Multiple Backup Images on USB Disk

[SIW2]

That's only a 30 day free trial , sadly.

If you have at least one Seagate/Maxtor drive - you can get a free - but somewhat limited - version of Acronis called DiskWizard

| Seagate

Works ok on windows 7.

There's no scheduling , but does the job - it does include a cloning feature as well as basic imaging.

There is also a version you can use if you have at least one WD drive.

 

[whs]

That's only a 30 day free trial , sadly.

If you have at least one Seagate/Maxtor drive - you can get a free - but somewhat limited - version of Acronis called DiskWizard

| Seagate

Works ok on windows 7.

There's no scheduling , but does the job - it does include a cloning feature as well as basic imaging.

There is also a version you can use if you have at least one WD drive.

Thanks for clarifying that. The buggers always make it sound as if it was free. But fortunately I have both Seagate and Maxtor drives. So I can go from there. Just wanted to play around with it because I have not used it in a couple of years.

 

[essenbe]

If you own a Maxtor, Seagate or Western Digital Drive Thay offer a free imaging software made by Acronis. Seagate owns Maxtor and their imaging product is Disk Wizzard, WD's is called Acronis True Imagr Western Digital Edition.

 

[Kari]

Whs, this is a curiosity question. I have always been leery of using internal disks for backups. I know many people do, but I have always been afraid that if something were to go wrong, it could ruin all of the internals. That is why I use externals. Am I wrong in that. It would be much easier to use other internal drives, and probably more efficient.

If you have multiple physical internal drives, there is nothing wrong with using an internal drive (of course one that is different from where the original resides). That is a lot faster than a USB attached drive (unless you have a USB3 configuration). You do, however, not want to image to a partition on the same physical drive where the original resides. If that drive goes south, so does your image.

I make one exception to that - that is on my wife's laptop with which she travels. Here I made images into a partition of the same physical drive - the one and only. I figured that is still better than having to reinstall from the recovery partition. And should the drive go south, then everything is lost anyhow. She does, however, keep all her data on a USB stick.

I use a folder on one of my internal drives for my daily images (they are scheduled to run automatically each morning). That's how I get the 3.5 minutes for a complete system image.

Very good points.

Might be a bit OT, but I have never understood why for instance several manufacturers put the recovery partition on first HD. For example all HP's that come with two HD's have the recovery partition at the end of disk 0. If system HD now breaks down, there goes the recovery partition, too. Of course you should always burn the disks but let's face it, normal newbie does not always do that.

Kari

 

[SIW2]

Hi Kari,

Must be because it's easier (cheaper) for them to just apply their premade image to one HD - saves a process on the production line.

 

[whs]

essenbe, The Maxtor Disk Wizard is neat in conjunction with a Maxtor One Touch disk. I have set this up for one of my wife's laptops (with a 2.5" One Touch which unfortunately needs 2 USB ports to operate - one for power and one for data. Thus it is a bit more work to attach.). But it is really easy for her to make images.

 

[SIW2]

Hi whs,

The free DiskWiz is quite beguiling.

Great UI - it's pretty fast ( not as fast as macrium ) - if you turn the priority up.

Unfortunately, it's not very efficient - big - heavier on resources, has several services running in the background - and that intrusive snapman driver.

My fondness for Macrium has increased since using the Bartpe plugin -( on my winpe 3 recovery media).

It can create as well as restore images - diffs and incrementals too - it also mounts beautifully.

You won't find a more efficient backup app. than Macrium.

 

[Kari]

Siw & Whs, are you talking about the free or commercial version of Macrium?

 

[SIW2]

You can get the BARTPE plugin free ( they call it PEBuilder now ) - for use on a boot disc.

The free installable version is pretty good to use from within windows itself.

The paid installable version has more features, of course.

I use the free version - and instead of the Linux recovery disc - I use Macrium PEBUilder plugin on my winpe 3.

I might already have a screenie somewhere - cbb booting it up now to take one

 

[Kari]

I'm interested in trying it, have read Whs' posts about it and grown to like his backup policy. I'm old school, according to me the three most important things in computing are backup, backup and backup. Currently using Windows' own imaging app.

Have to try this Macrium. Downloading now...

Kari

EDIT: This seems to be a 30-day trial. I don't find the free version from macrium.com?

 

[whs]

I'm interested in trying it, have read Whs' posts about it and grown to like his backup policy. I'm old school, according to me the three most important things in computing are backup, backup and backup. Currently using Windows' own imaging app.

Have to try this Macrium. Downloading now...

Kari

EDIT: This seems to be a 30-day trial. I don't find the free version from macrium.com?

Kari, I made an extensive video tutorial on Macrium. You might want to have a look at it. Makes life easier for getting started: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I I also documented the recovery part which you usually do not find in the tuts. Watch out if you have the famous 100MB boot partition. There are a few specials to consider in that case (also covered in the "Warning text" of the tut).

Edit: Here you go: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

 

[Kari]

Thanks for the tutorial link, looks really well done. I also found the link to Macrium Free Edition from there, so double thanks!

Kari

 

[Kari]

First test. 300 gig system disk, 160 gigs used. Image saved to external USB2 device, transfer rate was between 370 and 440 Mbps. Took one hour...

 

[whs]

Looks like you have a lot of user data on the OS partition (or am I wrong). You may consider moving the user folders to a seperate partition. That has a variety of advantages - e.g. the imaging of the OS and the data need not be at the same time because the frequency of change may be completely different. My OS Partition is 42GB with 18GB used. My daily images take a little over 3 minutes (but I make those to an internal HDD). To an external disk a bit over 10 minutes.

 

[Kari]

No, my system disk contains only Windows and Program folders (PerfLogs, Program Files, Program Files (x86) and Windows). I know I have a lot of apps and software installed, have not yet got rid of all work related stuff although retired already half a year ago.

I use Audit Mode and SysPrep always when installing Windows to permanently and effortlessly move both User Profiles with all folders and ProgramData to D. (http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...reate-move-during-windows-7-installation.html)

 

[whs]

Hmm, This is certainly the largest OS only partition I have ever seen. You must have a huge winsxs.

 

[Kari]

Not as big as you would think of:



Last years of my working life, I was beta tester for a quite big software company. From my Program Files and Program files (x86) over 30 gigs is used to various versions of some apps from said company. I also have almost every possible Golf and Sailing simulator installed, just checked last weekend that these two types of games, almost only ones I ever play (out of personal real life interest) take some 12 gigs of HD space. My programming interest takes also quite a lot disk space, all tools and apps fully installed.

Other than that, basic stuff. I might accept if you called me a freak in that sense that I like to install and try all kinds of software, even if it clearly is nothing I need. But: I like my rigs to have everything I might need when need arises...

It's 5 AM. Might be a good idea to sleep a couple of hours...

Good night,

Kari

 

[whs]

Good night Kari. I kept saying to the wife:"Kari is pulling an All Nighter" - but I do that sometimes too.