Will W7 Backup of my important files help me if my Disk Crashes?

davidkayla · 02 Dec 2012

Hi,
I was reading yesterday that if I want to restore a file, I need to go to the file and right click and select restore. If the file does not exist anymore then one would go to the directory where the file originally was and select restore (or something to that effect).

I have two disks and I want to save some important files from one disk to the other. I have always used W7 Backup but now I am not sure I am doing the right thing. What would happen if my main disk crashed and there was absolutely no hope of salvaging it? Could I still restore from the back up made by W7 Backup? I won't know the file names or directory structure if one disk goes down completely.

Thanks.
David.

LittleJay · 02 Dec 2012

Hi David,

There are a couple ways you can do it. The first, is when you use Windows Backup and Recovery make sure the create a system image is checked. That system image can be used to recover your OS and any files on the drive to a new HDD should the old HDD crash. Also, if you look at the upper left hand corner of the Backup and Recovery screen you will see the option to create a system image. You can use that also, which is what I do, to create a system image of my C drive. You also have the option to include any other partitions that you want to backup. After the image has been created, preferably on a second HDD, it will ask if you want to create a Recovery Disk. I would highly advise that you do, as this disk can be used to boot up from and then restore image if your HDD is unbootable. There are other third party imaging programs like Macrium Reflect, or Eaeus Todo Backup, or Acronis True Image that can be used for the same purpose as Windows System Imaging.

LittleJay · 02 Dec 2012

Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

System Image Recovery

Here are a couple of tutorials on the subject that I found.

davidkayla · 12 Dec 2012

Hi LittleJay,
Thanks for that information. I think I was a little confused about how to undertake restoration of data files but after backing up a dummy file and then restoring it, I can see how it works now.

Thanks for your suggestion about the system image and recovery disk, I'll do that now. How often do people do a system image back up? My Drive C has only got Windows 7 and Program Program Files on it. As my set of Apps is fairly constant surely I don't need to back up the system very often?

**Pauly** · 12 Dec 2012

It's personal choice really, I tend to take an image when I've clean installed then another when all drivers/updates/program's are installed and then periodically from then on depending on what I've changed just be aware that if you select same target location for another image backup it will mess with/replace the first one, I always take an image then rename the top folder then take another and rename etc and if you want to restore one just select the folder to restore and change the name back and windows will spot it, not sure what it says in those tuts but it is also poss to enter a saved image and extract individual files and folders if ever you need to, think there's another tut for this somewhere

DavidE · 12 Dec 2012

See if these tutorials help with restoring individual files:
System Image - Extract Files Using Disk Management
System Restore Points - Manually Extract Files and Folders

I prefer 3rd party Imaging programs such as Acronis or Macrium because they offer me more flexibility and control.
That's just my opinion...whatever works best for you is the right tool.