Windows 7: Volume shadow copy necessary?

Hello my mate mm, no I am most certainly not!



Even Bill2 one of the true Windows gurus around here has said that VSS must be on, at least Manual for the successful creation of 3rd party images.

Both
1) Volume Shadow Copy
2) Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider

Should be set to manual
MS should know best - here is their advice
Event ID 13

Just set it to manual and started it.The status is started. Or should I leave it stopped? It may start automatically when a program needs it?

It'll start automatically if ever needed, just leave it at manual.

With the status "stopped"?

The status is ok. It just isn't needed at the moment. It will start when called on.

Just coming back to the point someone raised about the difference between system restore and system image.

The objective of system restore is to restore windows system files, the registry and programs. It restores everything inside the windows folder and a set of monitored extensions outside that. So it can (and likely will) mess with user created exes/batches/scripts, this is the source of complaints about system restore having deleted files.

Reading the following will help:

Protecting Files During System Restore

Understanding how System Restore in Windows Vista treats executable files - The Storage Team at Microsoft - File Cabinet Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

Why Vista's System Restore is Dangerous and What to do About it | sepago

System image OTOH restores EVERYTHING (of course excluding what it never backed up in the first place- hibernation file, pagefile and shadow copies).

It's partly for the reason above and the fact that system restore, for me at least, can produce bad results that I don't use it.

I've relied on system images. I just keep them to a manageable size <60GB.

As I understand it, a system image includes also personal files like mp3s and images, and the volume shadow copy doesnt?

If I go this way: Control panel -> system and security -> backup and restore, I can back up personal files like mp3s and images. I can plan f.ex to take backup once a week.

What if the volume shadow copy is deactivated in "services", will backing up personal files still work?

I would simply not deactivate it.

Quickly:
There are 2 types of backup in "Windows Backup & Restore" and they are very different.
(1) File/folder backup makes .zip files and backups up personal data - mp3s documents .....
(2) Images are a COMPLETE snapshot of your partition. Operating system, programs, data .....the lot.