Windows 7: Is Windows 7 backup any good? Are there better free alternatives?

mjf · 28 Jan 2013

@hikarisilver
2 days to do a backup! Obviously something isn't right. Before you blame Windows backup you need to be more specific about what you are backing up and what you are backing up to.
I use Macrium as well and I would say the two are within 10% of each other timewise. Macrium being slightly faster in creating an image and Windows being faster in restoring an image.

Night Hawk · 28 Jan 2013

Here I am finding both Acronis and the 7 option both taking about the same amount of time for creating a rather Large image backup over simply having everything stuffed on a separate drive with only the basics on C. As for free programs besides Macrium Easuus offers a free home version for download as well. For a full paid for however Acronis and a look at Paragon still comes to mind when it comes time to update from the 2010 version of T.I. here.

gregrocker · 28 Jan 2013

One modern method that's popular is keeping your files in the cloud sync'd to all of your PC's and devices using a method like Sync, Backup and Store your Files to the Cloud with Skydrive - Windows 7 Forums.

There is still a copy of your files mirrored from Skydrive on each PC/Device but the master copy in the cloud keeps them all in sync, while being accessible on the internet.

Night Hawk · 28 Jan 2013

The problem now is MS is doing away with the Windows Live which just happens to feature SkyDrive as well as having had the Live Mesh option in favor of their new Outlook mail provider. 7gb wouldn't cut it here anyways since I typically see that amount in just one folder alone!

That's good for something like uploading your photo collection as well as for other files you typically share online over any long term storage/backup plans. It can help for laptop users without any other options however.

whs · 29 Jan 2013

Quote:

When trying Macrium here as I was saying any slight change in location from where the image is first created and stored like a simple drive letter change saw the image made invalid

This is really strange. I moved my images around at times and Macrium always recognized them when I pointed it to them. It will, of course, not automatically recognize them.

Lady Fitzgerald · 29 Jan 2013

Quote: Originally Posted by whs

Quote:

When trying Macrium here as I was saying any slight change in location from where the image is first created and stored like a simple drive letter change saw the image made invalid

This is really strange. I moved my images around at times and Macrium always recognized them when I pointed it to them. It will, of course, not automatically recognize them.

How did you point it to them?

whs · 29 Jan 2013

You just navigate to the right disk/partition and find the folder with the image. Then you point to the image.

Lady Fitzgerald · 29 Jan 2013

Curious. It seems simple enough that I don't see how a changed drive letter would mess things up as long as you knew where to find the file. I keep my backups in dated folders (one folder for each full backup, including subsequent incremental files) so finding them would be easy, even for me.

Maybe the problem occurs when using the recovery disk.

mjf · 29 Jan 2013

I've never had a problem with either Windows imaging or Macrium when moving images around within a partition ie. into different folders on the partition. This is just an update to the partition' file system.
When you move across partition boundaries you do a physical move. Apart from taking some time I think you are more likely to experience problems when it comes to restore. It's the sort of thing I would only do in desperation.

Anak · 29 Jan 2013

Just joined:

Quote:

SkyDrive is not being discontinued. Are you referring to an email that was recently sent out to SkyDrive users referring to email publishing being discontinued?
Source: will skydrive be discontinued? - Microsoft Community

Quote:

Email publishing feature to be decommissioned

SkyDrive has a feature called Email Publishing that lets you upload photos by sending an email to a special address that you enabled. This feature was designed for people to upload photos when away from their PC – for example on feature phones. With the shift to smartphones, there are now much easier ways for people to upload your photos to SkyDrive. As a result, we are retiring this feature at the end of April.

Source: Email publishing feature to be decommissioned - Microsoft Community

Latest I could find:

Quote:

Microsoft Releases New SkyDrive Features
7:30 AM - January 11, 2013
Source: Microsoft Releases New SkyDrive Features

Windows 7: Is Windows 7 backup any good? Are there better free alternatives?

Is Windows 7 backup any good? Are there better free alternatives? problems?