Solved How do I backup and restore from a second hard drive?

[grimreaper1014]

Hi guys,

I'm not to familiar with the whole backup thing. I have a solid state drive as my primary drive which is the C: drive. I have a 750gb platter hard drive I would like to use as my backup drive with is drive E:. How would I go about making a complete backup of my C: drive to drive E: and then keeping it updated? Also, how would I restore the backup from drive E: to drive C: if a problem was to occur?

Thanks,
Rocky

 

[Plexx]

I see what you mean it's more reliable, but let's say you install something that screws the machine up. You then have to get a full blown backup out? wouldn't it be easier to get and rollback a day?

Yes, a rollback solution would be ideal as well but the fact that I had problems with it in which the only solution was to boot up windows 7 cd and repair, then uninstall Rollback RX to be able to fix the boot records and still drivers and stuff messed up I had no choice but to do a clean install from scratch.

That aside, I will continue to use my old method: Install on VM, test run it for awhile before installing on the main system.

However I don't have many apps installed anymore as you can see in my config thread.

Windows 7 updates are about 70% done due to my ISP issues. Still need VM installed. Photoshop for example will be installed in a VM or simply use my older system for it.

System itself feels lighter despite having 20+GB from AION and about 3GB in total from FTL, Torchlight, Torchlight 2, Dustforce, Vessel and Unmechanical (all games apart from AION are DRM free Indy games). Might add to the list SMITE and Awesomenauts but will require STEAM for Awesomenauts which is something I have been trying to avoid for awhile.

 

[Moose]

Also Paragon-Backup & Recovery 12 Home is having a sale which end today 10/07/12.

http://www.paragon-software.com/free/db.html

 

[grimreaper1014]

When I am using the Windows Backup I want it to create a image and backup user files correct? That will give me everything I need to properly backup my PC and get it running again in an emergency?

 

[Raul90]

There are a freewares that can do the job for you. Have used all (except Paragon Image Backup for Windows 8) and compared to the built-in Windows backup DiscWizard / ATI WD Edition / Macrium backs-up much faster and smaller than Paragon and the built-in. The four never failed me (DiscWizard / ATI WD Edition / Macrium Reflect free and Paragon Backup and Restore 2010 Advanced). Now I am using ATI Home 2012.

I have EASEUS Todo Backup Pro but it always failed me specially in long file names and the file size was large. I dumped it.

Seagate DiscWizard

DiscWizard How-to

Acronis True Image Western Digital Edition


How to make DiscWizard / ATI WD Edition work with non-Seagate/WD drives (workaround works with Seagate DisWizard).

Macrium Reflect Free

Imaging with free Macrium

Here is a link for Paragon Backup and Restore 2010 Advanced. Just provide the details and they will email you the serial. Create an account so if there is any issues you wanna ask them via support they will be able to assist you.

Likewise you can get Paragon Image Backup for Windows 8 in this link free.

Some links:

Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup


How to Manually Extract Files from a Backup in Vista and Windows 7


How-to Backup and Restore in Windows 7


Using Windows 7 Image Backup Tool


MACRIUM REFLECT - Create Bootable Rescue USB Drive

Good luck there

 

[mercurial]

When I am using the Windows Backup I want it to create a image and backup user files correct? That will give me everything I need to properly backup my PC and get it running again in an emergency?

Image File backup, creates a image files of your current windows system, you can't individually add / remove any program or anything but you can get the pc back to the point when you took the backup so all your data to that date will be restored.


Steps to Restore from Windows Image Backup

Restoration using Windows Image file


Warning

When you restore your computer from a Windows Complete PC Backup image, it is a complete restoration. You can't choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced.

 

[Plexx]

Image File backup, creates a image files of your current windows system, you can't individually add / remove any program or anything but you can get the pc back to the point when you took the backup so all your data to that date will be restored.


Steps to Restore from Windows Image Backup

Restoration using Windows Image file


Warning

When you restore your computer from a Windows Complete PC Backup image, it is a complete restoration. You can't choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced.

The windows 7 backup utility will create the backup as VHD and you can later attach this file as a drive on windows to grab what you need. That is assuming the user has a working OS even if its a clean install and the user wishes to retrieve some files only.