How much time should a file backup with a backup image take


  1. Posts : 178
    Windows 7 home
       #1

    How much time should a file backup with a backup image take


    I started one yesterday at 1030am and it was only just over halfway done at 1130pm that night. So I cancelled thinking something was wrong. Was there?

    I have W7 Home with a 1TB SSD with 450GB used. Backing up to a 500gb SSD held in a caddy accessed through a USB port. Thanks
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  2. Posts : 636
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
       #2

    What were you using for your "file backup with a backup image"? Backup & Restore with a system image included? If so, you need to be aware that Microsoft deprecated this feature more than two years ago in Windows 8 and 10 meaning that any further development ceased (including for W7) advising that "We recommend that users use full-disk backup solutions from other vendors."

    My personal experience with Backup & Restore's system imaging is that it can be temperamental, failing to recognise an image that could be restored just when you need it the most. Also, the file backup part of the operation creates a series of multiple zip files, making it virtually impossible to retrieve a file unless you have a functional Backup & restore on your system.

    Having said that, your 13 hours does sound excessive. How far had it got? Was it still backing up files, or had it started on the system image? 450GB used is quite large, the Windows system itself would only account for some 20-30GB of that. If the bulk of the remainder is accounted for by your user files you may find the 500GB external HDD is too small to hold a system image as well as the files backup. Your backup may have stalled due to lack of space on the destination drive.

    Personally I'd recommend using Macrium Reflect Free to make a system image. Not only is it more reliable than Backup & Restore, but a Macrium system image can be mounted as a virtual drive so that you can retrieve individual files, you'd no longer need a separate files backup.
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  3. Posts : 2,774
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #3

    Although it is a remote possibility, the HDD might be re-allocating sectors on the fly. Harddisk Sentinal or anything similar in SysInternals will help to keep one eye on that remote possibility.
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  4. Posts : 178
    Windows 7 home
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Thanks chaps. I didnt know it had been deprecated. Most likely tnat's the reason. I've got Macrium I'll give that a try. Thanks for the lengthy explanation Bree. Mucho gracias

    As an aside. Is it possible to just do a files backup but restore it to W10? I'm going to keep W7 for a while but eventually like everyone we'll all be forced onto W10 a d it would be an easy way to crossover.
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  5. Posts : 636
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
       #5

    Ukdodger said:
    As an aside. Is it possible to just do a files backup but restore it to W10? I'm going to keep W7 for a while but eventually like everyone we'll all be forced onto W10 a d it would be an easy way to crossover.

    Windows 10 includes 'Backup & Restore (Windows 7)' in Settings > Update & Security > Backup. This is the same as that found in W7 and will be able to restore files from a W7 files backup.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 178
    Windows 7 home
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Bree said:
    Windows 10 includes 'Backup & Restore (Windows 7)' in Settings > Update & Security > Backup. This is the same as that found in W7 and will be able to restore files from a W7 files backup.
    Thanks that's really useful to know.
      My Computer


 

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