What image backup files to copy to archive device?

I am making regular backups - both the image backup and the file sets using Windows 7 Backup program. No problems with that.

But, I periodically would like to copy the image backup to a portable drive. I plan to take this portable drive offsite to a secure location - I call it my archive.

Is this possible? What files must I copy? Do I have to maintain a certain directory structure or naming convention in case I have to use the archived copy to restore (assume a bare metal restoration)?

I thought I could just copy the VHD files (boot and system) but the image backup has other directories and files and I just don't understand their purpose.

I need to copy these files rather than running the backup over again to this portable archive device. I have multiple computers and it is impractical for me to physically access each computer to re-run an image backup to the same archive device.

My archive device is a regular USB/eSata HDD and I don't plan to put VSS on it.

macq,
Welcome to SevenForums.

What imaging software are you using?

Hi macq and welcome to Seven Forums.

Not sure whether this would work as Windows Backup is very finicky.

You would need to copy the entire WindowsImageBackup folder to the new drive. If you are going to store more than one image you would need to rename the folder to allow more than one. To do a restore the image would need to be renamed back and must reside in the root of the drive.

In theory this should work but I have not tried it. If you do this you must do a full test to at least the point of the restore program being able to see the image and preferably to test that it does restore correctly.

will work with Windows Backup and Restore. I've done it.

True is that the renaming is an inconvenience.

Yes Karl it is a bit of an inconvenience. Perhaps a simpler approach wold be to do the initial copys into their own folders without renaming then to move the image into the root for the restore.