Whole PC Backup – saving space by selecting partitions to back up for

[MPREv]

Whole PC Backup – saving space by selecting partitions to back up for

Hi,

I have a PC with one HDD and 2 Operating systems on it – there is one additional Partition for Data.
I now I want to save the whole system in a storage economical way by skipping the Data Partion,
So I think the Partions of the ‘Operating Systems’, the ‘MBR (for boot)’ and the Partition Table (for creating the same size of all partions) should be saved.

I would like to have a Live CD that can save in this way (just skipping a selective partion – the user data partition) at once (one ‘image’) without much manual interaction to an external HDD.
It should be free for personal use 

What I’ve found now is only ALL or one partion at once … not comfortable not secure.
Is there any tool that could really help me?

 

[Layback Bear]

You would have to have a truck full of C/D's to do backups.

I would suggest getting a extra hard drive (internal or better yet a external) to install backups.

I use Macrium Reflect.

 

[MPREv]

You would have to have a truck full of C/D's to do backups.

Why? I don't want to back up to a CD.

I would suggest getting a extra hard drive (internal or better yet a external) to install backups.

Yes thats what I want backup to external HDD (USB/eSATA).

I use Macrium Reflect.

I take a look at it, but it seems to not beeing able to use as a LiveCD.
Also selective Backup (Full HD but not all Partitions) seems to be not supprted.

I was thinking about CloneZilla. Not having a GUI is not ideal.
But what is a problem that it seems also to be not possible to BackUp the full HDD but skipping the Content of a selective Partition ...

As mentioned I was thinking about a tools, that Saves the MBR + Partition Table + all Selected Partitions.
On Recovery it creates all Partitions (from the Partition table), restores the MBR and than restores the partitions.

 

[mjf]

Have a look at this nice tutorial on (free) Macrium Reflect. It is an excellent imaging program.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

Windows inbuilt system imaging is ok for imaging a basic Windows system but Macrium would be better for you and it also performs some compression reducing the size of the image files. It saves the MBR along with whatever partitions you nominate. BTW the MBR contains the partition table.

By "live CD" I think you mean the boot rescue CD? The author of the tutorial, WHS, has thoughtfully made available a rescue pe ISO so that you can burn your own rescue CD easily.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

If you are reasonably technical and don't want to pay for a backup program -- honestly these days your DATA is usually more valuable than your computer itself -- do you want to re-rip 6,000 CD's / recover lost music from ITunes, re-create a video library / recover Tax / business documents, work spread sheets, presentations etc etc. that a 45 USD commercial product say like ACRONIS IMO is well worth it - then use a LINUX live CD, and use either GPARTED to copy partitions or the standard Linux DD command which will handle ANY type of partition.

The decent commercial backup products as well as the free one's have bootable versions too so you can do "Bare metal" recoveries even when your HDD on the machine is totally hosed up. You can usually create bootable USB sticks too.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[mjf]

I don't think the OP ever meant he wanted to backup to CDs.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I'm thinking the op meant a recovery CD when he referred to a live CD. Macrium Reflect Free (here is a good tutorial on how to use Macrium Reflect) will make one.

I also recommend backing up your data as well as your system partitions. For that, I recommend a folder/file syncing program, such as FreeFileSync. A folder/file syncing program is much faster than imaging, requires less space, and gives you a usable copy rather than an image that has to be restored. For restoring an OS and Programs partition, though, imaging is essential.

 

[MPREv]

Hi guys.

If it is still unclear (hmm) ...
I want to boot from a CD (not saving to CD) and start the backup.
I want to save the complete HDD but skipping one/more Partitions content (the Data partitions).
The Images should be saved to a external (USB) Hard disk.

No I don't want a backup strategy for the data, realy only the system should and has to be saved.


@mjf: thanks, now I see that I can "hack" me a LiveCD with MacriumFree - lets see if I find time for that.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...No I don't want a backup strategy for the data, realy only the system should and has to be saved...

While I agree the system should be backed up (and I backup mine by imaging it at least once a week), why would you feel data shouldn't be backed up?

 

[MPREv]

While I agree the system should be backed up (and I backup mine by imaging it at least once a week), why would you feel data shouldn't be backed up?

Because its not the topic of this thread

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

While I agree the system should be backed up (and I backup mine by imaging it at least once a week), why would you feel data shouldn't be backed up?

Because its not the topic of this thread

Oh kay. Excuse me for trying to be helpful.

 

[mjf]

Hi guys.

If it is still unclear (hmm) ...

@mjf: thanks, now I see that I can "hack" me a LiveCD with MacriumFree - lets see if I find time for that.

I didn't think it was that unclear in the end. Macrium seems the way to go for you. I'm not sure what you mean by "hack" a LiveCD. If you mean burn the rescue pe to a CD/DVD I would definitely find the time to do that or else your images can't be restored. It is also wise to make sure the Rescue disk boots and picks up the images. Short of a restore, the rescue CD lets you mount the images for browsing and this is a check that everything is ok. While I'm at it the rescue disk also lets you make images as well independent of the Windows 7 OS (if you ever need to).

 

[SIW2]

The only free solution which will create bootable pe media, and allow selective volume imaging, and let you exclude any files/folders from a volume image is Paragon.

Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition - Download & User Manual


The free solution which create pe media, and allows selective volume backup , full, incremental, differential, and has a file folder backup function separately is aomei backupoper.

 

[MPREv]

Oh kay. Excuse me for trying to be helpful.

No Problem.
I've realized many people getting answers for questions they don't ask, maybe they help them.
I usually ask explicitly for what I need (pointing out that I want to skip data).

I didn't think it was that unclear in the end. Macrium seems the way to go for you.
I'm not sure what you mean by "hack" a LiveCD.
If you mean burn the rescue pe to a CD/DVD I would definitely find the time to do that or else your images can't be restored.
It is also wise to make sure the Rescue disk boots and picks up the images. Short of a restore, the rescue CD lets you mount the images for browsing and this is a check that everything is ok. While I'm at it the rescue disk also lets you make images as well independent of the Windows 7 OS (if you ever need to).

By "Hack" I mean downloading the PE environment and creating a LiveCD with a installed Macrium on the LiveCD, so that I can use it from CD to do the backUp.

Propably there is still something unclear.
The Rescue CD from alot tools is only a CD that helps restoring the backup image (?!?) ... but I also want to do the backup/imaging process directly from the booted live CD.

 

[Gary]

I do not use SR so I image my machine every other day. Only takes about 20 minutes with the Windows Built in backup.

 

[mjf]

... but I also want to do the backup/imaging process directly from the booted live CD.

Macrium free or paid does this.

 

[SIW2]

All of the well known free ones do that.

They all let you select which partitions to image.

They all backup and restore from booted media.

Only paragon also lets you exclude files/folders from a backup image.

 

[mjf]

A
Only paragon also lets you exclude files/folders from a backup image.

I didn't think this capability was asked for?
I guess it could be useful for some data partitions.

 

[SIW2]

He wanted to save space. Might be of interest. It is relevant.