Is it possible to backup only important files like winsows, w. update?

[valrogue]

Hello,

i have an old computer with windows 7 64 bit with an hdd of 1 Tera that is almost full.
If my hard drives fails, i understand i can put a new one and install windows 7 on it from a recovery usb ( that i created) for exemple.
This is actually ok for me because i don't really have important files on my drive that i have not saved.

The thing that is bothering me is reinstalling all the updates of windows updates, if i have to install special drivers, service packs etc.....i wouldn't really know what to do^^

SO, maybe it is possible to just back up important files like windows directory, windows update, etc..on an external hdd, so when my old hdd fails i can reinstall windows using the "up to date files" from the external hdd, saving me the trouble of reinstalling all the updates of windows update, etc..

Is it possible to do that?
because if i have to backup all of my old drive (1tera) on a new one using only usb2.0, it would be soooo long
like backing up 100g would be ok..but 900..

i tried looking at macrium reflect but apparently, you can only select "partitions" so i could only select my disk C as it doenst have any partitions on it.

thank you

 

[Barman58]

Partitions is a word that is used to describe any number of segments of a drive - It starts with One - In fact a drive cannot be formatted for use without at least one partition.

When reading your original post I was about to suggest you use Macrium Reflect, I do not see any reason for you not to use it. just ensure you follow good guidelines, There is a guide in the tutorial section of this forum

 

[valrogue]

thank you for the answer, i watched some videos on how to use macrium reflect but apparently, since my old hdd has only one partition, i can only clone or make an image of the entirety of it right?
so that means all of the 960 gigas, if i don't make room with usb 2.0.....so is there a way to make abackup with less than that? like excluding some files?
i saw there is a "file select" in macrium before starting the backup but it didn't lead to much

(by the way, would it be ok to do a clone of my old hdd? would there be chances of errors? even if i would use a usb2.0/sata cable to make the transfer between the old hdd and the new one? )

 

[Barman58]

You really need a drive to make an image or backup to

This External disk would be your backup in case any issues were found later. you would normally update this image regularly as things changed

Once you had an external drive accessible from your system you can simply use drag & drop to move files from your local storage to the external to free space.

Whether this is the same drive as you use for the Macrium images depends on the size of the external drive and you preference, but backup drives should only be connected when actually making the backups

An image and a clone are different things

an image is used to backup all contents of a drive (including all drivers and settings)

Although a clone contains basically the same data as an image it is used to transfer an operating system to a new SSD or HDD it is not normally retained after use

It may be possible to create more than one partition for future use One for the startup files, one for the OS and a third for everything else like data movies etc - this is how the majority of systems are laid out these days as it allows better backups

 

[valrogue]

An image and a clone are different things

an image is used to backup all contents of a drive (including all drivers and settings)

Although a clone contains basically the same data as an image it is used to transfer an operating system to a new SSD or HDD it is not normally retained after use

does that mean i cannot transfer windows 7 on a new hdd if i do an image of my old hdd and that i need to clone it instead?

i thought that :
- by doing a clone, i can just swap the disks. (= after i cloned my old hdd into a new hdd, i just shut off the computer, put out the old one and put in the new one with the clone in it and it would boot normally to desktop)
-by doing an image, i would need to put a new hdd in the computer, connect the drive where i put the image then boot and use the recovery disk or usb at start up to "install" the image into the new hdd inside the computer.

Is it how things work right?


also, can i partition my hdd as you showed right now or is it to late?
Like if i want to just keep my windows 7 and some logiciel like windows update up to date and exclued big games that take place for nothing since i can always doanload them.

 

[SIW2]

There are a few programs that allow exclusions from the image.

Pguru is one example. Free version should do the job. Free trial is the free version, There is no trial period.
Recover deleted files, Partition manager and Windows backup - PartitionGuru


Click the "add" button and browse to each folder/file you want to add to the exclusion list:




I can't recall if exclusions are avilable in the free version of Paragon - they might be.


Exclusions are also available in O&O Diskimage . I don't think they do a free version - DiskImage v11 pro may still be available on giveaway

 

[SIW2]

Looks like O&O Diskimage pro 11 is still available on giveaway.

Register
Registrieren Sie sich hier für Ihre kostenlose Vollversion von OO DiskImage 11

Download
Download Archive

 

[SIW2]

-by doing an image, i would need to put a new hdd in the computer, connect the drive where i put the image then boot and use the recovery disk or usb at start up to "install" the image into the new hdd inside the computer.

Is it how things work right?

Yes. You could make an image - excluding the files/folders you don't want. Then you can use the recovery disk or usb to restore the image in case of disaster, or to another drive if you llike.

 

[valrogue]

thank you very much!

So what files should i keep if i just want to keep my windows 7 and programs like windows update up to date for my image?
(=or what are the files that are ok to exclude? )

Like it would be perfect if i could make an image (= "backing up", right?) of just the essential files of my disk : up to date windows 7 with windows update, maybe the drivers of the graphic cards, "service pack 2", things like that that don't take too much space..maybe it would only amount to 20gigas, or 50, that would be nice^^

and then, when my hdd finally dies, i can just restore those files easily and won't need to update everything from 0.


The other option would be to clone the disk but i'm not really to hot about it as i would need to do it with a usb 2.0, it is 900gigs+ with a lot of things that i don't really need, and since he his old maybe there would be errors, etc..^^