from their Disk Defragmenter. Those other two are the bomb, though. Use them on machines I set up for other people.

[Dicko 3]

What do you guys recommend for backing up my system and all of my files?

Without a doubt Acronis!

[GHD 21]

Macrium Reflect.

[Glynn 405]

Hello

If you are running Windows 7 you already have a perfectly good imaging solution

Windows 7 Backup and Restore

You can restore the images from your W7 DVD or the recovery consol or the repair disk you create.

Works well, why pay for an disk imaging solution when W7 already provides a nice solution.

[Barthandelus 1]

I use Acronis. You can make a boot CD, and image all your drives. Then if you need to restore, pop the disk in, point to the backup file. 10 minutes later, a clean build of Windows, complete with FSX. Job done.

I keep multiple versions:

1. Windows installed, activated

2. As version 1, with drivers, and non FSX software such as Office, etc.

3. Full blown FSX environment, with addons, scenery, etc.

 

Good thing about this, is that if my PC borks, i can just restore to one of these images in minutes. And not have to worry about activating software again.

[Manny 1,293]

I have Acronos and I very happy with their product, ease of use and their customer support.

 

I have recovered from disasters from backed up C: drive

 

And yes, it recovers total C: drive image including registry entries and everything...so all addons activated and software installation already activated as it was at time of backup

 

Manny

[Glynn 405]

And yes, it recovers total C: drive image including registry entries and everything...so all addons activated and software installation already activated as it was at time of backup

 

 

Hello

That is exactly what Windows 7 Backup and restore does,

Creates an image of your C: drive + any other drives you choose.

Pop in your Windows 7 DVD or the Recovery disk that it will build for you, and restore it exactly as it was imaged.

Works perfectly, costs nothing, I must be missing out on something not spending money on a third party imaging solution but I cannot think what that might be.

[Manny 1,293]

Hello

That is exactly what Windows 7 Backup and restore does,

Creates an image of your C: drive + any other drives you choose.

Pop in your Windows 7 DVD or the Recovery disk that it will build for you, and restore it exactly as it was imaged.

Works perfectly, costs nothing, I must be missing out on something not spending money on a third party imaging solution but I cannot think what that might be.

 

You maybe onto something. :)

 

http://www.petri.co....ackup-image.htm

 

http://lifehacker.co...-restore-center

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3f4ag__8Cw

 

Yeh..it may be worth checking out the Windows 7 back and restore function before spending money

 

Manny

 

And to recover

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3Wrsfa89n4

[Glynn 405]

Hello Manny

I was an Acronis user in the past and it always worked well for me.

When I moved to W7 64 I checked out the built in backup software not expecting much to be honest.

I had always though that windows backup was just a file by file backup, In earlier version of windows this was the case.

But the W7 version is in fact a full disk imaging program in the same manner as Acronis ect.

You can use the Restore CD that it lets you make, or even easier just pop in the W7 DVD and choose the repair option.

Well worth checking out for those who do not presently have an imaging solution, they have a nice one already built in for free.

[Manny 1,293]

I loved Acronis with Win XP..so I automatically went to Acronis when moving to Win 7. I did not know about this being available as standard part of Win 7 until you posted it here and if you an Acronis user endorse this, then yeah.... folks should check out the default Win 7 backup and restore

 

I agree

 

Manny

[SAAB340 28]

Oh, very nice to know. Have been trialling the Acronis software the latest weeks and was away to buy it. Seems like its a good idea to look a bit deeper in to what's actually included on that Win7 Ultimate DVD. =) Thanks for the heads up.

[Glynn 405]

Seems like its a good idea to look a bit deeper in to what's actually included on that Win7 Ultimate DVD.

Hello

Nothing to lose, you have already bought the one in Win7, better still for you the version in W7 Pro and Ultimate will backup and restore to/from any network device.

[Ben Cap 89]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. After reading through the posts I discovered a part of my OS that I didn't even know existed! - I just made my first disk image backup to my external drive.

 

Thanks for all of the input, this has been a real eye opener for me.

[TechguyMaxC 516]

I don't recommend using Windows 7 backup. There is a bug that causes your system to boot very slowly after using the Windows 7 backup to create an image. Even if you delete the image, Windows will always try to check it on every startup. It added at least 30 seconds to my boot and that's on a 512GB Vertex 4 with the image saved on a 3TB Barracuda 7200.