Windows 7 Backup

[Belsatzar]

hey, i hope you can help me...
i switched to windows 7 directly from xp, so i skipped vista and am now for the first time equipped with a build-in backup utility.
which i am using regularly. i've got roundabout 250gb of data to be backed up, audio, video, pictures and books, most of which don't change much. the first backup session (on may 7th) to my external usb-harddrive took nearly 24h; pretty long, but i guessed for the first time ok. the next few backups were pretty fast, only around 20 mins, since i didn't change much of my data.
but: sice may 18th, every time i start backup it takes forever, and when i abort it and look into the details, it started a completely new backup. i do have no idea why this happened, but is there any way i can get it to just update the older backup files? i don't see the necessity to let my computer and my external harddrive run for multiple hours...

 

[nate42nd]

Some of these tutorials may help. Windows 7 has pretty good compression. I would just duplicate your files and then make an image once a month and you'll be fine.

It will say it needs a lot of room but will not use it. I think my 130 GB back up and made it 59GB as I recall.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html?filter[2]=Backup%20Restore

 

[Belsatzar]

thanks for the quick answer.
obviously i haven't made myself clear enough...
this is not a room problem at all, i've got a 1tb external drive, that should be enough for the moment. what annoyes me is that the backup utility doesn't update the existing data backup, but instead starts all over new again, copying all the files again. which takes literally days.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
consider using a commercial backup solution such as acronis true image. It doesn't cost a lot and can also do "Incremental" backups as well as full backups. This means that you just backup data changes since the last backup.

cheers
jimbo

 

[harpua]

Acronis True Image Home 2009 is pretty slick. Many customizable features. Highly recommended.

Initial complete system image backup of my ~110 gb W7 installation to a 1.5 TB external USB drive took about 2 hours. Used about 87 gb on "normal" compression mode. Will be doing subsequent incremental backups on a weekly basis.

Acronis TIH also has a disk clone utility and I also make weekly or bi weekly clones of my primary laptop drive. Nothing easier than swapping in a recent clone if disaster strikes.

 

[Belsatzar]

thanks for the suggestions...
but my main question remains: i thought windows 7 does do incremental backups, just like apple time machine does?
am i wrong here?

 

[MUff1N]

thanks for the suggestions...
but my main question remains: i thought windows 7 does do incremental backups, just like apple time machine does?
am i wrong here?

After looking over the web for this info I would say NO, that W7 does not do incremental backups.

But as stated above by everyone else here I also use Acronis True Image as it's the best & fastest backup system I've ever used!
This is why everyone uses it!
I've been using Acronis now for the last 5 years & they have never failed me!
Best of all, is my average backup is only 7.6Gbs & this is a complete OS partition backup with all the crucial programs & files I need to put everything back to working order which btw takes all of 6 minutes!
Because the compression ratio is so good with Acronis you can afford to have multiple redundant backups of your system.
I have 3 at all times & do daily backups of my system which takes 5 minutes for a Complete backup.
Kicks butt on the W7 backup system on speed, space & time.

 

[anykey]

Another vote for Acronis

 

[Terrym]

Yet another vote for Acronis

It has saved my bacon many times. It is quick and simple to restore a backup from Acronis, and it works every time. I am running XP and Win 7 RC1 on two partitions and back up both with Acronis.
No worries.

 

[SIW2]

If you do decide to go for the Acronis - watch out for the Disk Selector

http://www.sevenforums.com/software/2076-acronis-disk-director.html

If you have a Seagate or Maxtor drive, there is a version of ATI 11 available thru Seagate - see if you like it first.

DiscWizard | Seagate

I much prefer Paragon - they have a Drive Backup app. - superb and cheaper than Acronis. They also have Hard Disk Manager - the best partitioning tools available included with the imaging program - for about the same as Acronis.

Paragon Software - hard disk partitioning, drive backup, hard disk management, system performance optimizing

The free version Paragon do is very limited , tho. - you might try a trial version.

There is also Macrium Reflect - no partitiong tools included, pure imaging. It is the fastest and smallest ( about 25 mb) you can get.

There is a free version ( the free one images drives/partitions and allows scheduling and mounting to retrieve individual files).

