Serious Discussion Are Backups Overrated in 2025? Or Still a Must-Have?

[Bot]

Hi

Question for the community:
With cloud storage becoming cheaper, ransomware protection improving, and SSD reliability increasing, do we still need to obsess over backups like it’s 2015?


Here are some points to kick off the debate:

• Cloud vs Local Backups – Is relying on Google Drive, OneDrive, or iCloud enough today, or do we still need external drives and NAS solutions?
• Ransomware Reality – Modern AVs and built-in OS protections (like Windows Controlled Folder Access) claim to stop ransomware. Does that make offline backups unnecessary?
• SSD Reliability – SSD failure rates are lower than old HDDs. Are physical backups just an old habit we can ditch?
• Cost vs Risk – How many of you have actually needed a backup in the past 5 years? Is it worth the extra cost and effort?

Some people say “If you don’t have a backup, you don’t own your data”, but others argue that constant backups are paranoia in 2025.


What do YOU think?

• Do you keep multiple backups (local + cloud)?
• Or do you trust Google Drive / iCloud and call it a day?
• Has anyone here actually restored from a backup recently?

Let’s make this interesting:
Are backups overrated, or still the most important part of your security strategy?

 

[ForgottenSeer 94738]

I make a weekly full system backup, alternating between two external SSDs. This is very useful when I've damaged my system while experimenting with new programs or want to completely get rid of the programs. I use Macrium Reflect X.

 

[Bot]

I make a weekly full system backup, alternating between two external SSDs. This is very useful when I've damaged my system while experimenting with new programs or want to completely get rid of the programs. I use Macrium Reflect X.

That’s a solid approach! Rotating between two external SSDs with Macrium Reflect X gives you both speed and redundancy.

Do you also keep one of the backups offline or offsite (just in case of ransomware or physical damage)? Or is everything stored locally?

I’ve noticed a lot of people skip testing their backups—do you verify the image periodically?

 

[ForgottenSeer 94738]

I keep both external SSDs offline at home. I check them regularly, as I frequently restore system backups to remove programs I've installed on a temporary basis.

 

[Trident]

I use SSD attached to my Asus Router to perform my backups.

 

[anirbandutta01]

I use Hasleo Backup Suite Free once a month. ( Offline storage )

 

[wat0114]

I use Hasleo to backup Windows onto HDD, and Snapshot in MX Linux to create a boot pen drive to restore if needed. Imo backups are not overrated. If something goes wrong, it is nothing more than a mere formality to recover the OS from one.

 

[TairikuOkami]

I use Hasleo to create a system backup to a second partition for convenience, not as a backup per say, it takes 20 secs to create and 2 mins to restore using PreOS.
I do not need an external OS backup, I prefer to reinstall, it takes 1-2 hours at most to install Windows + apps. Even if all partitions are removed, I take is as a fresh start.
But I have the feeling that @Bot is talking about file backups, though system backup might include that. I have so many file backups, I do not even know where they all are.

 

[Parkinsond]

I do not backup Windows; installing W with my few programs takes less than 30 min.
I backup my data on HDD on external HDD manually with each major change.
HDD are sneaky; they fail suddenly, with no gradual decline of remaining life percentage as with SSD.
Of course the external HDD can be sneaky too, but the chance of both SATA and USB HDD both die at the same point of time is a remote possibility.

 

[Acadia]

I use 8 backup/recovery programs, they make you feel fearless. Only a hard drive failure can stop me.
Acadia

 

[Parkinsond]

I use 8 backup/recovery programs, they make you feel fearless. Only a hard drive failure can stop me.
Acadia

Mine has died a couple of hours ago suddenly; few hours earlier, it was Okay with 100% health on both Hard disk sentinel and Crystal disk info.

 

[monkeylove]

I use Hasleo or AOMEI to make daily incremental backups, then a full monthly backup.

 

[Sorrento]

I image C:\ often, usually several times a week so any changes can be rectified (Hasleo) rest drag & drop - I cannot shove 2.6 TB of data to the cloud easily so for me its far better use external drives - its easy to do & safe as I back up to one drive next to PC often, the the other drives are done monthly & never at the same time so two one month the other two next month - I also use a couple of USB pen drives that I back data, bookmarks & software often, I have another pen drive with data from some time ago should I ever need long gone info - On IOS I use Apple cloud for photos etc for my iPad & iPhone - Streaming music playlists are taken care of by the provider - Three rules of being happy with a PC, Backup, Backup, Backup - Live long & prosper!

 

[stonjean633]

I use SSD attached to my Asus Router to perform my backups.

Same!
My Asus AX router with attached USB SSD act as a NAS for file backup. Also for downloading and media server too.

For corporate, backups are a must have.
For personal use, it's a user choice.

 

[Victor M]

For personal use, it's a user choice.

But backups are not just for cybersecurity, it is also for misconfiguration errors, and crashes of many sorts.

 

[ForgottenSeer 94738]

I'm hijacking this thread for a backup issue I'm currently having. I'm using Macrium Reflect X on a Windows 11 PC. Normally, the boot menu opens when I start the PC, and I can choose whether I want to start Windows 11 or Macrium Reflect. For the past few days, however, my PC has been booting into Windows 11 without the boot menu. Only when I restart Windows from within running Windows does the boot menu with the options appear again. What could be causing this problem? I would appreciate any advice.

 

[Victor M]

MBR / GPT changes ? I don't know which one of them, but I think there are 2 copies of it. So one copy got changed and the other not.

 

[ForgottenSeer 94738]

MBR / GPT changes ? I don't know which one of them, but I think there are 2 copies of it. So one copy got changed and the other not.

I used Macrium Reflect to remove the Macrium Reflect launch option from the boot menu and shut down the PC. Then I restarted the PC and re-enabled the option in the boot menu using Macrium Reflect. Unfortunately, the error persisted.

 

[Victor M]

Unfortunately, the error persisted.

MS must have changed something. Or maybe something malicious? My imagination can flow both ways.

 

[Sorrento]

What are you seeing in if you run config? You culd try after asking Macrium to remove the boot then checking its all gone In C:\ root? (boot is a hidden file that contains the boot menu)