Image backup newbie

scrotiny said:

mjf said:

scrotiny said:

The advantage of having separate programmes for imaging and backup are that files can be retrieved from the system image where necessary and the backed-up files are just duplicates and therefore easily accessible requiring no special process. This I've found is what counts rather than perhaps an increase in space required when little or no compression is used.

Windows file/folder backup (.zip files) and System imaging (.vhd files) are completely different programs. MS just decided to lump them under the same "Backup and Restore" banner.
You can also extract individual files from Windows images by attaching the image and copying out files or folders. However, the more you fiddle with any image the more likely you are to foul it up for when you really need it.

OP, I suggest you try and use more than one imaging program, judge them yourself.

I never suggested that the Windows solution was just one programme. Zipping files adds one more link where files can become corrupted. Have you any experience of an image becoming corrupted because it was opened for exploration? I always keep copies of images, that is what I assumed backup meant - you have redundancy built-in to your strategy.

The belt and braces approach of two separate means of backup is fine but when you experience zero failures in many uses of Acronis or Macrium (several dozen restores) then one is fine for me at least. The last resort of an inplace install is always there. I would suggest, apart from the initial learning curve, anyone who does have problems with imaging or restoring usually has something else wrong with their system.

OP: PS The problem with macrium and USB 3.0 appears to be that there is no current driver available but hopefully this will be remedied shortly and imaging to your USB drive should be quicker.

Let me state the following quite clearly for the purpose of others:
1) I have extensive experience with imaging and have provided advice to a large number of posts. Some members are relatively new to imaging and that its primary purpose is to restore a full partition.
Viewing an image is one thing. Copying files from an image for the uninitiated is another. I do not recommend this if you are new to imaging.
3) I have imaged and restored many times using Windows imaging and never experienced a single problem. The fact is some people experience problems with Windows imaging and other applications which has included Acronis. My advice is because you have had a dream run with one application never fully trust it for such an important role. I keep (fewer) Macrium images as well.
4) I keep multiple images and this forum recommends the practice. The tutorials on Windows imaging and restoration describe how this can be done.
5) Unspanned zipped file sets can be more robust to file recovery if one of the zip files is damaged. They are still a viable complementary backup mechanism for limited personal data.