Fully restore system using Backup & Restore

[p75213]

If I create a system image and then periodically create full backups of all drives would I be able to recover the system to the last backup? I am thinking I could recover from the system image and then recover using the backup.

 

[andrew129260]

Yes. Also use the previous versions feature at any time to restore a file several versions back. This works even without setting up windows backup, as restore points also create backups of your files. But windows backup will offer even more on days the backup is created. I have mine set like this:

2 internal hard drives, one is main, other is backup. Windows backup runs to it every 2 weeks and does a system image and backs up all my files. An external hard drive works well too, but then is hard to have on a schedule since you need to remember to plug it in.

I still recommend having a backup external hard drive as well, with your users folder dragged onto it just in case.

Just like time machine on apple. Of course microsoft removed this feature in windows 8, because they like to screw up good things.

 

[p75213]

I have an external drive for my backups. I am thinking of creating a system image say once a month and then for the remainder of the month just do backups. The following month I will create a new system image, delete the previous backup/s and start a fresh lot of backups. I usually do a backup every 2 or 3 days. I can live with losing that much data but no more.

Alternatively would it be ok just to create a single system image and then simply do backups?

Another question. Once a new backup file is started is it ok to remove the previous one? Will the restore be effected in any way?

 

[Mark Phelps]

While incremental backups do save space, with hard drive space being very cheap these days, my own view is that the hassle of using incrementals is not worth it.

I use Macrium Reflect to do weekly full image backups, taking 10 minutes or less each time, and get a compression factor of better than 50%. This means my 50GB Windows partition ends up taking 15GB or less of disk space -- for each backup.

I generally keep a month's worth of backups on an external drive. This allows me to do a full system restore in under 10 minutes. Using Incrementals, I would have to do several restores to get back to the latest saved state. The full restores are simply less hassle to deal with.

 

[whs]

Easiest would be to image all partitions and recover them as needed. I would image each partition seperately to it's individual folder on the external drive. Give those folders useful names so that you can tell which is what.

 

[p75213]

If I have a system image created some time in the past and then changes are made to the registry (install program). Subsequently I do a full backup of all drives (in my case only c: drive). Will the backup include any changes made to the registry? If this is not the case it would not be possible to fully recover the system up to the last backup. For example I would do a full system recovery using the system image. Then recover all drives from the backup. However the registry changes would not be included in either the system image or backup.

 

[andrew129260]

A system image takes a snapshot of the entire drive, you must restore it all not only specific items.

That folder backup does not include registry, only files.

See your start menu-help and support and search for backup. Read up on it there or on microsofts website. A lot of your questions can be answered in help and support.

 

[p75213]

I have downloaded Aomei Backupper. From what I have read I think it will better meet my needs.

 

[Mark Phelps]

A system image takes a snapshot of the entire drive, you must restore it all not only specific items.

However, when you take the image using Macrium Reflect , it allows you to "mount" the image and assign it a drive letter. Then, you can selectively retrieve files and folders from the mounted image.

So, while you have to restore the entire partition, you can retrieve individual files and folders.

 

[matts6887]

I have used windows built in backup before on several occasions and it has seemed to serve my purposes well; but I have not used any of the other ones that can be bought and or possibly downloaded for free. But generally speaking; As long as you are sure you have a image of the system backed up then you should be able to restore just fine i believe.

 

[whs]

As long as you are sure you have a image of the system backed up then you should be able to restore just fine i believe

Not necessarily. An image is a file like any other and can be corrupted for a variety of reasons. I have seen several occasions where people could not restore with images made with Windows imaging. For those cases I made this tutorial which has saved the bacon of several people.

As an additional safety I recommend to keep several images - grandfather, father, child at least. The you have more options.

 

[andrew129260]

Everyone apparently has noted here that windows backup and restore is not that good for imaging, yet I have never experienced an issue. I think the only time it messes up is when the drives in your system are not the way it expects when the image was taken. With the hard drive configuration the same, I never had an issue. Even when I replaced a drive, setting it up the same way it still works for me with no issue.

I am not sure why others have issues but I never have.

 

[whs]

You seem to have a very stable environment. Try keeping 5 images and move the images to other disks. Then try to restore.

 

[Kaktussoft]

If I create a system image and then periodically create full backups of all drives would I be able to recover the system to the last backup? I am thinking I could recover from the system image and then recover using the backup.

What do you mean by typing "full backup"?