Does this look right?

bru · 24 Jun 2011

I am still a bit confused with all the back up options. I have been using Windows backup. A few hiccups along the way but I think I now have things proper. But reading tutorials I see things like "system files" and certainly much smaller numbers.

Here is what has been backed up. For data files I'm sure that is right. But what about system image? I thought it compressed things. I did have about 160GB being used for system image but selected "save only most recent image..." and then I was left with the 120GB. What would the extra 40GB have been? It couldn't have been a full image.

mjf · 25 Jun 2011

I believe MS/Windows use the concept of "differencing VHDs" not complete multiple images. This is probably what you have deleted. You should be left with the most recent complete image.

Personally, I only store complete images using the manual "Create a System Image" option.

karlsnooks · 25 Jun 2011

I second mjf's recommendation regarding making only complete images.

Choose the system image option on the left-hand side of that initial backup and restore screen and then put a checkmark for all of the drives of your system. Of course, don't include the external drive that you will be using as a backup. You can't backup to yourself.

bru · 25 Jun 2011

mjf said:

Personally, I only store complete images using the manual "Create a System Image" option.

karlsnooks said:

I second mjf's recommendation regarding making only complete images.

Choose the system image option on the left-hand side of that initial backup and restore screen and then put a checkmark for all of the drives of your system. Of course, don't include the external drive that you will be using as a backup. You can't backup to yourself.

I thought that is what I was doing. I did exactly that, created the system image manually. Or am I mistaken?

I couldn't quite understand how there could be 160GB attributed to system image if the entire image is 120GB. When I looked in the backup drive I only saw the most recent image.

karlsnooks · 25 Jun 2011

With your external drive that you use for backups connected, follow this procedure please. This will help us understand.

HOW TO POST A SNAPSHOT OF DISK MANAGEMENT DISPLAY

Run disk management:
WIN | type DISKMGMT.MSC | ENTER
WIN is the key with the wavy flag.

Maximize the output of Disk Management:
ALT-Spacebar key combo (this pops up a menu) |
X key (selects Maximize) |
Drag the field separators (such as between Status and Capacity) to show entire field. This is very important, otherwise, needed info is not visible.

Make a snapshot:
WIN | type SNIPPING | ENTER
Click the New button.
Drag the cursor around the area you want to snip.
File | Save as | select save location and name | Save button

Post the snapshot:

thanks,
karl

bru · 25 Jun 2011

Diskmgmt snapshot plus others to show how I did the system image. Thanks

karlsnooks · 25 Jun 2011

Nice snapshots.

Actually, all looks quite normal. win 7 takes a worst case scenario when saying how much space may be needed.

If all you do is image backups without adding in folder/library backups (which you don't really need since the vhd files generated by the backup have all that info, then you end up with only the last image unless you renamed WindowsImageBackup to something else before doing the backup.

If you haven't used that external for anything else and you would like then before doing your next backup you can simply format the drive. That's the easiest way to get rid of old backups.

Have I helped or have I confused the matter?
karl

bru · 25 Jun 2011

karlsnooks said:

Have I helped or have I confused the matter?
karl

Definitely helped. I guess with my 70+GB of data the system image is bound to be large. I think I will only keep one image so as to not take up too much space on my external. I thought a 500GB external would be fine. My last one was 160GB so I thought 500GB would be plenty but I didn't account for the space the system image is taking.

Now I need to decide if I should stick with Windows for the system image or go to Macrium. It seems some here don't think Windows system image is reliable.

I had a computer fail last year (Win XP). I had my files backed up so I was able to move them to the new computer but if something like that happens again I'd like to be able to repair the computer. I made the system repair disks and the system recovery disks when I first got this computer. Although I think I read that one or both may be redundant if you restore using a system image. Hopefully I am covered.

karlsnooks · 25 Jun 2011

I am a great advocate of Windows Backup and Restore.

I use exclusively Windows Backup and Restore.

Windows Backup and Restore has never failed me.

I use Windows Backup and Restore to make a complete system image of my computers.

Windows Backup and Restore has saved my bacon more than once.

Windows Backup and Restore is also one way of cleaning your computer and also making it possible to shrink a partition even more.

What one does is: Perform a complete backup. Immediately perform a complete restore (you boot from the System Repair Disc that you made).

You will find that you have more free space and that you can shrink a partition even more than before. The shrinking is desirable if you want to create another partition is the space created by the "shrink".

mjf · 25 Jun 2011

See the tutorial on system image creating and restoring (maybe again for dtail).
I also do the following:
(1) Rename an old image I wish to retain or
(2) Move the image to a directory within the partition or
(3) Physically delete (shift delete) the image folder before making a new image.

Like Karlsnoops Windows imaging has never failed me for basic imaging and restore even to brand new HDDs (BUT it has failed some). I also use Macrium as a safeguard and when I need a little more flexibility.