I've used Windows inbuilt and (free) Macrium for years with total success. Windows inbuilt is restrictive in a number of respects and I now solely rely on the free version of Macrium Reflect. I have V5 installed on 2 PCs and V6 on a more recent PC build. I haven't moved from V5 on my own PC (see specs) because it does the job. I image ~ every 2 weeks and restored 100's of times occasionally to new drives.
With V6 I'd use the pe5 restore since it has inbuilt USB3 support.
LadyF -- I agree with your post #3 for the most part. I only disagree slightly about data partition [data folders & files] backups. I've been doing full images [with Macrium Reflect and a tiny bit with Image for Windows] of my data partition for some time now -- and have not encountered any problems. Now, I totally agree with you if, daily or even weekly, many many data folders and files are being added, deleted, modified, and so on. Because the vast majority of my data folders and files do not change, full imaging for now :)
In your case, imaging is fine. Actually, it is fine even if one has to image frequently. The only downside is the amount of time to make an image due to the time to make a full image (I do not recommend incremental or differential imaging) and the amount of drive space required to store multiple images, which can be unacceptable if, unlike you, someone has a lot of data in flux.
In my case, I always make an image before making any kind of a change to my desk top computer, such as updating a program or the OS, adding a program, etc. While one often can uninstall a bad program or OS update, it's usually more complicated and time consuming and often less reliable than simply restoring from an image. Also, some changes can brick a computer so having a recent image to restore from is a huge time (and bacon) saver.
I'm frequently adding, deleting and updating data. I also have a lot of of it: around 3.5TB of it. My machine also serves as an HTPC (Home Theater PC). It is my stereo system. Except for a few I bought recently, I have ripped all of my CDs to the computer and play them from the computer—it's playing music through a 2.1 system right now. The computer also records OTA (Over The Air) TV shows and movies, up to four channels at a time. Most of those shows get deleted once I have watched them, so that is one heck of a lot of data both coming and going.
I have three data drives in my computer right now (my next rig will start with four) and making a full image of every one would take hours, if not days, and would require multiple times more drives to store multiple images than what I'm using now (12 HDDs; I'm a firm believer in planned local and geographical redundancy) whereas making backups with a folder/file syncing program can take as little as a handful of minutes, depending how much data has been added or changed since the previous backup.
Now, in the case of my notebooks, which get used only for travel and if my desktop rig is down, I only image the OS partitions. I don't bother with the data simply because it comes directly from one of my desktop drives which is already backed up. If I loose the small amount of data I keep on a notebook (mostly just music and e-books) while on the road, I can always recover what I need from my Carbonite cloud backup as long as I have a reasonably secure internet connection (I also carry a cloned drive I can directly access for data in addition to an image storage drive in my notebook bag).
"...I also carry a cloned drive I can directly access for data in addition to an image storage drive in my notebook bag..."
Aye, me Laddie, like Scotty with his NCC-1705 engines, ewe bring a tear to me eye 'cause I carry a platter-clatter usb ext HD with at least one full image of me OS and data partitions :)
Ahhh, I was remembering that on StarTrek, even the female officers were called "Sir!" Forgot to adjust for my post! :)
been using Macrium reflect free edition, made back ups and rescue disks, but cant figure a way to make incremental updates to said back ups ? ..... is this not in the free addition maybe ?, or just me not doing it right? ...... ie have to make hole new update not just add things I changed ?
Macrium free doesn't have incrementals, it does have differentials.
Differentials are more reliable imho.
Each differential contains all changes since the full backup image.
Incrementals only include changes since the last incremental, so if any incremental is corrupt, all incrementals after that in that chain won't work.
Last edited by DavidE; 01 Dec 2016 at 08:09. Reason: fix typo
+1 for Macrium Reflect. Free Version.
I used it to Image my HDD before transferring to new SSD.
It worked perfectly.
The real bonus for me is that I dual boot Windows 7 with Linux Mint.
I always use Macrium to image my Linux drives. It has never ever failed me.
It is also really fast. I used to use Clonezilla which works fine once you are used to it.
I have stopped using Clonezilla entirely and just back up Linux with Macrium from within windows.
It has saved my butt a few times when things go belly up!
Boot the USB and restore the image and off you go.
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