The paid version does a whole lot more of course and is a bargain.

Free version available here:

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download


Hope it helps

 

[Terrym]

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/10931-do-not-install-paragon-products-destroyed-win7-install.htm

FYIl

 

[SIW2]

Another case of the user blaming the app. Human nature, I suppose.

This guy understands what went wrong in his ( unrelated ) case

http://www.vistax64.com/general-discussion/228694-i-stopped-disck-check-now-no-hdd.html

You will find the vast majority of the SF TEAM members here using Paragon apps..

Tho. I don't use the Paragon Defrag - I have tried it, but it is an industrial version , insists on going into boot time mode , defrags everything - but takes a while. The kind of thing you would leave running overnight in an industrial setting - not necessary for a home user.

You will notice I made no derogatory comment about the Acronis - in fact I provided a link to a free version - for those who wish to try and see if they like it.

 

[anykey]

Hope it helps

Yeah that's good to know. Thanks.

 

[anykey]

It has saved my bacon many times. It is quick and simple to restore a backup from Acronis, and it works every time. I am running XP and Win 7 RC1 on two partitions and back up both with Acronis.
No worries.

Actually I think I am with you Terry. I have never used the other products so cannot speak for them. However, when ever I needed it Acronis came to my rescue.
Like you I have two partitions, one with XP Pro, the other running Seven/7127.

Here's my question. Which is the preferred method:
To make a Acronis images from within Seven or from XP.
I have Acronis installed in XP so usually boot to XP and do my image backups of both XP & 7 drive partitions.

I haven't (yet) installed Acronis in Seven. Should I make image backups from within Seven? Does it make any difference, do you think...

 

[Terrym]

Actually I think I am with you Terry. I have never used the other products so cannot speak for them. However, when ever I needed it Acronis came to my rescue.
Like you I have two partitions, one with XP Pro, the other running Seven/7127.

Here's my question. Which is the preferred method:
To make a Acronis images from within Seven or from XP.
I have Acronis installed in XP so usually boot to XP and do my image backups of both XP & 7 drive partitions.

I haven't (yet) installed Acronis in Seven. Should I make image backups from within Seven? Does it make any difference, do you think...

It makes no difference. Like you, I have xp and win 7 on dual boot. I run Acronis in xp and backup both from xp. And I have restored both, so they work fine. At some point in then near future, I will run Acronis in Win 7. I am using Acronis True Image 11 and not sure yet if I will need to go to 2009. I will probably try 11 first.

For defrag, I use Diskeeper 2009 and it works in the background with no problems on either operating system.

SIW2, did not mean to be derogatory. Just pointing out another comment I saw on the forum.

 

[anykey]

I much prefer Paragon - they have a Drive Backup app. - superb and cheaper than Acronis. They also have Hard Disk Manager - the best partitioning tools available included with the imaging program - for about the same as Acronis.

Paragon Software - hard disk partitioning, drive backup, hard disk management, system performance optimizing

The free version Paragon do is very limited , tho. - you might try a trial version.

Thanks SIW2
In view of your recommendation I shall try Paragon Drive Backup -

Personal Edition​

.
Geddit here:
Drive Backup 9.0 Personal Edition Click Magazine
Free Paragon Drive Backup 9.0 Personal Edition Download with Product Key and Serial Number » My Digital Life

 

[bhuulo]

Acronis True Image and Acronis Disk Detector Suite rocks

 

[anykey]

Drive Backup 9.0 Personal Edition

Would you believe it.
Got the email with Product Key and Serial Number.
But do you think I can get it to accept it.
Cannot get it to unlock

 

[SIW2]

Hi Any Key,

I had a look at that - no, it isn't going to work.

That was a special promotional edition ( limited availability) - I am not at all sure where they got those links from.

It doesn't have the full power and functions of the paid version - but is still very good for free.

From what I understand, one of the things not included is the ability to mount the archives ( it may be in the GUI but the function isn't there.)

Nevertheless, you may find it does everything you need.

 

[manpacker]

While i'm sure there are numerous 3rd party softwares that can do the trick, it's just sad to see that Microsoft couldn't just build into the OS a proper incremental backup solution..