I want to apologize, I was in fact doing something WRONG, I was using the back up files option, and that really does take FOREVER.
As far a just doing a system image using Windows it only took 5 minutes to image my OS partition which is 20GB. Macrium Reflect was only seconds faster, good to know!
Thanks!
When you select "Let me Choose" you have the option to create a system image in addition to a file backup. I always untick this and create an image when I decide to using the "Create a system Image" option over on the left not in "Backup".
If you create just a file backup which is stored as something like "your PC name". Dig inside there and the large data storage files are a number of *.zip files.
You can create an image along with (in addition to) your regular file backup if you so choose and this is what windows will generally do when you select "let windows choose". The image lives in the (again protected) folder called "WindowsImageBackup". Dig inside here and you will typically find one *.vhd file per partition imaged.
Just seen the response above which perhaps makes this redundant.
Last edited by mjf; 29 Aug 2010 at 22:21. Reason: unseen response
No apologize's nessecary, it was a learning experience for me also. Glad it worked and hopefully people who don't use any backup will read this and learn from it. Backup, backup, backup, when your computer fails for whatever reason, your minutes away from being back up and running like nothing ever happened.
Hi all
I've been doing backups ever since Windows 95 and have tried most packages.
Even today IMO Acronis is the fastest and most reliable - especially if you are backing up to external HDD's or even Tape devices since it will span volumes where necessary and restores can be done also from bootable media making a Bare Metal recovery simple.
I don't like Windows recovery since it has a problem with "spanned devices" (multiple volumes) and is not very good at single or selective DIRECTORY restores when needed.
Most people's data is probably worth a lot more than the computer it's on so IMO paying a small amount of money -- around 45 USD-- for a FAST commercial program like Acronis is well worth it.
The other advantage this type of software has is that you can do Incremental backups say during the week and a full one once a week --all scheduled automatically too.
The stand alone bootable media (acronis) can also backup your LINUX partitions too.
Cheers
jimbo
I agree with Jimbo on this one... Acronis is my backup program of choice... That being said, the most important point that seems to be overlooked here is that more and more users are finally taking imaging seriously. It never fails to amazes me how many users ( novice and experienced alike ) fail to make this simple, and IMO, most important step part of their backup policy. It only takes minutes to completely restore a backup image, and once you have, you'll be a convert! Well done everyone!
I think this is a good discussion. But what counts at the end of the day is that the user uses backup and imaging at all. I am a Macrium fan and have a lot of trouble with the win7 imaging, but if that works for someone, that is just as good. Acronis, Paragon, Norton Ghost ( which I used for a long time with Vista) and a few more are excellent options too. Just make sure you use any - and frequently. At least once per week.
I have programmed Macrium to take an image every morning when I boot the system. It takes a minor amount of work to manage the images once per week, but at least I can always set back to a very recent state.
Everybody has their favorate backup program and you all have valid opinions, at the end of the day if we can make a strong enough point that PEOPLE NEED TO MAKE BACKUP'S on a regular bacis. The work on this forum would be cut in half, because they would have the means to get back to a running computer
very true.
I store both Macrium Reflect and Windows System Image backups on my 3 1TB and 2TB backup drives. I keep more Reflect backups because they are 1/3 the size, but I do Windows backups each week. I find both of these Backup Programs to be very fast as well as easy to use.
~Maxx~
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Maxxwire,
Interesting graphic.
Since you are knowledgeable in the ways of backups and restores, you might want to consider taking a look at SyncToy.
SnycToy will give you very fast, simple, straightforward Folder backup.
I've switched over to using Win 7 Backup And Restore for Image backups and using SyncToy for data backups. However, everyone's needs and objectives are different. Just an idea to take a gander at and see what it can do and can not do.
Download details: SyncToy 2.1
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